We’re so excited to welcome Claire Richards to Flotilla as our new Principal Sustainability Consultant, based in Manchester. Claire brings extensive experience in ESG strategy, sustainable finance and private equity, strengthening Flotilla’s advisory services for private equity firms and SMEs.
Claire joins us with deep experience across ESG strategy, sustainable finance and private equity, and will play a key role in strengthening our advisory offering while supporting the continued growth of our client base across the North West. Below, Claire shares what attracted her to Flotilla, her perspective on the ESG landscape and what she’s most excited about in her new role.
Joining Flotilla: Strengthening ESG Advisory for Private Equity and SMEs
What attracted you to Flotilla and to this role in particular?
I had crossed paths with Caroline Linford and John Rastrick previously and was lucky enough to see a demo of the Flotilla platform. I was immediately drawn to the clarity of their vision and the passion behind what they’re building.
Flotilla has created a platform that goes beyond good data management, it enables impactful business action. That combination of high-quality ESG data with practical delivery really stood out to me. Flotilla being a B Corp was also a major draw. I’m an active member of the B Local Manchester community and a trained B Leader, so I know how significant it is to achieve and maintain B Corp certification. It says a lot about the values embedded in the business, and I’m excited to now represent Flotilla within that community.
What will your focus be as you step into this new role?
My focus will be on bringing my experience in sustainable finance and ESG strategy to support Flotilla’s private equity clients and their portfolios, while also helping to strengthen and evolve the advisory offering alongside the platform.
Alongside this, I’ll be supporting the growth of Flotilla’s SME client base across the North West, working with founder-led and high-growth businesses that want to take a more strategic and commercial approach to sustainability. I’m particularly looking forward to working closely with and managing the client team, as well as playing an active role in growing Flotilla’s presence in Manchester and across the North West.
Why is Flotilla uniquely positioned to support private equity firms and SMEs?
Flotilla has been designed specifically to support SMEs and high-growth businesses, which reflects the reality of most private equity portfolio companies and the wider SME market. The platform gives PE firms a clear and consistent way to track ESG performance and value creation across portfolios, while remaining agile enough to support businesses at very different stages of maturity. That same flexibility is critical for SMEs, who need robust ESG insight without unnecessary complexity. The action-planning capabilities are particularly powerful, helping to move ESG from reporting into delivery and impact.
ESG Background and Private Equity Experience
Can you share a bit about your professional journey?
I’ve worked in sustainability consulting for around eight years, supporting organisations across a wide range of sectors. During that time, I’ve been seconded to Tesco, Amazon and, most recently, Palatine Private Equity, a key client of Flotilla’s. These longer-term secondments gave me first-hand experience of how sustainability is managed within both investor-led environments and large, complex organisations.
In-house ESG management requires extensive stakeholder engagement, strong data management and analysis, and a clear vision and strategy. Having that experience has enabled me to better understand and support my clients.
What are the biggest ESG challenges and opportunities facing PE firms today?
One of the biggest challenges is navigating ESG amid ongoing regulatory and political uncertainty, particularly around evolving disclosure and reporting requirements. Over the past year, this has made consistency and stakeholder alignment more difficult. The opportunity lies in refocusing ESG on financial materiality and value creation. When applied through a materiality lens, ESG helps identify sector-specific risks and opportunities that directly impact company fundamentals, resilience and performance.
Despite ongoing public debate, ESG-linked assets continue to grow, and companies that actively manage material ESG risks can outperform their peers. There’s a clear opportunity for PE firms to move beyond ESG as a reporting exercise and instead use high-quality data and practical tools to actively manage risk and drive long-term value across portfolios. At portfolio-company level, ESG and social value requirements also remain important for winning business, particularly for companies bidding for government and public-sector contracts, and investors play a key role in ensuring portfolios are prepared.
What has been your proudest ESG achievement so far?
Most recently, my proudest achievement was completing a year-long secondment at Palatine Private Equity, where I managed the sustainability team. During that time, we supported the portfolio to launch a social value working group and published Palatine’s first TCFD report. Palatine truly embeds ESG into investment thinking and decision-making in a practical, impactful way, so it was rewarding to play a part in that.
I’m also excited that Palatine is a client of Flotilla’s, and I’m looking forward to working with the team again, this time from a platform and advisory perspective, to continue driving meaningful ESG outcomes and long-term value across the portfolio.
Manchester Growth and Regional ESG Leadership
What excites you about helping lead Flotilla’s growth in Manchester?
There’s a really exciting opportunity to grow Flotilla’s presence in Manchester. The city has a fantastic community of businesses and experts doing great work around sustainability. I’m keen to continue being an active part of the B Local Manchester community and to help Flotilla play a visible and meaningful role within that ecosystem.
How do you see the Manchester ecosystem responding to sustainability innovation?
Manchester is already leading in this space. At last year’s North West Rainmakers, Andy Burnham spoke about how people no longer need to move to London to secure well-paid, fulfilling careers, highlighting the role green industries and sustainable investment will play in regional growth.
That leadership is filtering through to the local ecosystem. PE and professional services firms are increasingly seeing sustainability not just as a risk-management tool, but as a way to attract talent, build resilience and create long-term value. Manchester’s collaborative culture makes it a strong environment for turning sustainability ambition into action.
What opportunities will the Manchester base create for Flotilla’s clients?
Flotilla already has a strong client base in the North West. Growing our presence in Manchester allows us to open up new networks and partnerships, while giving Manchester-based clients access to more local, relationship-led advisory support.
Beyond ESG: Claire Richards
What inspires you most about working in sustainability?
Helping shift perspectives and turning sustainability into a strategic advantage is incredibly rewarding, particularly when sustainability-driven value creation can be clearly demonstrated to stakeholders who may not initially see its relevance.
What’s one thing people might be surprised to learn about you?
Outside of work, I’m training to become a Mountain Leader. My passion for climbing and hiking started when I trained for and summited Mount Kilimanjaro in 2023, an experience that definitely gave me the bug for being out in the mountains.
John Rastrick, Founder & CEO of Flotilla, commented:
“Claire brings deep experience across ESG strategy, sustainable finance and private equity, and her focus on practical, commercial ESG aligns strongly with where our clients are heading. Her appointment strengthens our advisory capability alongside the Flotilla platform, and her leadership in Manchester is an important step as we continue to grow our presence in the North West.”
