Colin Clarke Expert of the month – September 2019!

This month our award goes to Colin Clarke as a recognition of his hard work and dedication, Thank you so much for your great contribution!

In this interview, we had the chance to learn more about Colin, his work at Procter & Gamble, as well as his passions and drivers for being an Advisory Expert at the Solar Impulse Foundation.

Colin is a Graduate chemist by training and he spent the last 28 years at the front-end of innovation pipelines here at P&G R&D. His primary focus has been developing and launching technologies through the hair, skin and personal cleansing categories. Colin is currently working within the sustainability sector – looking in particular at technologies pertinent to water and energy consumption within the home, and how to help make the changes needed to support ALL consumers to consume responsibly. In his spare time he is a carer, gardener, and keen motorcyclist.

Could you tell us more about P&G's activity?

P&G is in the homes of 5 billion people globally – in categories of Fabric & Home Care (Brands: Ariel, Tide, Lenor, …) Hair & Beauty Care (Pantene, Olay,..), Family Care (Bounty, Charmin), Grooming (Gillette, Venus,..), Baby & Feminine Care (Pampers, Always, …) and Health Care. P&G is committed to making sustainable lifestyles aspirational and mainstream – as part of Ambition 2030 towards “Responsible Consumption”.

What is the most challenging part of your work?

Time. One of the most precious things we all possess, but don’t always treat as such.

What is the value of being an Expert for you, and more in general what means being part of World Alliance?

I’m proud to able to contribute to the World Alliance for Efficient Solutions, as I fundamentally believe in what it’s trying to achieve in bridging the gap between ecology and economy. Sustainable solutions don’t have to mean ‘less of’ by default.
I’ll happily challenge anywhere the negative type mindset that sometimes comes bundled with sustainability and sustainable solutions. They can be more profitable, better performing, better for the environmental and most importantly of all - more delightful for the consumers too. So sharing in this opportunity to help show there are real, profitable opportunities out there is very rewarding personally.

Have you get the chance to participate in our Experts’ Challenge, or do you wish to participate in the future ? Why?

Not yet due to travel commitments but I will. Getting the experts together in a true community can only help strengthen and re-enforce the quality of the peer-review process we undertake, that is critical for the integrity of the label.

Have you come across any interesting Solution that you would like to see in our 1000 Solutions portfolio? If not do you have any Solutions that you wish to see in our portfolio?

Yes, in fact too many to mention in one space which is a really positive statement to make. However, technology I think is interesting or cool comes with my own ‘personal bias’s and should come from the innovators themselves through the rigorous peer-review process established here. So I’ll refrain from promoting publicly, (whilst of course encouraging them on occasion to consider an application).

How do you think the label could be implemented more effectively?

Take it to the end consumer. Generate the PULL as well as the PUSH. When end-use consumers are regularly seeking out the label – its real world value will only grow exponentially! Ultimately they are ALL our BOSSES whether B2B or B2C.

Anything else you would like to share with us ?

Just my tips for reviewing - Do your own research, literature, patents, markets, competition and companies. Believe nothing you read until you have a body of evidence to support what is in front of you from other sources. We all stand on the shoulders of giants – let’s not let them down.