Sustainable finance · United Nations · Global institutions
From CDP to EcoVadis, my work has connected corporate climate information with sustainable finance: helping businesses, banks and investors understand progress and support the transition.
Dexter Galvin
The institutional contribution
At CDP, I worked on supplier finance with Walmart and HSBC, and with Vodafone and Citi. My wider contribution included the NZDPU Technical Advisory Board.
Today, I bring that experience to EcoVadis’s climate work and partnerships.
My perspective on sustainable finance Read the full career profile01 / Sustainable finance
Better financing terms can give suppliers both a reason and the means to act. This work spans CDP’s early lending proposition, buyer–bank partnerships and transition-finance advisory work.
EcoVadis · Abu Dhabi Sustainability Group
Dexter joined the economist and CFO panel at the 10th Abu Dhabi Sustainable Business Leadership Forum. The discussion brought natural capital, climate risk and sustainable growth into the same financing conversation.
CDP · BusinessGreen Leaders Forum
Dexter announced CDP’s plan for preferential lending to suppliers investing in lower-carbon operations. Environmental disclosure could help identify opportunities, while better financing terms would give suppliers an additional reason to act.
The proposition connected CDP’s disclosure system with banks, major buyers and the capital suppliers needed for transition.
CDP · Walmart · HSBC
Dexter helped build the CDP collaboration with Walmart and HSBC. Its 2021 expansion linked supplier financing terms to CDP scores, science-based targets and reported progress, alongside Walmart’s Project Gigaton.
Suppliers could access earlier payment on approved invoices, with stronger environmental ambition qualifying for better financing terms. This brought disclosure and targets into a concrete commercial relationship.
CDP · Vodafone · Citi
Dexter’s CDP finance work also included the Vodafone collaboration launched in April 2023. CDP and Vodafone developed a framework using 12 environmental criteria, with preferential supplier financing initially offered through Citi.
The framework created a route for suppliers’ environmental performance to influence their financing rates, with wider adoption envisaged across the telecoms industry.
Scope 3 Impact Delta
Dexter’s advisory record includes Scope 3 Impact Delta’s Advisory Council. The initiative connects value-chain transition with contractual incentives and finance from companies, governments and other providers.
Its approach explores how purchasing commitments and financial support can help close the cost gap for lower-carbon choices. It is a further strand of his work on the institutions and incentives behind corporate climate action.
EcoVadis · Novata
At EcoVadis, the connection with finance continues through partnerships such as Novata. The July 2026 announcement links primary supplier carbon information with the systems used by companies and private-market investors.
Dexter’s contribution centres on making that information usable across platforms, giving financial institutions and businesses a more detailed basis for assessing Scope 3 emissions and directing climate action.
Public procurement
At CDP, my work with public buyers included the US General Services Administration over many years, the UK’s Office of Government Commerce and subsequently the Cabinet Office, and California’s Department of General Services. I was also involved in the White House’s work on the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR).
In Japan, I worked with the Ministry of the Environment, including helping launch its Green Value Chain initiative. The connecting thread was using procurement and supplier engagement to advance climate action.
02 / Shared climate data
Net-Zero Data Public Utility
My contribution to the NZDPU Technical Advisory Board brought experience of corporate disclosure to the needs of finance and public policy. The September 2023 record is linked below.
The board advises on technical implementation of the Climate Data Steering Committee’s recommendations. Its membership brings CDP together with major financial-data providers to help develop accessible, comparable climate information.
The NZDPU proof of concept was unveiled at COP28 in December 2023. It was designed to help financial institutions assess clients and portfolios, companies understand their value chains, and policymakers evaluate climate progress.
The initiative is now known as the Climate Data Utility.
03 / United Nations & international engagement
I have joined an ITU panel, contributed commentary published by UN Climate Change and moderated a World Bank roundtable on forest-positive supply chains. COP and OECD discussions form part of the same international record.
Playing loads YouTube. You can also open the original recording above.
Watch the discussion
A COP27 discussion of corporate commitments and emissions action, with perspectives from CDP, Mars, Environmental Defense Fund and Student Energy.
Recording: Kite Insights · Climate Action Stage
The UNFCCC’s final COP26 participant list also records me under CDP Worldwide–CDP in Glasgow in 2021. View the official record, page 66
Panellist
Joined UNFCCC’s Massamba Thioye, Ericsson and the Exponential Roadmap Initiative at the launch workshop for harmonised telecoms Scope 3 guidance. The discussion addressed consistent emissions assessment and action across supply chains.
Original ITU programme · Session 1Quoted commentary
UNFCCC coverage quotes Dexter on the role of science-based targets in innovation, competitiveness and managing business risk.
Original UNFCCC articleRoundtable moderator
Dexter moderated the forest-positive supply-chain roundtable at the FCPF–ISFL workshop on natural climate solutions and private finance, connecting corporate commitments with deforestation and public-policy goals.
Original World Bank programme · p. 5Listed speaker
Original speaker records from Paris, Marrakech and Bonn document Dexter’s participation in the Sustainable Innovation Forum alongside three consecutive climate conferences.
COP21 speaker recordPanellist
Joined GSMA, Nokia, BT, Ericsson and Schneider Electric in a high-level business discussion on how mobile technology and industry collaboration can accelerate net zero.
Published panel recordingPanel participant
Joined a discussion on corporate commitments and emissions action, with perspectives from CDP, Mars, Environmental Defense Fund and Student Energy.
Watch the organiser’s recordingForum contributor
The OECD’s summary records Dexter’s arguments for procurement expectations, useful feedback to smaller suppliers and harmonised reporting, alongside discussion of jurisdictional approaches to deforestation.
Written proceedings · paragraphs 103–110AI for the Planet
My wider involvement has included the AI for the Planet advisory board, supporting an alliance focused on climate mitigation, adaptation and resilience. The alliance’s original announcement describes collaboration with UNDP, UNESCO and the UN Office of Information and Communications Technology.
Original alliance & advisory-board recordThe work continues
At EcoVadis, I continue to work with colleagues and partners on the supplier information companies and investors need, and on the relationships that help turn it into action.
Explore the finance perspective