Why This Conversation Matters

Most professional firms now publish long sustainability reports. They measure travel, electricity, and waste. But Jeff Twentyman says that’s only a fraction of the truth.

“The biggest part of a professional firm’s footprint is what its advice leads to,” he says.

“If the outcomes of that advice make the world worse, you can’t hide behind a green office or a recycling policy.”

It’s a simple idea, but one that cuts deep. Because it means law, finance, and consulting firms are not neutral. Their work shapes decisions that echo far beyond their buildings.

Jeff has spent more than three decades in that world. A former partner at Slaughter and May, he helped build the firm’s sustainability practice and responsible business programme. Today, he teaches at UCL, is chair of Blueprint for a Better Business, sits on the board of the Green Finance Institute, and supports purpose-led entrepreneurs. His focus is always the same: how responsibility becomes real.

From City Law to Public Purpose

Jeff didn’t plan to become a governance adviser. “I started out as a deal lawyer,” he says. “It was all about getting transactions done.”

But over time, he began to ask tougher questions. “I realised we never talked about what those deals actually meant,” he says.

“We looked at legality and efficiency, but not whether the outcome was good for society.”

That shift in perspective eventually led him to lead sustainability and responsible business at Slaughter and May. It also connected him to organisations like A Blueprint for Better Business, which challenges companies to serve the common good, and the Green Finance Institute, which pushes financial systems toward climate alignment.

His current work, he says, is about “helping people make sense of what responsibility really looks like in practice.”

Seeing the Real Footprint

In the early 2000s, law firms began to focus on their carbon emissions. “We all looked at the easy stuff,” Jeff recalls.

“Recycling, energy use, travel. And those things matter. But they’re small compared to what your advice enables.”

He offers a blunt example. “If a firm helps a client structure a deal that prolongs fossil fuel extraction, then your real footprint is that project’s emissions. You can’t offset that by switching to LED bulbs.”

This way of thinking — linking a firm’s ethics to its influence — remains rare in professional services. It’s uncomfortable. It asks firms to take moral ownership of their role in the system, not just manage their own operations.

But Jeff insists it’s where the real opportunity lies.

“Once you start looking at the impact of your work, you can choose differently. You can ask: is this something we’re proud to enable?”

Doing, Not Saying

Jeff’s career now blends boardroom work with teaching, coaching, and mentoring. He advises leaders on governance and sits with early-stage founders trying to scale responsibly. “I like variety,” he says with a smile. “I need a bit of turmoil in my life to stay interested.”

He’s also quick to challenge empty talk. “There’s a lot of saying and not enough doing,” he says.

“Firms make big claims about purpose, but integrity is what you do when no one’s watching.”

Jeff believes progress depends on honesty about trade-offs. “Sometimes you can’t please every stakeholder. Responsibility isn’t about being perfect; it’s about being transparent about what you’re choosing and why.”

The Hard Part of Change

The episode’s discussion centres on a research paper about the attitude–behaviour gap — why people who care about the planet still fly, eat meat, or overconsume. Jeff finds the topic fascinating, but warns against easy answers.

“Information doesn’t automatically change behaviour,” he says.

“People know what’s right, but we’re built for comfort and convenience.”

The paper links self-awareness, or “dispositional mindfulness,” to better choices. Jeff agrees it helps. “Mindfulness gives people a pause button. It lets you notice what you’re about to do before you do it.”

But he adds, “That’s not enough on its own. We also need incentives and rules. Sometimes governments have to make the hard calls people won’t make individually. We can’t rely on everyone becoming a monk.”

Hope and Momentum

Despite his realism, Jeff remains hopeful. He sees evidence of cultural change in daily life. “Look at diet,” he says.

“Ten years ago, vegetarianism was fringe. Now it’s mainstream. Electric cars, the same story. Change starts quietly and then tips.”

He also sees frustration among companies that want clearer direction. “Many businesses actually want stronger regulation. They’re tired of guessing what ‘good’ looks like.”

And while politics can feel stuck, Jeff believes people are moving ahead anyway. “Citizens are often braver than their leaders. You see it in communities adapting to droughts, floods, or energy shocks. They don’t need to be told it’s real — they’re living it.”

A Simple but Radical Idea

When asked what single change could make the biggest difference, Jeff doesn’t hesitate. “I’d choose equality,” he says.

“If we valued every human life equally, we’d act very differently.”

He explains that inequality fuels fear and mistrust. “When some people have too much and others have nothing, it’s very hard to cooperate. Climate change needs collective effort, but inequality makes that impossible.”

It’s a striking answer — less about technology, more about values. “We have to start treating fairness as part of sustainability,” he says. “It’s not a side issue. It’s the foundation.”

Responsibility Starts with Reality

In the end, Jeff’s message is practical, not idealistic. He wants professional firms to own the influence they hold and align their work with the outcomes they claim to support.

“For me, responsibility starts with being real,” he says.

“Look honestly at what you do. Be clear about your impact. And if you don’t like what you see, change it.”

It’s the kind of clarity that cuts through policy talk and brand language. Responsibility, as Jeff defines it, is not about saying the right thing. It’s about choosing the right thing — and accepting the weight that comes with it.