Aneesa Walji

Aneesa Walji is an independent Sustainability Advisor and former United Nations staff member, with a track record of helping actors across sectors navigate the growing complexities of business for people, planet and profit. She is a lawyer with 15 years of experience working in partnership with business, government and civil society across Asia, Africa and North America, as well as at the international policy level.

In the course of her career, she has covered issues ranging from labour conditions in Sri Lankan tea plantations to air pollution in Bahrain and modern slavery regulation from an investment perspective. Recently, she led the United Nations Development Programme’s work on responsible business conduct in the Arab States region.

Her diverse work experiences across sectors, regions and substantive areas of focus have given Aneesa a systems-level perspective of the interconnected elements of sustainability, as well as a deep understanding of the evolving global regulatory landscape. She brings expertise in strategy development, multi-stakeholder engagement, training and awareness raising, responsible sourcing and impact assessments, among other areas.

Aneesa holds a Bachelor of Arts in International Development Studies, a Juris Doctor from the University of Toronto and a Master of Laws from New York University. She also holds several certifications, including from the Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership and the International Financial Reporting Standards Foundation.

My Sustainability Goals for 2024:

1. Conversations for new ideas and approaches – e.g. Re-Think!

2. Encourage recognition of the interconnections between environmental and social dimensions.

3. Promote win-win approaches through public-private partnerships.