Thomas Binsted

An industrious and enthusiastic sustainability officer, ecological professional, and entrepreneur, experienced in collating and analysing corporate environmental datasets, environmental report writing, and presenting findings to executive-level colleagues, with practical skills in habitat surveying, conservation, and apiculture.

Sustainability Project Officer / Case Analyst - Medical Defence Union - Central London

(2012-12 - 2025)

• Presented carbon offset analysis to the board of directors, shifting company strategy from offset reliance to direct GHG emission reduction to meet the net-zero target.
• Compiled Scope 1 and 2 emissions data for Streamlined Energy and Carbon Reporting (SECR) compliance.
• Analysed investment funds against UN Principles for Responsible Investing, Net Zero Asset Management Initiative, and SFDR to prepare for TCFD reporting requirements.
• Coordinated third-party consultants to quantify Scope 3 (Category 15) and Scope 4 emissions and develop a net-zero sustainability strategy.
• Consistently exceeded the departmental requirement to write 25 case files per day, ensuring the timely processing of highly confidential legal and medical documentation before allocation to the company’s medico-legal advisers.
• Supporting other team members to deliver customer service recognised as excellent, including interviewing and training new colleagues.

Managing Partner - Metropollen - Multiple sites around South London, northeast Surrey and northwest Kent

(2019-07)

• Managing company accounts, tax compliance, and business administration for my sustainable apiculture enterprise.
• Raising colonies of western honey bees and ensuring high welfare standards by providing well-maintained hives, supplementary feed, and strict biosecurity.
• Practising sustainable beekeeping by limiting hive numbers in each apiary to avoid outcompeting native pollinators, not importing bee livestock from overseas breeders to reduce the risk of spreading parasites and pathogens, and planting native flowering trees to enrich the supply of nectar and pollen.
• Mentoring apprentice beekeepers and presenting talks on apiculture and the importance of pollinators for maintaining ecological vitality.
• Managing a suburban mixed woodland and grassland reserve, enriching biodiversity by creating a mosaic of habitats appropriate for the region, and arranging ecological lessons for local school parties and bushcraft sessions for students, including those with special educational needs.

Operations Shipbroker - Simpson, Spence & Young - Central London

(2007-06 - 2011-04)

• Communicated verbally and in writing with shipowners, charterers, shipbrokers, port officials, and other stakeholders to ensure all contractual obligations were met.
• Commission calculation and credit control.

Urban Farmer (Volunteer) - Farm: Shop - Dalston

(2017-03 - 2018-06)

Volunteer urban farmer at a community hub and art installation demonstrating how modern agricultural technology could be used by both commercial farmers and members of the public to grow vegetables, fruits, and flowers in an urban environment.

Conservation Volunteer - London Wildlife Trust - South London

(2011-08 - 2012-12)

Assisted with ecological surveys and conducted habitat enrichment work across London Wildlife Trust's vulnerable south London reserves, informing the public about the importance of protecting suburban ecosystems.

Conservation Volunteer - Elephant Human Relations Aid - Northern Namibia

(2011)

Conservation work with EHRA, a charity established to protect Namibia’s indigenous elephant population through education of local farming conservancies and lobbying the Namibian government.

MSc - Environment and Sustainability - Birkbeck College, University of London

BSc (Hons) - Cancer Biology & Virology - University of Bristol