Helen Taylor
Overseeing the transformation of Forest Green Rovers FC into ‘the greenest football club in the world’ may not seem like the work of a trained Food Technologist but, like most of Helen Taylor’s diverse career, it’s symptomatic of a desire to make a difference.
Everything she does is to help people and the planet become more sustainable and inclusive.
“I use my tenaciousness, high energy and love for meeting and connecting people to try and evoke change” she said.
And, after almost 30 years helping businesses and charities further their missions, it was these qualities that saw Helen found her own company – One Blue Marble.
Helen started in quality management, understanding supply chains from farm to shelf and the challenges of meeting strict industry specifications.
In 1999, she joined the Soil Association during the UK’s organic boom, where she directed the certification of organic food, beauty, and textile products. She also established a Business Development function to support companies transitioning to organic production, ensuring a secure market for farmers and growers.
Seeking to better market organic benefits, Helen moved into managing conferences, campaigns, and public events for the Soil Association’s charity arm, eventually becoming the Development Director in 2008, where she successfully led fundraising initiatives.
In 2010, Helen embraced a new challenge by joining Ecotricity, where she furthered the mission to create a Green Britain. She represented the company at various events and played a key role when Ecotricity took over Forest Green Rovers, eventually becoming the football club's CEO in 2017. Helen helped bring to life the chairman’s vision for the the club being a physical manifestation of Ecotricity’s green ideals, providing a space for people to learn and be inspired by sustainable practices.
By 2018, Helen, now an established change-maker, created One Blue Marble to help businesses and charities accelerate their cause, support them to create a sustainable future, and make real change.
As well as Ecotricity and Forest Green Rovers, One Blue Marble’s clients include: Neptune’s Pirates UK (formerly Sea Shepherd UK), the Green Britain Foundation, FGR Community, the Sustainable Food Trust and being on the Board of Catalyse Change.
Activities with Cardiff Business School
Helen has contributed to Cardiff Business School as a guest speaker, engaging with MBA students on the marketing module, and with MSc Business Strategy and Entrepreneurship students. She also facilitated Dr Anthony Samuel’s research with Forest Green Rovers, a football club dedicated to sustainability.
In November 2023, Helen facilitated a Public Vale Hackathon at Cardiff Business School, where 160 postgraduate students applied their knowledge and skills to devise innovative solutions for real-world challenges faced by three purpose-driven organisations.
