United Kingdom-headquartered sustainability consultancy Adelie has opened an office in Singapore, led by former B Lab UK certification manager James Kelly.
Adelie was co-founded in 2024 by Tom Stewart, the former Southeast Asia executive director of certification organisation B Lab, which runs the B Corp assessment scheme.
James Kelly was previously B Lab UK certification manager
The firm has offices in the UK, the United States and Switzerland. Its clients include coffee brand Nespresso, payments firm Thredd and clothing brand Fat Face.
Adelie is launching at a challenging time for sustainability consultancies in Singapore, where delays to mandatory climate reporting for most listed firms have dampened a market already constrained by muted consumer engagement and reluctance among smaller companies to invest in environmental, social and governance (ESG) programmes.
The consultancy aims to support small and medium-sized enterprises eligible for Enterprise Singapore’s Enterprise Development Grant, which provides funding for sustainability certification, ESG-related project staff and consultancy services.
Adelie will provide expertise in sustainability strategy, support certifications including EcoVadis and B Corp, double materiality and climate risk assessments, and guide companies through international regulations such as the European Union’s Greenwashing Directive, which prohibits vague, misleading and unsubstantiated sustainability claims.
Although consumer pressure to adopt sustainability measures is muted in Singapore, companies linked to international supply chains will still need to comply with increasingly stringent regulations. Stewart said Adelie is well positioned to support Singapore-based companies and the wider Southeast Asian market in navigating evolving regulations.
“We see this as a significant opportunity,” Stewart told Eco-Business in a statement. “Singapore’s government continues to move forward, rather than stand still, in encouraging businesses to integrate environmental considerations into their growth. As a progressive market, this creates real momentum for companies to act.”
“For me personally, this marks a full circle moment. Six years ago, I supported the growth of the B Corp movement in Southeast Asia as executive director, and I’m looking forward to reconnecting with friends and clients in the region. I’m also eager to spend time on the ground to support James Kelly who joins us from B Lab UK to spearhead our expansion.”
Before his four-year stint at B Lab UK as certification manager, Kelly worked at renewable energy firm So Energy as an operations specialist and at pollution risk firm Adler & Allan as an environmental consultant. He moved to Singapore last August.
