A Story that Simply Can't be Ignored - Why Sustainable Trading is the Future

In the latest episode of FinTech Focus TV, host Toby Babb welcomes Duncan Higgins, the Founder and CEO of Sustainable Trading, to discuss the importance of sustainability in the trading industry. Read about their engaging conversation, shedding light on how sustainable practices are reshaping the landscape of fintech recruitment.

Sustainable Trading: The Genesis 

Duncan introduces Sustainable Trading, a nonprofit membership network aimed at making global market businesses greener and more socially responsible. With a rich background in banking, exchanges, brokerage, and technology, Duncan identifies a gap in the trading industry’s sustainability efforts. This led to the creation of Sustainable Trading, which focuses on driving sustainability within trading operations, an area previously overlooked despite significant investment sector actions.

Personal Motivation and Industry Response 

Duncan discusses his long-standing environmental awareness and how it translated into his current venture. His passion for sustainability, coupled with a pragmatic view of commercial benefits, drives the initiative. The response from the industry has been overwhelmingly positive, with early support from influential figures and firms. Since its inception, Sustainable Trading has grown significantly, doubling its membership and attracting firms from various regions and sectors.

Building a Sustainable Community 

The conversation highlights the collaborative nature of Sustainable Trading’s approach. By forming working groups across six key areas – technology infrastructure, environmental business practices, diversity, community engagement, employee well-being, and governance – the network facilitates knowledge sharing and practical implementation of sustainability practices. This collective effort ensures that firms of all sizes and regions can benefit from and contribute to the cause.

Challenges and Learning Experiences 

Duncan reflects on the journey and challenges of establishing Sustainable Trading. He emphasises the importance of resilience, patience, and the ability to drive market changes. A key learning is the necessity of bridging gaps between theoretical best practices and actual industry standards. By bringing together diverse stakeholders, Sustainable Trading fosters mutual understanding and collaboration, leading to more efficient and effective sustainability practices.

Impact on Financial Technology Recruitment 

The discussion underscores how sustainability efforts are influencing financial technology recruitment. Firms increasingly recognise the commercial need to demonstrate sustainability to attract clients and top talent. This shift is especially pertinent in fintech recruitment, where younger professionals prioritise employers' sustainability credentials. Sustainable practices thus become a critical factor in hiring, engaging, and retaining skilled individuals in the financial technology sector.

Looking Ahead: Future Goals 

Sustainable Trading aims to broaden its reach and impact. The goal is to involve more firms globally, across all asset classes, and to integrate sustainability deeply into the trading industry. By continuing to develop and refine best practices, the network aspires to set a standard for sustainability that firms can adopt to improve their operations and market positioning.

The episode provides valuable insights into the role of sustainability in trading and its implications for financial technology recruitment. Sustainable Trading exemplifies how industry collaboration and shared best practices can drive significant progress. As sustainability becomes increasingly crucial in fintech recruitment, initiatives like Sustainable Trading are essential for fostering a more responsible and attractive industry.

Watch the full episode here.

FinTech Focus TV is brought to you by the host and CEO of Harrington Starr, Toby Babb. Episodes are released weekly featuring industry experts within the fintech space giving their journey and insights on the space. Guests are typically Founders, C-Suites and VCs from startups to global giants all sharing their story and particularly their role in hiring and retaining the best talent.

Harrington Starr is a global financial tech recruitment firm specialising in; Application Support, Change and Transformation, Cloud Engineering & DevOps, Cyber Security & IT Risk, Data, Infrastructure Support, Network Engineering, Product Management, Quantitive Finance, Sales and Marketing, Software Engineering and Testing.

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