What I did next: from the Civil Service to Deloitte, Amazon, and now pioneering sustainable partnerships
Alumnus Rafi Addlestone on a values-driven career, the duality of panic and hope, and why saying 'yes' is key to making an impact.
1. Tell me about your career path and your motivations for moving into industry, and then consultancy.
My career has always been driven by a strong sense of purpose, stemming from my family background and the idea that community means taking responsibility for people beyond yourself. This led me to the Civil Service, focusing on education and children's social care.
I was then approached to join Monitor Deloitte’s public sector strategy practice. My focus shifted to corporate impact, where I helped create Deloitte's proposition around corporate purpose. One of my highlights was contributing to a paper on this topic that went to Davos in 2015. Later on, I moved over to Risk Advisory to lead a TMT-focused sustainability practice, championing the idea of business as a force for good paired with social and environmental impact. Ultimately, I became global lead for TMT Sustainability for the firm.
An incredible opportunity then arose at Amazon Web Services to lead a new global sustainability team and deliver innovation projects for high value customers. It was a chance to apply technology for impact at scale.
That experience reinforced my belief that true change at scale requires collaboration and systems thinking, looking beyond individual companies to value chain problems.
This led me to develop Pineapple Partnerships, where together with my business partners, we bring big companies together to solve system-wide sustainability challenges.
2. What have you found most rewarding about working in the sustainability sector?
I continue to live and work in a dual world of panic and optimism. The science around climate change is incredibly urgent and can be panic-inducing. Yet, paradoxically, the most effective way to drive change is to find the opportunities and benefits of transformation, which are also revenue generating. This duality fuels me.
I’m driven to do the best I can to make a tangible impact, to contribute to the most important issues society faces, and ultimately, to feel like I’m doing good and can look my kids in the eye and say I helped make a better future for you.
3. What advice do you have for companies and individuals seeking to change behaviours and take action against climate change?
My primary advice is to cultivate consciousness and a willingness to understand the state of our world, what future we can expect, and make informed decisions as a result. Secondly, I urge people to "bring their whole self" to their roles. Don't separate your values as a parent or an engaged citizen from your professional persona as a business leader. When these interests align, organisations have a powerful opportunity to drive meaningful change.
4. How have you stayed connected to Deloitte and with former colleagues?
I’m still very connected! I have many friends and former colleagues from Deloitte, and I enjoy attending alumni events. We even have a WhatsApp group with former colleagues, many of whom have moved on, creating a fantastic network across the sustainability sector. I’m proud of my time at the firm and appreciate its leading-edge thinking and global network.
5. Is there a particular nugget or learning from Deloitte that you’d like to share which has impacted on your career?
The biggest thing I learned at Deloitte was simply to "say yes." When people present problems, there’s always something you can contribute, even if it’s just helping them structure the issue more clearly. This empowering mindset, that you can always help and make a difference, has stayed with me throughout my career.
6. What project were you most proud of working on while you were at Deloitte?
I'm particularly proud of initiating Deloitte's relationship with the Earthshot Prize. I was involved in the initial design of the prize and helped behind the scenes. It's an amazing story that embodies the 'panic and hope' duality – acknowledging the urgency of climate change while highlighting the means we have to change the world.
I’m also proud to have contributed to the success of one of the prize winners, Notpla, supporting them through their pitch on innovative seaweed-based packaging. Seeing them now everywhere, from Wimbledon to Deloitte's own canteen, is incredibly rewarding.
Read more Deloitte alumni profiles:
Jamie Gill, Fashion and Luxury CEO, on increasing diversity in the industry
Nneka Orji, Senior Director in Asset and Weath Management, on the power of career sponsorship
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