Labake Abijoye-Richard

CEO & Principal Consultant, AR Initiative

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Labake Ajiboye-Richard is a sustainability professional and the Principal Consultant at The AR Initiative, a sustainability and impact advisory firm in Nigeria that supports businesses across Africa in integrating sustainability into strategy and operations. She is also the Editor-in-Chief of Africa Sustainability Magazine, a digital publication amplifying sustainability trends and initiatives on the continent. Her work focuses on the intersection of sustainability and African development. She co-hosts the award winning Sustainability and Climate Podcast, where she engages leaders from global organisations such as Ikea, Virgin Atlantic, JP Morgan, Standard Chartered, and EY in conversations on climate action and impact. Labake has gained experience working with organisations such as Goldman Sachs, the Small Arms Survey, and The Borgen Project, in roles spanning community engagement, policy advocacy, and strategy. She has since built expertise in using data-driven approaches to support systemic change, culminating in the founding of The AR Initiative, which is shaping how businesses in Africa approach climate resilience and environmental impact. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science (Double Honours) from the University of Massachusetts and a Master of Arts in Development Studies from the Graduate Institute, Geneva. She has also completed executive programmes with the International Labour Organisation, Harvard University, and Stanford University.