Julie Ricahardson is Head of Economics at Schumacher College and is Co-Director of the AMA in Economics for Transition. She is also leading the department of the Schumacher Worldwide Programme to develop international collaboration and on-line learning opportunities. Julie was one of the founding Trustees of the international Transition Network which supports participative process towards more sustainable and resilient communities. Previously, she worked as a senior environmental policy advisor to the UK prime Minister’s Strategy Unit and as Principal Sustainability Officer for Forum for the Future-advising business on sustainability strategy and performance measurement.
Julie has taught ecological economics and international development at various UK Universities and has worked in sustainable development for over 20 years in Africa, Asia, Latin America and Europe. This experience changed her view of “development”- believing there is much we can learn from the wisdom of other about cultures about sustainable livelihoods and restoring healthy relationship between human society and nature.
Her current interests are about applying ecological thinking and complexity science to different aspects of sustainable economics. She has published widely, including her most recent co-authored book, The Triple Bottom Line: Does It All Add Up? The book highlights a fresh approach to organizational performance that takes account of environmental, social and economic impacts.