Richard Fuller

Born in Australia, Richard Fuller graduated with a degree in Engineering from Melbourne University and then worked for IBM. He left Australia in 1988 to work directly on global environmental issues. For two years, Richard worked in the rainforests of Brazil with the United Nations Environmental Programme, creating forest reserves that promote the preservation of both the rainforest and its inhabitants.

He established Great Forest Inc. in 1989, now one of the most successful sustainability consulting companies in the U.S. Great Forest was among the first to bring cost-saving sustainability practices to business and institutional clients, helping to pave the way for the rise of corporate social responsibility. Based in New York, Great Forest’s operations have expanded to include Philadelphia, Washington D.C., Los Angeles, San Francisco and Chicago.

In 1999 Richard founded Pure Earth (formerly know as Blacksmith Institute) , an international not-for-profit organization dedicated to solving pollution-related environmental issues in developing countries. Today, Pure Earth is a global leader in this field, working with governments, the international community, NGOs and local agencies around the world to design and implement innovative, low-cost solutions to save lives. Under Richard’s leadership, Pure Earth has completed more than 120 cleanup pilot projects in 24 countries.

Richard is currently a member of the Environmental Task Force, the Energy Committee, the Codes and Regulations Committees for the Building Owners and Managers Association of New York, and the Special Committee of New York’s Business Integrity Commission. He is chair of NYC BOMA’s Codes and Regulations Waste and Recycling Subcommittee, a member of the New York Energy Buyers Forum and the National Recycling Coalition amongst others. He is also a LEED Accredited Professional.

In June 2018, Richard was awarded the Order of Australia Medal (OAM) in recognition of his service to conservation and the environment.  In October 2019, he received an Advance Award for Social Impact from the Australian government for his 20 years of pioneering work with Pure Earth and his leadership in tacking the issue as “a toxic pollution fighting hero.” He is also chair of the Global Alliance on Health and Pollution, and author of the book The Brown Agenda.

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