Jim joined Business in the Community as Director of the environment campaign in April 2003. Immediately prior to this, Jim worked for the Environment Agency as general manager of the Lower Severn area, where he was responsible for overseeing all aspects of the Agency's regulatory, advisory and championing roles within the Area. With the Agency, Jim also headed up the National Flood Warning Centre, which he set up as a centre of expertise in flood forecasting, warning and public awareness following the widespread floods which hit eastern and central England and parts of Wales in Easter 1998.

Jim's former career included work with blue-chip multinationals, such as The BOC Group and AMP Incorporated (now part of the Tyco group), in environment management roles. He has hands-on experience working with business units in developing environmental management systems as well as due-diligence and regulatory compliance auditing - both within the UK and overseas. Jim has also acted as the lead and co-ordinator of operating company environmental managers across Europe, Middle-East and Africa (EMEA) as well as Asia Pacific. He was Chair of the European Industrial Gases Association environmental group.