Long before sustainability became a global priority, it was Johan’s personal priority. In 2005 he founded the Rainforest Trust, which preserves a 1600 km2 rainforest area in the Amazon region, and he is the co-founder and President of Cool Earth, which invests in indigenous communities to keep 2 million hectares of endangered rainforest standing.
Johan is passionate about protecting the environment and puts sustainability at the forefront of all his business and leadership efforts.
At the International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS) he has introduced a wide-ranging programme of actions to reduce and off-set emissions.
Over the years Johan has advised many politicians and governments on climate issues. In 2007, UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown invited Johan to investigate the role of deforestation in climate change. The Eliasch Review made its recommendations the following year, subsequently informing the Reduced Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation framework as part of the international climate change convention.
Johan also served as a member of HM Government as the Prime Minister's Special Representative on Deforestation and Clean Energy from 2007-2010, chaired the 2021-22 HM Treasury Net Zero review technology and innovation advisory group and served on the UK’s Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA) Council for Sustainable Business.
He is a director of the Foundation for Renewable Energy and Environment and a member of the advisory board of The Schwarzenegger Climate Initiative. Previously, he served as chair of the Food, Energy and Water Security Program at the Royal United Services Institute (2010-2016); a member of the International Advisory Board of the Stockholm Resilience Centre (2010-2022); and as a trustee of the Kew Foundation, Royal Botanical Society (2010-2016).