Black & Veatch Appoints Industry Thought Leader to Sustainability Leadership Role

Deepa Poduval will guide the company’s sustainability strategy

OVERLAND PARK, Kan.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Black & Veatch, a leading global provider of critical infrastructure solutions, has named industry expert and Senior Vice President Deepa Poduval as Sustainability Leader. In this role, she will advance Black & Veatch’s sustainability efforts in alignment with the Ten Principles of the United Nations (UN) Global Compact, the CEO Water Mandate and its Caring for Climate Pledge.

An 18-year veteran of Black & Veatch, Poduval, who also leads Global Advisory for Black & Veatch, will be responsible for continuing to implement the company’s Sustainability Strategy while further shaping sustainability as part of the company’s next-generation strategy. The company’s focus includes work and evaluation of progress towards the environmental, social and governance responsibilities championed by the company’s employee-owners, involving issues including carbon emissions, water use, diversity, equity and inclusion, anti-corruption, forced labor, human trafficking and safety.

“As people across the globe gain a better understanding of the importance of sustainability to the preservation of our planet and our future generations, Black & Veatch, as a provider of human-critical infrastructure solutions, plays a critical role in developing solutions that support a greener future with smarter technology, better preservation of natural resources and higher reliance on cleaner sources of energy,” said Mario Azar, Chairman and CEO of Black & Veatch. “With Deepa’s cross-industry expertise and proven track record in helping many of our clients develop effective decarbonization strategies, I have great confidence that she and her team of experts will lead our company towards our vision to become the leading global provider of sustainable infrastructure solutions. This starts with making sustainability a major part of our business culture.”

Poduval, and the Global Advisory team she leads, partners with a variety of corporate, utility and government clients who seek to develop decarbonization strategies, applying solutions to maximize the benefits of green power, sustainable water solutions, hydrogen technologies and EV charging—among available solutions—to achieve their sustainability, growth and resilience goals.

“In order to create a more sustainable and resilient future, we must act urgently to achieve the positive impact that companies can have on social and climate matters,” said Poduval. “I look forward to working with our clients, partners and highly motivated professionals, to design innovative and sustainable solutions that accelerate the path to net zero.”

Originally from India, Poduval serves as Executive Sponsor for WAVE, Black & Veatch’s Employee Resource Group (ERG) for women, fostering unique perspectives that benefit the company culture and strive to make the workplace more welcoming to those from different backgrounds. She also serves on the board of directors of the GridWise Alliance working to create a transformed grid to support decarbonization of the U.S. economy.

Editor’s Notes:

• Poduval was named one of the Top 50 Women Leaders of Houston for 2023 by Women We Admire.
• Poduval is a well-known industry thought leader who has provided a diverse, innovative perspective for major infrastructure events, webinars and associations, including the American Association of Blacks in Energy (AABE), the Association of Edison Illuminating Companies (AEIC), American Water Works Association (AWWA), CERAWeek, Gastech, GreenBiz, GridWise Alliance and POWERGEN International.
• A high-resolution image of Poduval can be found here.

About Black & Veatch

Black & Veatch is a 100-percent employee-owned global engineering, procurement, consulting and construction company with a more than 100-year track record of innovation in sustainable infrastructure. Since 1915, we have helped our clients improve the lives of people around the world by addressing the resilience and reliability of our most important infrastructure assets. Our revenues in 2021 exceeded US $3.3 billion. Follow us on www.bv.com and on social media.