Sophie Thomas receives OBE for Services to Sustainable Design

London, 3 July 2025, Professor Sophie Thomas has received an OBE in the King’s Birthday Honours for her exceptional services to Sustainable Design. This recognition celebrates nearly three decades of transformative leadership that has fundamentally reshaped how the design industry approaches materials, waste, and environmental responsibility.

Sophie’s pioneering work bridges the critical gap between design innovation and environmental stewardship. As Senior Director of the Useful Simple Trust and Director of Circular Design at Useful Projects, she leads interdisciplinary teams that advance sustainable design practices creating measurable impact across multiple industries. Her position within the Trust’s collaborative ecosystem enables the integration of circular design principles across engineering, architecture, and strategic consultancy services.

Her influence extends far beyond traditional design boundaries. In 2012, Sophie established The Great Recovery project, taking over 1,000 designers to waste sites to witness first-hand the lifecycle consequences of their creative decisions. This groundbreaking initiative catalysed circular design thinking across industries ranging from consumer electronics to oil rig construction.

This recognition acknowledges Sophie’s unique position at the intersection of design, waste management, and sustainability. She remains the only designer in the UK honored as a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Waste Management, demonstrating exceptional expertise in material flows and resource efficiency. This specialised knowledge strengthens Useful Projects’ capacity to address complex circular economy challenges through innovative design and consultancy approaches.

Industry-wide action

Through the co-founding of Thomas.Matthews in 1998, Sophie pioneered the integration of sustainable materials into commercial design at a time when environmental consciousness was emerging in the industry. Subsequently, in 2022, she co-founded etsaW, a climate-tech venture studio, to continue transforming waste streams into valuable materials through innovative business models.

Sophie’s academic contributions amplify her practical impact. As a Royal Academy of Engineering Visiting Professor at UCL and recipient of an Honorary Doctorate from University Arts London, she shapes the next generation of sustainable design leaders. Additionally, her long standing position as a trustee of WRAP demonstrates her commitment to systemic change in waste and resource management.

The OBE honours nearly 30 years of dedicated service that has transformed how the design industry understands its environmental responsibilities. Sophie’s work continues creating ripple effects, building new businesses and helping industries transition toward sustainable material use at scale.

Her contributions demonstrate how thoughtful design approaches can become catalysts for positive environmental and social change, addressing complex challenges through collaborative innovation.

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About Professor Sophie Thomas OBE, FCIWM:

• Senior Director, Useful Simple Trust
• Director of Circular Design, Useful Projects
• Founding Director, Thomas.Matthews (1998-2025)
• Visiting Professor, Royal Academy of Engineering UCL
• Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Wastes Management (CIWM)
• Co-founder of etsaW Ventures
• Trustee of WRAP (Waste Resources Action Programme)