Employee Spotlight: Welcoming Namendra Anand, Senior Manager, EcoFund and Decarbonization
GreenStep is excited to welcome Namendra Anand (He/Him) as our new Senior Manager, EcoFund and Decarbonization
With more than two decades of experience in sustainability, clean energy, financial strategy, and impact fund management, Namendra Anand brings a unique blend of technical expertise and strategic insight to GreenStep. His background includes advanced studies in ESG and Sustainable Financial Strategy from the University of Oxford’s Saïd Business School and a Master of Engineering Leadership (MEL) in Clean Energy from UBC. He also holds an MBA in International Business and a Bachelor of Engineering in Mechanical Engineering.
Namendra combines deep knowledge in energy, sustainability, and finance to help businesses move from vision to action. He’s an ESG Specialist (CFI), Certified Energy Manager (CEM), and LEED Green Associate – credentials that reflect both his technical expertise and his commitment to impact.
In his role here at GreenStep, Namendra leads the EcoFund and Carbon Programs, designed to break down financial barriers and empower businesses, particularly in the commercial and tourism sectors, on their journey toward a low-carbon future.
To welcome him to the team, we asked Namendra to share a bit about himself, his goals for EcoFund, and his perspective on advancing decarbonization.
What inspired your passion for sustainability and eventually led you to join GreenStep?
Namendra: My passion for sustainability was ignited during my early engineering career in India’s power sector, where I witnessed firsthand the environmental and social impacts of large-scale energy generation. That experience drove my commitment to clean energy and sustainable development, which I deepened through advanced studies at UBC and Oxford.
Throughout my career, spanning the public, private, and non-profit sectors, I’ve managed multimillion-dollar climate investments and developed clean energy projects for Indigenous communities. I’ve seen how practical, financially viable solutions can drive meaningful decarbonization.
What drew me to GreenStep was its hands-on, business-centered approach to making sustainability achievable. The EcoFund allows us to address the financial barriers that often hold businesses back, especially in the commercial and tourism sectors. GreenStep’s mission aligns perfectly with my belief that the most impactful climate solutions are both practical and scalable.
Can you share a bit about your career journey and how your experiences at Oxford and UBC shaped your approach to climate solutions?
Namendra: My career has evolved from optimizing national power systems to redesigning the financial and strategic models that drive decarbonization. I spent over 15 years with India’s largest power utility in executive leadership roles spanning construction, operations, and asset management of large-scale power facilities and critical national infrastructure.
This hands-on experience gave me a deep understanding of how energy systems work and where inefficiencies lie. To bridge this technical knowledge with market transformation, I pursued a Master of Engineering Leadership in Clean Energy at UBC, combining engineering and business strategy. Later, at Oxford’s Saïd Business School, I focused on ESG and sustainable finance, learning how to align investment with climate goals.
In Canada, I applied this knowledge by developing clean energy projects for Indigenous communities, leading decarbonization initiatives for municipalities and private industries, and managing impact investments. This blend of technical, operational, and financial experience now defines my approach: making efficiency and decarbonization financially compelling so they actually get built.
What excites you the most about your role as Senior Manager, EcoFund and Decarbonization?
Namendra: What excites me most is the opportunity to operationalize a belief I’ve held throughout my career; that the most sustainable solutions are also the most economically resilient.
EcoFund isn’t just a funding mechanism; it’s a catalyst that de-risks sustainability for businesses, turning ambitious climate goals into bankable projects. I’m especially drawn to our work with the commercial and tourism sectors, where smart investments can yield immediate benefits in efficiency, cost savings, and competitiveness.
This role brings together every aspect of my experience, from engineering and finance to strategy and leadership, into one mission: helping businesses move from ambition to action.
For those unfamiliar, what is the EcoFund and how does it support businesses in their sustainability journey?
Namendra: The GreenStep EcoFund Verified program is an innovative funding and carbon management tool that helps businesses take measurable climate action. Rather than relying solely on capital budgets or grants, organizations collect a small EcoFee from customers or transactions. These funds are pooled into a dedicated EcoFund managed by GreenStep’s experts to support projects that reduce energy, water, and waste while cutting greenhouse gas emissions.
We also provide technical support, project recommendations, and annual progress reports to ensure impact and transparency. It’s especially effective for sectors like hospitality, tourism, restaurants, and retail where resource use is high but opportunities for quick wins are abundant.
By turning everyday transactions into a steady investment stream for sustainability, EcoFund empowers small and medium-sized businesses to lead on climate action and strengthen their reputation with eco-conscious customers.
Decarbonization can feel like a big challenge for many organizations. How do you see GreenStep helping businesses take practical, meaningful steps toward reducing their carbon footprint – beyond the EcoFund?
Namendra: Decarbonization can seem daunting, but GreenStep’s strength lies in making it actionable. We start by helping organizations understand where they are today—through carbon inventories, energy assessments, and benchmarking. From there, we identify high-impact, cost-effective opportunities for improvement.
Beyond funding, our Energy and Carbon Management services provide detailed technical guidance, ROI-based project prioritization, and support in accessing rebates and incentives. We also help embed sustainability into company culture through training, reporting, and certifications.
If you could share one piece of advice with businesses hesitant to invest in decarbonization and sustainability, what would it be?
Namendra: Treat sustainability as a strategic investment, not an expense. The real question isn’t “Can we afford this?” but “What’s the cost of inaction?”
At GreenStep, we specialize in turning sustainability into a smart business case. We analyze data, identify high-ROI opportunities, navigate incentives, and minimize operational disruption. The result is lower costs, greater efficiency, and stronger resilience.
When businesses view sustainability through that lens, hesitation gives way to opportunity and climate action becomes a driver of profitability and innovation.
Why is the tourism sector such an important part of Canada’s sustainability story?
Namendra: Tourism is central to Canada’s identity. Our natural landscapes are both our greatest asset and our biggest responsibility. If those environments degrade, the very foundation of our tourism economy is at risk.
Sustainable tourism helps protect those landscapes while strengthening local economies, particularly in rural and remote communities. From energy-efficient accommodations to low-carbon experiences, sustainable practices reduce environmental impact and attract eco-conscious travelers.
Having explored nine provinces myself, I’ve seen how tourism creates ripples of positive change; where a sustainable hotel influences its suppliers, a tour operator educates guests, and communities thrive through green initiatives. Sustainability in tourism ensures Canada’s natural and cultural wonders endure for generations.
And finally, on a more personal note, what inspires you most to keep pushing for a more sustainable future?
Namendra: What inspires me is the belief that we are not inheritors of this planet, but its stewards for future generations.
My work in large-scale energy systems showed me both the challenges and the immense potential for change. Working with Indigenous communities reinforced that sustainability is about relationships – between people, land, and legacy.
This is more than a technical challenge; it’s a human one. Seeing global momentum grow and small businesses take leadership reminds me that a better future is within reach if we choose to build it. That hope, that sense of shared purpose, is what fuels me every day.
Connect with Namendra
We’re thrilled to have Namendra on the GreenStep team, helping businesses turn sustainability goals into measurable impact.
Connect with Namendra Anand on LinkedIn to learn more about his work, or explore how GreenStep’s EcoFund and Carbon Programs can support your organization’s sustainability journey.
