Lily Cole

EXCLUSIVE
  • Founder, Impossible.com and More - social business incubator
  • Author of 'Who Cares Wins: Reasons for Optimism in Our Changing World'
  • Award-Winning Filmmaker
  • Environmental Activist and Patron, the Environmental Justice Foundation

Model, actor, activist, and writer Lily Cole has been engaged in environmentalist work and advocacy for nearly two decades. Following a successful career in fashion – she was named by Vogue France as one of the top ten models of the 2000s – Cole began investigating supply chains and sustainable business practices, becoming a patron of the Environmental Justice Foundation and an ambassador for the World Wildlife Fund. She has founded several of her own social businesses, including the incubator Impossible.com. Cole is the author of Who Cares Wins: Reasons for Optimism in Our Changing World, which has been considered a guidebook for those looking for actionable insights and hope in the face of climate crisis. In her accompanying podcast, Who Cares Wins, Cole hosts impactful conversations about climate solutions.

Cole is an in-demand speaker for events with groups like Google, Wired, LeWeb, the Global Fashion Agenda, the Houses of Parliament, COP26, at Davos alongside the The World Economic Forum, where she has spoken multiple times for Arctic Basecamp and Goals House, and on behalf of the United Nations’ ECE Sustainability Pledge. As an actor, Cole has performed at The Globe Theatre, The Old Vic, and Trafalgar Studios, and has appeared in BBC’s The Split, and the upcoming feature film Hilma, among others. She has co-written and presented documentaries for Sky Arts and the BBC, and directed multiple short documentaries for VICE and Nowness. She holds an honorary Doctor of Letters from the University of Glasgow for her contribution to humanitarian and environmental causes through social businesses, and received an Honorary Award at the German Sustainability Awards for her dedication to climate and human rights activism.

 


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Lily Cole headshot
Past Hosts Include:
  • United Nations’ ECE Sustainability Pledge
  • COP26
  • U.K. Houses of Parliament
  • Global Fashion Agenda
  • LeWeb
  • Wired
  • Google
  • The World Economic Forum in Davos
Moderating clip - Introducing Traceability and Transparency panel | Global Fashion Summit [0:60] - Get Sharable Link
Talks & Conversations with Lily Cole
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Climate Crisis: Solutions and Hope

Artist, author, and activist LILY COLE has been an environmental advocate for decades, including her book Who Cares Wins: Reasons for Optimism in Our Changing World, and the accompanying podcast Who Cares Wins. Cole shares actionable takeaways in this inspiring talk about the multitude of solutions ...

Artist, author, and activist LILY COLE has been an environmental advocate for decades, including her book Who Cares Wins: Reasons for Optimism in Our Changing World, and the accompanying podcast Who Cares Wins. Cole shares actionable takeaways in this inspiring talk about the multitude of solutions to the climate crisis, leaving audiences feeling capable and hopeful.

Women in Business: The Impact of Gender Equality

Supermodel, filmmaker, writer, and activist LILY COLE has been advocating for environmentalism and social change for two decades. Through her work in the entertainment and fashion industries, as well as founding numerous social businesses, Cole has experienced the challenges and opportunities of bei ...

Supermodel, filmmaker, writer, and activist LILY COLE has been advocating for environmentalism and social change for two decades. Through her work in the entertainment and fashion industries, as well as founding numerous social businesses, Cole has experienced the challenges and opportunities of being a woman and mother in the workplace and offers profound insights about the impact of gender equality and how individuals and organizations can move toward greater equity in their communities.

Social Business: The Intersection of Purpose and Profit

Artist, author, and activist LILY COLE is the founder of several social businesses, including Impossible.com – which is an innovation group, design agency, and home of planet centric design. Sharing her decades of work and advocacy in environmentalism, as well as insights about her expertise in sust ...

Artist, author, and activist LILY COLE is the founder of several social businesses, including Impossible.com – which is an innovation group, design agency, and home of planet centric design. Sharing her decades of work and advocacy in environmentalism, as well as insights about her expertise in sustainable business innovation, Cole inspires audiences to innovate solutions to everyday problems to change the world.

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Books by Lily Cole
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Press & Media
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Biography

Lily’s successful career in fashion - named by French Vogue as one of the top ten models of the 2000s - led her to investigate supply chains and business practices, becoming a patron of the Environmental Justice Foundation and ambassador for the World Wildlife Fund. Lily was the first Global Ambassador for community fair-trade pioneer The Body Shop, and founded several of her own social businesses, including incubator Impossible.com.

Lily's book and accompanying podcast, Who Cares Wins, explore a thousand different environmental solutions from tech-utopia to indigenous wisdom. Lily has spoken multiple times alongside The World Economic Forum's meeting in Davos; Google's Zeitgeist; Wired; LeWeb; Web Summit; the Global Fashion Agenda; at the UK Houses of Parliament; at COP26; and on behalf of the United Nation’s ECE’s Sustainability Pledge. Lily writes occasionally for international media (The Guardian, Financial Times).

Lily was awarded an honorary Doctor of Letters by Professor Muhammad Yunus at the University of Glasgow, for her contribution to humanitarian and environmental causes through social businesses, and an Honorary Award for her ongoing dedication to climate and human rights activism at the German Sustainability Awards 2021. She also holds a first-class Masters in History of Art from the University of Cambridge and was an affiliate at The Berkman Klein Centre for Internet & Society at Harvard University.

Alongside her work as an activist and writer, Lily has built up a catalogue of film roles working as an actor with notable directors including Terry Gilliam, Sally Potter, Shekhar Kapur, Rolan Joffe, Mary Harron, and Rian Johnson. Lily has also performed at The Globe Theatre, The Old Vic, and Trafalgar Studios. Most recently she appeared in the BBC's The Split; and in Lasse Holstrom's upcoming feature film, Hilma.

Lily has co-written and presented documentaries for Sky Arts and the BBC; and directed multiple short documentaries for VICE and Nowness. Lily co-wrote and directed a short fiction film, Balls, which was commissioned by the Bronte Parsonage Museum and Foundling Museum. Balls was nominated for Best Director at Underwire Festival, and Best Short Film at the Short Film Awards.