Ethos Innovation Partners

From Concept
to Proof of Concept

Strategy is only as good as its execution.

Building the cross-sector alliances that turn bold ideas into scalable, measurable action — spanning climate technology, risk & resilience, and responsible innovation, across sectors, networks and borders.

Our Work Start a Conversation

Partners, clients & institutions

Scope 3 Peer Group Sustainable Ventures Heathrow Airport UK Health Security Agency

About

A Different Kind of
Strategic Partner

Catherine Phillips, Founder of Ethos Innovation Partners

Catherine Phillips is a strategic leader working at the intersection of responsible innovation, climate technology, and risk & resilience. As Founder of Ethos Innovation Partners, she works across the ecosystem to convene the right partners, programmes, and stakeholders — turning sustainability and innovation ambition into scalable, measurable action.

Rather than sitting inside a single organisation, Catherine works across the ecosystem — connecting enterprise, government, and innovators to turn ambitious ideas into real-world programmes. Her work spans aviation and critical national infrastructure, climate technology, supply chain sustainability, biosecurity, and the responsible deployment of emerging technologies including AI.

That breadth is grounded in hard-won experience. At Heathrow Airport she led innovation programmes to implement the Net Zero Strategy, pioneered responsible AI trials on computer vision and deep learning technology, and ran biosecurity and pandemic preparedness programmes for both the airport and government. Those environments — high-stakes, regulated, and complex — continue to shape the rigour she brings to every engagement today.

Earlier at Business in the Community, she co-authored Brave New World, a landmark report on inclusive digital transformation produced with Accenture, Fujitsu, and Barclays.

Innovation for Impact

A collaborative initiative run with the Scope 3 Peer Group and Sustainable Ventures, connecting enterprise leaders and innovators around the practical challenge of supply chain decarbonisation — and a core part of Catherine's current work. Read more on LinkedIn →

Concept to Proof of Concept

Recognised for moving bold ideas into real-world impact through rigorous strategy execution — from inception and implementation through to validated proof of concept.

Global Network

Trusted across C-suites, governments, and academia alike — with deep experience operating across UK and US business cultures and a genuinely global network.

Sector Depth

Extensive experience in aviation, critical infrastructure, and regulated environments — where the cost of getting it wrong is never theoretical.

Ethical Leadership

A genuine commitment to responsible innovation — from ethical AI trials to biosecurity policy — at every stage of the work.

🏆 Everywoman Tech Innovator Award Finalist & Hall of Fame — Transport & Logistics

C-Suite

Stakeholder engagement across sectors

UK & US

With experience across London and New York

Global

Cross-sector network & partnerships

“

Known for one thing above all: moving bold ideas from concept to proof of concept, and building the alliances that make them last.

— Ethos Innovation Partners

Selected Writing & Talks

In Print, On Stage
& On the Record

Report

Brave New World: An Inclusive Digital Revolution

Co-authored landmark report on inclusive digital transformation, produced in partnership with Accenture, Fujitsu, Barclays, and McCann. Published by Business in the Community.

Press

Airport Covid Testing Could Start Within Weeks — The Guardian

Catherine's work leading Heathrow's rapid Covid testing trials featured in national and international media including The Guardian, The Telegraph, Forbes, USA Today, and Fierce Biotech.

Speaking

WTW Airport Risk Community Annual Conference, Lisbon

Presented on Responsible Innovation and the lessons from Heathrow's approach to an audience of over 100 airport executives — covering the pivot from pandemic response to the Net Zero agenda.

Services

How We Work With You

Ethos Innovation Partners works with organisations that are serious about moving beyond ambition into tangible, responsible, scalable action.

01

Strategy Activation

Turning strategy into action. Working alongside organisations to move from ambition to real-world outcomes — driving implementation through the partnerships, programmes, and stakeholder alignment needed to deliver results, not just plans.

Strategy Activation
02

Cross-Sector Partnership Design

Identifying and structuring the right alliances between enterprise, innovators, institutions, and government — designed to create lasting momentum rather than one-off collaborations.

Strategic Alliances
03

Supply Chain Decarbonisation

Connecting organisations with the innovations and cross-sector partnerships that make Scope 3 decarbonisation achievable — moving beyond strategy into implementation by identifying and activating the solutions that actually scale.

Climate Technology
04

Innovation Programme Management

End-to-end leadership of innovation programmes — from scoping and stakeholder convening through to proof of concept and scale-up planning.

Innovation Management
05

Responsible Technology Leadership

Advisory on the ethical deployment of emerging technologies — AI, data and digital — in regulated, high-stakes environments. Grounded in real-world experience, not theory.

Ethical Innovation
06

Risk & Resilience

Moving resilience frameworks from paper into practice. Working alongside organisations to implement preparedness strategies across geopolitical risk, biosecurity, and systemic threat — building the cross-sector coordination that turns policy into operational reality.

Geopolitical Risk
07

Corporate Access for Innovators

Helping startups and scaleups navigate the realities of working with large organisations — from procurement and legal frameworks to designing credible trials and building the internal champion relationships that make partnerships stick.

Enterprise Navigation

FAQ

Common Questions

What does Ethos Innovation Partners do?

Ethos Innovation Partners builds cross-sector alliances that help organisations move from strategy to execution in responsible innovation, climate technology, supply chain decarbonisation, and risk & resilience. Founded by Catherine Phillips, the firm connects enterprise leaders, innovators, institutions and government to turn ambition into scalable, measurable action.

What is the difference between strategy and strategy execution?

Strategy defines the direction — execution is the hard work of making it happen. Ethos Innovation Partners calls this Strategy Activation: the process of moving bold ideas from concept to proof of concept by building the right partnerships, programmes, and stakeholder relationships to deliver real-world results, not just plans.

What is responsible innovation?

Responsible innovation means developing and deploying new technologies and business models in ways that are ethical, inclusive, and designed for long-term impact — balancing commercial ambition with accountability to people, planet, and society. At Ethos Innovation Partners, responsible innovation is the thread that runs through all work, from ethical AI to climate technology to biosecurity.

What sectors does Ethos Innovation Partners work across?

The firm works across aviation and critical national infrastructure, climate technology, supply chain sustainability, risk & resilience, geopolitical risk and biosecurity, responsible AI and emerging technology, and cross-sector innovation programmes. Clients span enterprise, government, investors, and innovators — particularly in the UK, US, and globally.

How do I work with Catherine Phillips?

The best starting point is a 30-minute discovery call — use the booking section above or email [email protected] directly. Engagements typically begin with a scoped discovery phase before moving into a defined project or ongoing retainer, depending on the nature of the work.

Who We Work With

Selective by Design

Ethos Innovation Partners works best with organisations that are serious about moving from ambition to action — and willing to build the right alliances to get there.

Enterprise & FTSE-Listed

Large organisations navigating sustainability transformation, responsible technology adoption, or complex cross-sector programme delivery — where internal resource alone isn't enough.

Government & Public Institutions

Departments, agencies, and public bodies looking to connect with the private sector and innovation ecosystem to deliver on climate, biosecurity, or responsible technology mandates.

Investors & Foundations

Impact investors, philanthropic foundations, and family offices seeking to identify where transformative climate and innovation solutions are emerging — and how to back the ones that will scale.

Innovators & Scale-ups

Climate tech companies, responsible AI ventures, and purpose-driven scale-ups that need to break into large organisations — navigating procurement, designing credible trials, and finding the internal champions who can make it happen. Having worked inside major corporates, Catherine understands exactly where the doors are and how to open them.

Aviation & Critical Infrastructure

Airports, airlines, and critical national infrastructure operators navigating net zero transitions, responsible technology adoption, and complex resilience and biosecurity challenges.

Get in Touch

Start the Conversation

Book a 30-minute discovery call, or send a message directly — whichever works best for you.

Currently accepting new clients

Book a Discovery Call

A 30-minute conversation to explore whether there's a fit — no commitment required.

Can't see the calendar? Book directly on Calendly →

Send a Message

If you're working on something ambitious — in responsible innovation, climate, or complex cross-sector challenges — let's talk.

[email protected]
Catherine Phillips