About Us

Nazish has been with CERB since 2017 and currently heads the research helm of CERB. Her role is to ensure CERB has access to evidence-based research related to responsible business on the private sector.

Nazish has an MSc in Poverty Reduction: Policy and Practice (Specialising in Natural Resource Management) from SOAS, University of London and an undergraduate degree in Environmental Sciences from King’s College London. Nazish has previously worked both in the private and development sector, including establishing a Karachi centric skill based volunteering programme and has taught subjects related to environment and sustainable development as adjunct faculty at NED, Indus Valley School of Art and Architecture and SZABIST.

Email: nazish@pbc.org.pk

Dur-e-Sameen Akhund is Senior Manager Sustainability at the Centre of Excellence in Responsible Business (CERB) under the Pakistan Business Council, where she leads the organisation’s sustainability, RBC, and gender inclusion agenda for Pakistan’s private sector.

Since joining CERB in 2021, she has designed and delivered RBC due diligence frameworks, gap assessments, and action plans for SMEs and corporates across sectors, with active project engagements including the GAIN Nutritious Fruit Bars Project, the Danish Industries Whey2Value Project, and the ITC GRASP initiative on Sindh’s Competitive Strategy. Her advisory work aligns companies with the UN Guiding Principles, OECD Guidelines, and the EU CSDDD through structured stakeholder engagement and policy dialogue.

Alongside her RBC practice, Dur-e-Sameen has trained over 4,000 professionals on gender equity, sensitisation, and bias reduction, promoted the Women’s Empowerment Principles across the private sector, and contributed to the IFC-PBC Gender Disclosure Awards. She has co-led technical advocacy on family-friendly workplace policies with UN Women, UNICEF, and IFC, and represents CERB in the State Bank of Pakistan’s Banking on Equality working committees on women’s financial inclusion.

She holds an MSc in Sustainable Development from SOAS, University of London, and a BSc (Hons) in Social Sciences from LUMS.

Sara is a Civil Engineer specializing in Water Resources, with extensive experience in environmental and social (E&S) risk management, climate change, and sustainability advisory. She possesses a strong interdisciplinary skill set spanning Climate Risk Assessments, Soil and Groundwater Assessments, Environmental and Social Impact Assessments (ESIAs), and ESG frameworks.

She serves as a key resource in E&S risk assessments, with a comprehensive understanding of the requirements, frameworks, and methodologies adopted by international financing institutions and development agencies. Sara has successfully managed and contributed to a diverse portfolio of projects aligned with global best practices, including Environmental and Social Due Diligence (ESDD), Environmental, Health, and Safety (EHS) audits, and the development and implementation of Environmental and Social Management Systems (ESMS) in accordance with IFC Performance Standards and World Bank Group EHS Guidelines.

Her expertise is centered on integrating environmental, social, and climate considerations into project planning and decision-making, enabling clients to effectively manage risks, ensure compliance, and enhance long-term sustainability outcomes.

Amna Kazmi is an Assistant Manager at the Centre of Excellence in Responsible Business (CERB). She holds a BSc (Hons) in Economics from the Institute of Business Administration (IBA). Her work focuses on research, sustainability, climate action, development economics, and gender-responsive responsible business practices.

She has experience supporting climate and carbon markets strategy for clients across Pakistan and the GCC. Her work has included carbon market research, sustainability integration frameworks, regulatory impact assessments, and sector analyses to support sustainability-aligned decision-making. Previously, Amna worked in the consulting division of a global business information and analytics firm, where she supported projects across the MENAP region related to ESG integration, financial feasibility, market assessment, and risk evaluation.

She is particularly interested in how businesses can strengthen environmental responsibility, advance inclusive growth, and remain commercially resilient. Her work is guided by the belief that evidence-based assessment can help companies translate sustainability commitments into practical and measurable action.

Outside of work, Amna enjoys visiting local art galleries, doing pottery, and writing short stories.

Khizra Jamil Khan is a Sustainability Research and Communications Associate at the Centre of Excellence in Responsible Business (CERB), where she works across responsible business conduct, ESG and inclusion-focused programming, stakeholder engagement, and sustainability communications. She holds a BSc (Hons) in Anthropology and Sociology from LUMS (Award of Distinction).

At CERB, she manages end-to-end coordination of workshops and programmes, supports client and stakeholder engagement, and contributes to research, reporting, and strategic communications across sustainability and responsible business initiatives. Her work includes coordinating multi-stakeholder events, supporting programme delivery, and translating research into communication and advocacy outputs.

She has prior experience with Aga Khan University Hospital and AASA Consulting, where she contributed to research, reporting, and development-sector projects in collaboration with organisations including IRC, RSPN, and USAID.

Her academic and research work focuses on gender, emotional labour, and public health systems, grounded in ethnographic fieldwork on trust and care work within Pakistan’s healthcare sector.

Noor is a BA Geography (Hons) graduate from the London School of Economics and Political Science with an academic and professional interest in sustainability, ESG, water governance, and business analysis. Her academic focus spanned environmental, urban, economic, and gender studies, allowing me to examine global challenges through a social science lens.

Professionally, she has gained experience across research, ESG, and commercial strategy through roles at AkzoNobel, Engro Corporation, and Pakistan Oxygen Limited, where she worked on market analysis, sustainability research, and data-driven business insights.