George Boughton: helping greener travel take off

Turning a passion for travel into a career in sustainable aviation

Senior decarbonisation consultant George Boughton shares how Heathrow Airport, sustainability and early career networks have become his passport to a varied and rewarding career.

Give us a brief summary of your role

Like many people at Mott MacDonald, I wear a number of different hats. I work as a consultant in the decarbonisation part of our advisory business, based in our office in London. My current role is supporting the environmental aspects of Heathrow’s expansion and I am proud to be a part of such a significant project for the UK. Through the programme, I am broadening my understanding and perspective on mega projects while building a diverse professional network that I can already see will support my career in the future too.

As part of my role, I also have the opportunity to work with our brilliant early career professionals (ECPs) at Mott MacDonald and Heathrow more widely, developing an early career network for the project.

Why did you choose your career path?

Throughout my career I’ve prioritised doing things which energise and excite me. Since undertaking my degree in geography, I have always had a passion for the environment and the social aspects of change. Although I had no idea what a decarbonisation consultant was when I was at university, it turned out to be the perfect role to channel my academic background and personal interests.

I enjoy the variety that consultancy provides, but I definitely have a soft spot for the aviation sector. Airports are local places, but they connect people, countries and economies globally. Because the sector is so international, there’s real scope to build experience on major projects like Heathrow and then apply those lessons in different places in the future.

Fundamentally, I think travel makes the world a better place and working on projects that make it more sustainable is something I find really motivating.

What does it mean to you to be trusted to do brilliant things at Mott MacDonald?

I’ve been trusted to take on some really stretching opportunities with Heathrow. I work with our client director to help manage the account and I’m also the Heathrow ECP lead. These roles have delivered things I’m genuinely proud of.

For example, our inclusive work experience programme is now in its fourth year, working with local colleges around Heathrow and particularly championing neurodiverse work experience. The programme won the 2025 WorldSkills UK EDI Heroes Award for Innovator of the Year and we’ve since developed guidance to help suppliers run more inclusive work experience too. For me, being trusted means being given real responsibility early in your career and having the support and encouragement to use that responsibility to have a positive impact on colleagues, clients, local communities and the wider industry.

What does a typical day look like for you at Mott MacDonald?

I’m trying very hard not to say the classic line that no two days are the same – but there is genuinely a lot of variety in my role. At the moment my two main focuses are supporting plans for Heathrow’s expansion and project managing the secondees at Heathrow, which has been a completely new challenge and a really good way to understand how the business works. On top of that, I spend time with our Heathrow ECP network, catching up with people, looking at our social value work and celebrating success across the account. I’m also training for a half marathon, so I try and fit in a run whenever I can.

How do you collaborate with colleagues from different specialisms to achieve common goals?

Collaboration is absolutely central to my work, because climate change and decarbonisation can’t sit in a box on their own. On Heathrow, I work with noise, air quality, greenhouse gas and surface access specialists, as well as design managers, who all bring different expertise to the project. I think of sustainability as being like a dentist: if people listen to our advice, eventually they won’t need us.

How does Mott MacDonald create an environment where you feel empowered and supported?

The most empowering thing is that the business doesn’t just ask people to do extra things in their own time, it properly values them. The early career and social value work on the Heathrow account is funded, which makes a huge difference. It means activities like the ECP network, CSR work and inclusive work experience aren’t something you squeeze in at 10pm on a Friday or during your lunch break; they’re recognised as part of the job. That support makes it feel like the business is putting its money where its mouth is.

What does being part of an employee-owned company mean to you?

The employee-owned model is a real positive because it means we’re not answering to external shareholders. It feels like decisions can be made more in the interests of colleagues and the long-term success of the business. I also like the idea that, as the business does well, that success can be shared with employees. It gives you an extra reason to deliver the best for clients, because you’re contributing to something that benefits the whole business.

Which project would you like to work on in the future and why?

I’m really looking forward to continuing my work with Heathrow, hopefully as expansion progresses into the construction. I’m currently working on the planning stages for expansion and I’m excited by the scale and importance of the project. After expansion I would love to take the lessons learned and share these around the sector in future aviation projects.

What advice would you give to someone looking to start their career at Mott MacDonald?

My advice would be to get involved in as many things as you can beyond your day job. Through the global aviation ECP network I met specialists and experts from across the aviation business, which really helped me build my network early on. I’ve also found volunteering incredibly rewarding, whether that’s gardening in local villages around Heathrow, litter picking, raising money for Heathrow Community Trust or taking part in charity activities. You don’t always know these opportunities exist until you come across them, so my advice would be to say yes when they come. If you get stuck in, you get out what you put in.