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John Elkington

John Elkington

A world authority on corporate responsibility and sustainable development.

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Duxford, Finally

John Elkington · 29 September 2015 · Leave a Comment

What's what
What’s what
Lysander
Lysander, stalwart of OE missions to occupied Europe
Sunderland
Sunderland, relic of the age of flying boats
What it says on the can
What it says on the can – went on board for first time
A different era
A different era
Scramble
Scramble
Result
Result
Ditto
Punctured
Looks like someone joined the Caterpillar Club
Looks like someone joined the Caterpillar Club
Memphis Belle
Memphis Belle
Battle of Britain simulator
Battle of Britain simulator
There's a Spitfire in there, somewhere
There’s a Spitfire in there, somewhere

Have wanted to see to the Imperial War Museum sites both in London and Duxford for years, decades even, so Duxford today was a (great) start. The airfield has a long and glorious history, including taking delivery of the first operational Spitfire, in 1938.

Apart from seeing aircraft like the Dragon Rapide airborne, a highlight was the experience of being inside a German fighter pursuing several Spitfires over the White Cliffs. Expected something of the fairground, but it stirred an even deeper appreciation of those who took to the skies during that teeter-totter moment in our history.

Then, as we were walking back to the exit, guarded by a Hurricane on a stand (according to Wikipedia, the ‘gate guard’ aircraft is a Hawker Hurricane II, squadron code WX-E of No.302 (Polish) Squadron, Serial No. P2954, flown by Flight Lieutenant Tadeusz Pawel Chlopik), I heard the unmistakable sound of a Merlin engine in  the distance – and a Spitfire shot by, doing a roll up into the heavens.

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Introduction

I began this blog with an entry reporting on a visit to the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution on Cape Cod, on 30 September 2003. The blog element of the website has gone through several iterations since, with much of the older material still available.

Like so many things in my life, blog entries blur the boundaries between the personal and the professional. As explained on this site’s Home Page, the website and the blog are part platform for ongoing projects, part autobiography, and part accountability mechanism.

In addition, my blogs have appeared on many sites such as: Chinadialogue, CSRWire, Fast Company, GreenBiz, Guardian Sustainable Business, and the Harvard Business Review.

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About

John Elkington is a world authority on corporate responsibility and sustainable development. He is currently Founding Partner and Executive Chairman of Volans, a future-focused business working at the intersection of the sustainability, entrepreneurship and innovation movements.

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john@johnelkington.com  |  +44 203 701 7550 | Twitter: @volansjohn

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