Learner Spotlight: Anna Wilson
Meet the Apprentice Backing Virgin Atlantic's Commitment to Sustainability
Anna Wilson is a Corporate Sustainability Analyst at Virgin Atlantic, one of the UK's leading airlines and a pioneer of sustainability innovation in aviation. In her role, Anna works to translate complex environmental and climate challenges into clear business priorities, supporting Virgin Atlantic's long-term sustainability strategy across both technical and commercial teams.
The interview below explores her journey on the LDN Sustainability Professional programme - what drew her to formalise her sustainability expertise within a global aviation business, and the impact it is having on her confidence, professional credibility and day-to-day work.
What motivated you to join the LDN Sustainability Professional apprenticeship with Virgin Atlantic, and why was now the right time to formalise your sustainability expertise?
I’ve always been passionate about the natural world, which led me to study zoology. During my degree, and particularly through my industrial placement and dissertation fieldwork, I saw the impacts of climate change first‑hand. That experience shifted my ambition from understanding environmental problems academically to wanting to influence decisions at scale within business.
Aviation stood out as a sector where sustainability really matters. It’s a hard‑to‑abate industry with complex challenges, but that also means there’s huge potential to drive meaningful change and innovation. I joined Virgin Atlantic because I wanted to work at the heart of those challenges. Not only has Virgin Atlantic been leading sustainability innovation in aviation - from operating one of the youngest and most fuel-efficient fleets in the skies to pioneering the world’s first transatlantic flight using 100% Sustainable Aviation Fuel by a commercial airline - it’s also a genuinely fun, ambitious and inspiring team to be a part of.
The LDN Sustainability Professional apprenticeship felt like the right next step at the right time. I had a strong scientific grounding, but I wanted to formalise my sustainability expertise and develop a deeper understanding of how sustainability operates within a commercial environment. The apprenticeship has given me a structured way to strengthen both my technical knowledge and my commercial capability, while building professional credibility early in my career.
How has the apprenticeship supported you to translate complex sustainability concepts into language and actions that resonate within a global business like Virgin Atlantic?
The translation piece has probably been the biggest shift for me. Coming from a scientific background, I was very comfortable with the technical detail, but the apprenticeship helped me understand how sustainability needs to be framed within a commercial context.
Through the programme, I’ve become much more confident in translating complex environmental and climate issues into clear business risks, opportunities and strategic priorities. I now think carefully about who I’m speaking to and tailor my language accordingly - whether that’s linking sustainability to long‑term resilience, regulatory risk, operational impact or commercial opportunity.
This has made my sustainability conversations far more effective across the business, helping colleagues see sustainability not as abstract or technical, but as something directly relevant to their decisions and objectives.
How does the structure and flexibility of the apprenticeship enable you to learn while still delivering in a high‑performance, global environment?
The structure has been exactly what I needed. Working at Virgin Atlantic means operating in a fast‑paced, high‑performance, global environment and the modular design of the apprenticeship has made it genuinely manageable alongside my day‑to‑day role.
The flexibility allows me to upskill while continuing to deliver high‑quality work, rather than taking time away from the business. I’ve also really valued the live monthly sessions with my cohort. Being able to learn alongside sustainability professionals from a wide range of industries has broadened my thinking and exposed me to different approaches to embedding sustainability.
That cross‑industry network has been incredibly valuable, not just from a learning perspective, but in helping me bring fresh ideas and perspectives back into Virgin Atlantic.
How has the apprenticeship changed the way you view sustainability, not just as a compliance requirement, but as a value‑creation and resilience tool for Virgin Atlantic?
I’ve never viewed sustainability purely as a compliance exercise, but the apprenticeship has really reinforced the idea that sustainability and commercial success should go hand in hand.
It’s strengthened my understanding that businesses are fundamentally reliant on the environment and natural systems. That means sustainability‑related risks and dependencies are business‑critical, particularly in an industry like aviation.
Now, I see sustainability much more clearly as a tool for long‑term value creation - supporting resilience, mitigating risk and enabling better strategic decision‑making. It’s about ensuring the business can thrive responsibly, not just today, but for future generations as well.
What difference is the apprenticeship making to your confidence, professional credibility and conversations with senior stakeholders across sustainability and commercial teams?
The impact on my confidence and professional credibility has been significant. The apprenticeship has helped me build a strong professional foundation early in my career, which I know I’ll continue to build on.
I feel much more confident contributing to strategic conversations and engaging with senior stakeholders across both sustainability and commercial teams. I’m now able to frame discussions not only through an environmental lens, but with a stronger appreciation for wider business priorities and trade‑offs.
That credibility has helped me move from being passionate about sustainability to being influential in how it’s discussed and embedded within the organisation.
For people passionate about sustainability but unsure how to turn that interest into meaningful, long‑term change, what advice would you give, and why would you recommend the LDN Sustainability Professional apprenticeship?
My advice would be to pursue your interest wholeheartedly, keep learning and look for opportunities where you can apply your passion in a practical business setting. Sustainability is a broad and rapidly evolving field, which makes it an incredibly exciting time to build a career within the field.
I would absolutely recommend the LDN Sustainability Professional apprenticeship because it strikes the perfect balance between technical sustainability knowledge and commercial understanding. It allows you to develop professionally while applying everything you learn directly in your role.
For me, it’s been an opportunity to continuously challenge myself, broaden my perspective and develop the skills needed to drive meaningful, long‑term change.
What did you enjoy most about the apprenticeship?
What I’ve enjoyed most is seeing my learning come to life in my day‑to‑day work. Being able to immediately apply new knowledge within a real business context has made the experience incredibly rewarding.
I’ve also really valued networking with peers, learning alongside professionals from different industries, sharing challenges and seeing how sustainability is approached across sectors. That exposure has not only expanded my thinking but has genuinely enhanced the value I bring to my role at Virgin Atlantic.
Working at Virgin Atlantic has made the experience especially rewarding because I’ve been exposed to such a broad range of sustainability work - from contributing to Virgin Atlantic’s annual carbon reporting to participating in the company’s STEM outreach programme, helping inspire local students to explore careers in sustainability and aviation. Being able to apply my learning across these different areas has made the apprenticeship feel incredibly relevant and impactful.
Another particular highlight, which I have to mention, is Sir Richard Branson’s visit to our headquarters (see photo!). It was so inspiring to meet our founder and hear first-hand about his passion and vision for Virgin Atlantic.
Huge thank you to Anna for telling us more about her experience of the programme. To find out more about the LDN Sustainability Professional apprenticeship, click below.