The person behind the work
James
Demastus.
PhD.
Sustainability researcher, educator, and consultant with the academic rigour and real-world business experience to know the difference between genuine progress and a good story.
PhD in Sustainability and Innovation
I take a hardline approach to sustainability. Most clubs and reporting don't meet the standard. I'm here to close that gap in football.
My sustainability approach demands alignment with strong sustainability principles. That means I guide decisions towards pro-action, innovation, and transparency.
Football has given me so much. From a player, youth coach, fan, and professor of football management, I've made my best friends, learned lessons, and had a great time around the game. Football faces real environmental, social, and economic pressures and has largely responded with weak commitments. I've created my love of nature and apply my doctorate knowledge to change that.
Peer-reviewed research
Organizational sustainability schemes align with weak sustainability
Top 10% most viewed in journalExploring the nexus of organisational culture and sustainability for green innovation
Experience
Founder & Sustainability Consultant
Independent Practice
Sustainability advisory built exclusively for the football industry. Education, strategy, and positioning grounded in strong sustainability theory and peer-reviewed research. Broader advisory work across business strategy, ESG positioning, and sustainability communications, guiding organisations beyond weak sustainability frameworks to credible, measurable commitments.
2018 – PresentResearcher & Educator
Academia
Doctoral research at the University of Deusto on organisational sustainability, strong sustainability theory, and the gap between corporate sustainability schemes and meaningful environmental outcomes. Teaching and research in sustainability, innovation, and organisational culture. Published in peer-reviewed journals including Business Strategy and the Environment and Industry and Innovation.
2018 – 2024My favourite aspects of the game
The Pressing Game
High-intensity, coordinated, relentless. The beautiful game at its most purposeful.
Lower League Football
Community-owned, honest, and closer to the sport's real roots than any Champions League final.
The Perfect Through Ball
When vision, weight, and timing converge. Nothing else like it in sport.
Matchday Atmosphere
Whether it's sixty thousand people sharing the same moment or ten ultras going mental, that energy is worth protecting.