Asthildur Hjaltadottir-de la Fuente is originally Icelandic and also holds the Dutch nationality. She has degrees in English Language and Literature, and Political Science from the University of Iceland. Her first interaction with the topic of sustainability was back in 1993 when she as a young graduate worked as a Personal Assistant to the Minister of Environment in Iceland. After living and working in  Brussels for nine years, Asthildur moved to the Netherlands in 2007 where she joined GRI – the Global Reporting Initiative. During her 17 years tenure with GRI, Asthildur held various different positions, including being the Director of Services and Training, Chief Regional Officer (CRO) and Chief Sustainability Officer (CSO). As part of her work at GRI, Asthildur travelled the world to give trainings and other types of presentations and workshops. After leaving GRI in 2024, Asthildur established a boutique consultancy firm, ESG Matters, specialized in sustainability related matters, including strategy and reporting. The focus is on companies and other organizations that are starting their sustainability journey, regardless of their size or geographical location in the spirit of the central, transformative promise of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the SDGs of Leaving No One Behind.