Sustainability Rocks #SR25
Sustainability Rocks puts the fun back into the sustainable finance community!
A night rocking out to four financial services industry bands battling it out for the highly coveted Sustainability Rocks Trophy.
9 October 2025
Doors open 6.00pm | Battle begins 6.30pm | Doors close 11.00pm100 Club, Century House, 100 Oxford St, London W1D 1LL
The bands
- The MLC
With musical influences from Britpop to punk and pop divas, we're reliably informed that this band hailing from financial services law firm Simmons & Simmons stands for mid-life crisis! The MLC chosen charity is Legal Response International, an organization that provides free legal support to developing countries in climate change negotiations.
- Band on the School Run
Ready to let loose after a day of juggling work and life at Lazard Asset Management, their musical influences span
everything from Chuck Berry to the Arctic Monkeys. They're playing for their chosen charity, The Woodland Trust, protecting UK's woodlands and trees for people, wildlife and life itself.
- Psychpomp
A newly formed band making their debut at Sustainability Rocks! With members from Jupiter and Schroders, the will be ready to inject some pure, rebellious punk rock spirit on stage. Get ready to be blown away! They're raising funds for Trees for Life as their chosen charity.
- Pink Torpedo
Hailing from Columbia Threadneedle and Rimes, musical influences range from the powerful rock of Foo Fighters and Jimi Hendrix to the smooth sounds of pop and soul. They are playing to get the message out that our planet is worth fighting for and raising funds for Wildlife Aid, an animal charity which rescues, rehabilitates, and releases British wildlife.
51ST STATE
AND LAST YEAR'S SR24 WINNER
CONSUMER DUTY!
The marine conservation charity, working to solve the climate crisis, protect marine wildlife and clean up our ocean. They take an all-encompassing approach to conservation by combining scientific research, advocacy, education, and community engagement to protect marine ecosystems and promote sustainable management of marine resources. Take Action Today
2025 Sponsors
Headline Sponsor
Chronos SustainabilityChronos has built a reputation as architects of complex impact-led collaborations that drive industry-wide progress on sustainability issues such as climate change, animal welfare, responsible mining and workplace mental health. For individual investors and companies, they help improve business performance. Either through support on a specific sustainability theme. Or through bespoke expertise on services from policy and strategy development to implementation and reporting.
What’s it all about?
Sustainability Rocks brings together the sustainable finance community for a night of fun while rocking out to four financial services industry bands who will battle it out live on stage for the coveted Sustainability Rocks Trophy.
The proceeds from ticket sales, merch sales and sponsorship will be donated to the environmental and ecological charities chosen by the participating bands and the headline charity... Marine Conservation Society
Our host
Claire Sturgess, Absolute Radio Rock DJ legendClaire started her radio career with the BBC in London. She presented the Radio 1 Rock Show at the height of the grunge era where she got to play Nirvana, Pearl Jam and Alice in Chains alongside rock stalwarts like Black Sabbath, Iron Maiden and Motörhead. Also at Radio 1 she presented the weekly overnight show, weekend breakfast and weekend lunchtime shows, and was part of the Sony Gold Award winning team who put together U2's Zoo Radio broadcasts, while accompanying the band on their Zooropa European tour.
In 1997 she joined the launch team of alternative music station Xfm, presenting the afternoon show and later the award winning evening show. She remained at Xfm for over 10 years. She has also hosted daily shows on NME Radio.Claire's television career includes presenting Top of The Pops in the 90s, music show 'Inside Tracks' for BBC Three and the 'Metal Hammer Riot' for MTV2. She also wrote a monthly column for Metal Hammer magazine.
Running alongside her radio and TV work, Claire is a voiceover artist. She was the voice that introduced The Simpsons, Friends, The X-Files and ER in the early days of Sky One and is currently the announcer for Sky Movies. She has voiced major television advertising campaigns for Nivea, Gillette, Colgate, Pampers and Ariel and she can be heard on promos for ITV's Good Morning Britain and This Morning, BBC worldwide, TLC/Discovery Channel and on corporate videos for The Guardian.
Who is behind Sustainability Rocks
Will is also the base guitarist of 51st State, a financial services industry band that has been performing and raising funds for charities since 2017. The fun they and audiences have had at finance industry and charity gigs spawned the idea of bringing sustainable finance and live music together.
The event is managed by Will Oulton himself, Rob Morgan, the band and stage manager integral to the success of 51st State.
The Sustainability Rocks Advisory Group has also been established to ensure the event is managed and delivered with integrity and quality.
About the 100 Club
London’s iconic 100 Club has been trading under the same name since 1964 and has put on live music since 1942 as the Feldman Jazz Club amongst other names, earning it the title of the oldest independent venue world wide.
Throughout the decades, the venue has championed all manors of ground breaking scenes including the blues of Muddy Waters and BB King as well as mod stylings of The Who and The Kinks in the 60s; the birth of punk with the Sex Pistols, The Clash and Siouxsie & The Banshees plus regular reggae sessions from Eddie Grant and The Mighty Diamonds in the 70s; the first ever Northern Soul All Nighter in the 80s; the indie explosion with early shows from Oasis and Suede in the 90s as well as key shows for artists such as The Horrors, Gallows and Kings Of Leon in the 00s.
Because of the club’s rich history, it has become an institution for intimate secret shows by major acts including Queens Of The Stone Age, Metallica, Alice Cooper, The Rolling Stones, Blur, The New York Dolls, Desmond Dekker, Primal Scream, St Etienne, Mark Ronson, Chuck Berry, Paul Mccartney, Nas, Santigold, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, Toots And The Maytals, Plan B, Paul Weller and Spiritualized to name just a few.
The 100 Club also lends itself to comedy with special sold out performances from Simon Amstel, Adam Buxton and Stewart Lee.
The 100 Club is a five minute Elizabeth Line train ride from the City and easy to get to on the tube network.
Important details for interested bands
- Band entry fee is free with a maximum four bands to compete.
- Each band must have at least one member performing on-stage who works in the sustainable finance or finance sector.
- Full proceeds of the event (after costs) will be donated to charity.
- Winning band will receive the Sustainability Rocks 2025 Trophy
- Winning band’s chosen charity must be dedicated to positive environmental impact or nature conservation.
- The proceeds 'pot' will be split as follows:
10% to the nominated charity of each of the 3 runner up bands
20% to the nominated charity of the winning band
50% to the headline charity (selected by the Sustainability Rocks Advisory Group)
FAQs
- How are bands selected to compete?
Sustainability Rocks HQ will put out an open call for entries which might require the submission of a video or soundtrack of a recent live performance. To be eligible, each band must have at least one on-stage member who works in the sustainable finance or finance industry. Should more than four bands apply, the Sustainability Rocks Advisory Group will have final say on the bands that will compete to ensure there is diversity of musical genres and styles. Ultimately, four bands will be invited to compete live on the night. - What's the order of the band line up?
The Sustainability Rocks Advisory Group will oversee a random draw which will determine the sequence of the four bands performing on the night. - Who will judge the battle of the bands?
An independent Judging Panel of high-profile sustainable finance leaders and nature conservationists will be selected by the Sustainability Rocks Advisory Group. They will convene live after all four band perform to determine the winning band, announce the winner and present the Sustainability Rocks Trophy. - What are the costs and benefits for participating bands?
It is free for bands to enter. Each band will nominate a beneficiary charity which will receive a donation from the proceeds of evening. Besides the pride of being crowned the Sustainability Rocks battle of the band winner, the Sustainability Rocks marketing and PR team will amplify the band's profile via its socials, website and media engagement. - How long will each band perform during the event?
Each band will perform maximum 25-minute set. - Who will host the event?
The event will be compared by Claire Sturgess, Absolute Rock DJ legend. - Are there any other performances on the night?
Sustainability Rocks founder Will Oulton and his resident band 51st State will take to the stage on the night but will not be a competitor.