Hannah Mills OBE is the most successful female sailor in Olympic history with two gold and one silver medal. Hannah has an intense passion for the environment as well. She saw a lot of plastic littering beaches, marinas, and harbors while traveling the world for events during the Olympic cycle that culminated in Rio 2016. This sparked her desire to protect our oceans and the earth. These days, she’s making the most of her network, platform, and athletic background to spread awareness, alter behavior, and influence people, organizations, and governments to do the same.

Hannah is a Sustainability Ambassador for the International Olympic Committee (IOC). In 2019, she launched the Big Plastic Pledge, an athlete-led movement aimed at eliminating the use of single-use plastic in sports and beyond. Additionally, she is a co-founder of Athletes of the World, a group of athletes working towards a positive impact on climate change.

‘The Olympic Games are such a huge global event; they create an opportunity to showcase solutions and inspire change’ Hannah says. ‘They provide an amazing platform – around half the global population watches at least some of the Games on television. ‘I feel we have a responsibility to use this platform to highlight the need for all of us to live and operate in a more responsible manner. That’s where the athletes come in, and that’s why I believe that elite sportsmen and women can and should engage in sustainability,’ she adds.

Hannah was awarded the title of Female World Sailor of the Year in 2016. She was also honored with the appointment of Member of the Order of the British Empire for her contributions to sailing in the 2017 New Year Honours list. In 2021, Hannah won the Rolex World Sailor of the Year award and was appointed Order of the British Empire for her continued services to sailing and the environment.