Thomas Cuckston

Professor Thomas Cuckston is a faculty member at the University of Birmingham, affiliated with the Birmingham Business School and the Department of Accounting. He holds the title of Professor of Accounting and Ecology, reflecting his interdisciplinary research bridging environmental science and accounting.

He earned a BSc (Hons) in Natural Sciences from the University of Cambridge and a PhD from Newcastle University. He is recognized as a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, affirming his commitment to academic excellence and teaching quality.

His research focuses on biodiversity conservation, sustainable development, and the role of calculation, agency, and strategy in ecological and accounting systems. He investigates how accounting practices influence environmental decision-making, corporate sustainability reporting, and the quantification of nature. His work critically examines frameworks like natural capital accounting, biodiversity net gain, and the TNFD, probing their scientific validity and potential for unintended consequences.

His recent publications span leading journals such as Science, Accounting, Auditing & Accountability Journal, and Critical Perspectives on Accounting. The articles reveal a consistent trend toward interdisciplinary scholarship, connecting accounting theory with ecological science, conservation policy, and corporate governance. Themes include the marketisation of sustainability certifications, the role of NGOs in wildlife restoration, and the framing of Sustainable Development Goals in national reporting.

• Senior Fellow, Higher Education Academy

Professor Cuckston actively contributes to academic discourse through editorials and commissioned reports, such as his reflection on the risks of natural capital thinking. While no specific grants or student advisees are listed in the provided text, his editorial role in the Social and Environmental Accountability Journal and contributions to major handbooks indicate significant scholarly leadership. His research is highly collaborative, often involving partnerships with environmental scientists and policy experts.