In 2024, Pippa’s groundbreaking investigative reporting had an unrivalled – and explosive – impact.

As news editor, Pippa has been charged with turbo-charging ENDS Report’s news offering and putting investigative reporting and original content front and centre of its output. This is in the context of the brand facing increasing competition on the one hand from national media outlets, which are taking an increasing interest in environmental matters, and a proliferation of unreliable and AI-generated content on the other. The publication has also been set a target to increase subscriber engagement by at least 15% year-on-year, and the newsdesk – led by Pippa – is at the heart of those efforts.

Through a clever and tenacious use of freedom of information requests, Pippa exposed how a factory in Bentham, Yorkshire, has polluted the town with the highest levels of toxic ‘forever chemicals’ in the UK. The chemicals at the centre of the investigation – known as PFAs – are linked to cancer and a range of other health and environmental impacts.

The investigation has had a major impact, with the Guardian and Channel 4 News picking up the story – interviewing Pippa on its evening bulletin. A campaign group has been established, MPs have called for compensation, and two major law firms are now investigating claims on behalf of residents. A lawyer at one of the firms, Mishcon de Reya, said: “Pippa’s work in uncovering this massive environmental injustice has paved the way for the community to seek redress.”

As a result of this investigation, official testing was commissioned which revealed that soil in gardens near the factory is contaminated, posing a potential health risk to residents. Pippa has carried this responsibility with tremendous care, with residents in Bentham saying she uncovered this story with “a great deal of empathy towards the people who have been brave and stepped forward”.

Pippa’s outstanding investigative reporting, combined with her expert management of ENDS Report’s team of reporters in her capacity as news editor, have contributed to a significant uplift in subscriber engagement, which was up 25% in the second half of 2024 compared to the previous 12-month period and continues to grow. And this growth in engagement is in turn contributing to a strong business performance – ENDS Report saw a 20% growth in subscription revenues between 2022/23 and 2023/24.

However, it is through her brilliant storytelling that Pippa stands apart. Her investigative reporting ensures that ENDS Report is ahead of the curve on issues of significant public interest. These investigations have made an outsized impact, exposing public health scandals and political skullduggery and shaping policymaking on the environment – one of the most important topics of our time.

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