Free Flash of Inspiration for Sustainability

Paris Troy, Radio Presenter: source Paris Troy

If you don’t already have a diary date to attend the Festival of Sustainable Business in central Bristol on 17th September, then you need to prioritise it now!

The event offers multiple opportunities for your business to learn about sustainable technologies and services, including what you can do to achieve carbon neutrality – a critical aim given the recent announcement of Bristol’s (and other local authorities’) 2030 carbon neutrality target. So why not join in and help achieve this goal?

WHAT’S ON?

The Festival will feature a free-to-attend exhibition, with around 50 businesses showcasing a wide range of innovative initiatives to help you progress in your journey to become more sustainable. Taking place at We The Curious, the exhibition will also feature a Sustainable Food Zone and Sustainable Transport Zone in Millennium Square:

• At The Sustainable Transport Zone you’ll be able to discover the latest in sustainable transport options, including electric and hydrogen cars; bamboo and electric bikes; and electric mopeds

• Check out the delicious range of sustainably sourced refreshments in The Sustainable Food Zone – and don’t forget, all seminar attendees can enjoy a tasty lunch free of charge – once they’ve registered

Get Inspired!

An exciting feature of the exhibition is The Lightning Talk Stage: sponsored by The Inclusive Economy Initiative, University of Bristol, the talks are all free to attend and will run throughout the day. Comprising a series of short, punchy talks from a range of local companies who are all achieving great things in various aspects of sustainability, and chaired by ex-Heart FM presenter Paris Troy – the Lightning Talks promise plenty of fun and lively sessions and are definitely an experience not to be missed. Speakers from a large number of companies will take part, including the following – which is just a small selection from the complete list:

• Sustainabubbles – a not-for-profit ‘Party Plan’ company aiming to help people make their lives more sustainable

• Strategic Innovation Ltd – helping businesses to innovate with sustainability initiatives

• The Inclusive Economy Initiative, University of Bristol – developing an inclusive and fair low carbon economy, collaborating on research with organisations from the city of Bristol and its regions

• Grow Bristol – producing high quality, super-local produce all-year-round. Part of a movement that is changing the way we feed our cities, their goal is to create ‘the next generation of urban farms and future farmers for smart cities.’

So remember – sign up to support this inspirational initiative to help not just Bristol, but the wider communities too, to achieve a more sustainable way of working. By playing your part, you’re helping ensure a better future for everyone. So come along to the free exhibition; book some seminars; or attend the sustainably sourced Gala Dinner – a great way to wrap up and celebrate this brilliant event!

Sir Edward Davey MP to Speak at Festival of Sustainable Business

Rt Hon Sir Edward Davey MP: source Sir Ed Davey

In less than two weeks’ time, Bristol’s inaugural Festival of Sustainable Business will take place in the city centre.

The Festival, on 17th September 2019, is set to be the most significant event to celebrate environmental businesses in the South West region.

The Festival will also host a fantastic, ‘sustainable’ Gala Dinner on the evening of the 17th – with the opportunity to network with Ed Davey (the Right Honourable Sir Edward Davey MP), who will speak at the Dinner.

Sir Ed Davey’s previous roles include Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, and he is currently Shadow Cabinet member for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy.

On the Festival Sir Ed comments: “Britain’s future economic strength must be built on sustainable business. There’s been real progress in recent years, which Bristol’s brilliant Festival celebrates. Yet we need to do so much more – and that’s why this event is so important.”

Other speakers will be Natalie Fee, the award-winning environmental campaigner, author, speaker and founder of City to Sea, a non-profit organisation running campaigns to stop plastic pollution at source; and Mayor Marvin Rees, Bristol City Council.

Apart from the Gala Dinner, visitors can enjoy a huge range of activities at the Festival, including:

• A free-to-attend exhibition

• A sustainable food zone

• A sustainable transport zone

• A superb programme of 9 seminars

‘We Need all Businesses on Board’ It’s a Climate Emergency! Claims Sustainable Group

Katherine Piper, Director of The Future Economy Network: source The Future Economy Network

This is an unusual article but we are in unusual times…

My name is Katherine and I am the Director of the Future Economy Network; a sustainable business network which hosts weekly sustainability-related events and networking opportunities for a business audience.

Some strange professional etiquette has prevented me until now from publicly admitting that I am very scared about our futures given the climate emergency. But who wouldn’t be scared given the knowledge that we have less than 11 years to drastically reduce our carbon emissions and avoid the devastating impacts of climate change?!

So, what can I do? I can write this article; my plea asking ALL BUSINESSES to get on board if you are not already and to do more, if you are! Here are some proposed next steps…

A Call Out to ALL Businesses… Declare a Climate Emergency!
No matter what your business, this is a call out to you to ask what YOUR business can do to reduce its carbon footprint and improve its sustainability. I know that we are all busy and so it can fall off the ‘to do’ list but we really have no choice when this is the biggest existential crisis humanity has ever seen.

And with over a third of the British public experiencing ‘eco-anxiety’, your workforce will welcome your commitment to addressing the crisis head on.

The Future Economy Network recently declared a climate emergency and you can do so too, being represented alongside other climate leaders such as Greenhouse PR, The University of Bristol and We The Curious. Get in touch if you would like our support with this: info@thefutureeconomygroup.co.uk

What Else?…Attend our Festival of Sustainable Business!

The Future Economy Network is coordinating a Festival of Sustainable Business in central Bristol on 17th September where your business can learn about what YOU can do to achieve carbon neutrality.

Here are some of the activities you can get involved in:

• Book to attend our FREE exhibition showcasing sustainability-related products and services at We The Curious

• Get inspired by other organisations at the FREE Lightening Talk Stage, compered by Radio Presenter Paris Troy

• Link in with our Sustainable Recruitment Team to discuss your employment needs

• Re-consider your transport options in our Sustainable Transport Zone in Millennium Square

• Enjoy our sustainable-sourced lunches in our Sustainable Food Zone in Millennium Square

• Learn from industry experts at our 9 seminars on various sustainability-related themes including The Circular Economy, Sustainable Finance, Smart Cities and Sustainable Construction

• Network at our sustainably sourced Gala Dinner where keynote speakers include Rt Hon Sir Edward Davey MP, City to Sea Founder, Natalie Fee and Bristol City Council Mayor, Marvin Rees

And then?…Attend The Global Climate Strike!

The Future Economy Network will be joining our young people and other businesses who on 20th September will be striking to raise awareness of the climate emergency. We will be there to offer solidarity to our young people and to show the strength of our commitment to the country’s leaders. Sign up to attend a climate strike near you: https://globalclimatestrike.net/

What else?…Measure you Carbon Footprint and do something about it!

The Future Economy Group’s consultancy service can help you measure your carbon footprint and make recommendations around reductions – get in touch on info@thefutureeconomygroup.co.uk for more information.

Thank You!

So, thank you for taking the time to read this and a thank you in advance for taking the above steps with your organisation. I hope to see as many of you as possible in person at the Festival of Sustainable Business or the Global Climate Strikes. We can do it!

Exhibition and Lightning Talks – Prepare to be Wowed!

Alan Bailey, Director of The Future Economy Group: source The Future Economy Network

An exciting feature of the exhibition at the Festival of Sustainable Business is the Lightning Talk stage, kindly sponsored by Inclusive Economy Initiative: University of Bristol.

Throughout the day, we will hear short, punchy talks from a whole range of local companies who are all doing great work on different aspects of sustainability.

These include: Going For Gold, Life Cycle, Hoare Lea, Bristol Pound, Futureground, Gravtricity, Rathbone Greenbank Investment, Strategic Innovation, LettUsGrow, Grow Bristol, The Environment Agency, Better Century, Brunel Group and Catalyse Change.

The sessions will be chaired by ex-Heart FM presenter Paris Troy, who is sure to create a fun and lively session.

This is all free to attend, as is the exhibition as a whole. For anyone with an interest in sustainability, this is a not-to-be-missed opportunity to learn about what local businesses are doing. You can visit the stands of around 60 businesses who will be showcasing their sustainable initiatives. Register for free in advance here.

As well as the indoor stands, the Festival Exhibition will also feature some outdoors exhibitors in Millennium Square where you can see some of the latest in sustainable vehicles – and to top it all off, we will have a range of sustainable food vendors with some delightful food offerings, creating a true Festival environment.

Don’t miss what promises to be a fabulous day, and hopefully the first of an annual event.

The Festival of Sustainable Business Heading to Bristol on September 17th

The Festival of Sustainable Business is set to be the most significant regional event to celebrate environmental business in the Bristol and South West area: this inaugural festival will take place in Bristol city centre on 17th September 2019.

There are numerous ways that visitors can enjoy the festival and get involved, including: a free-to-attend exhibition; a sustainable food zone; a sustainable transport zone; a programme of half-day seminars; a gala dinner; and of course –  multiple opportunities to network; share knowledge; and view the latest innovations in sustainable technologies and services.

EXPLORE AND LEARN

Presented by esteemed industry experts and keynote speakers, the seminar programme will highlight important sustainability issues; current hot topics; how to support businesses to become more sustainable; and more.

Seminars topics will include, amongst others:

• Air Quality and Emissions

• Innovation in the Decarbonisation of Heat

• International Trade

• Smart Cities

• Sustainable Construction

• Sustainable Finance

• The Circular Economy and Behaviour Change

• The Future of Energy

• Travel and Transport

You can discover more about the seminars’ content by clicking on each seminar title, above.

SIGN UP FOR SUSTAINABILITY

Celebrate the environmental businesses of the Bristol and South West region and find out more about sustainable business models, technologies and services by supporting this ground-breaking event on 17th September.

The exhibition is free-to-attend, and seminar tickets are on sale now, so why not sign up for some seminars today?

The Future Economy Group Launches its Festival of Sustainable Business

The largest day of celebrating environmental business in the South West

The Future Economy Group are thrilled to have launched the Festival of Sustainable Business, a one-day event taking place in Bristol on 17th September 2019. Set to be the largest day of celebrating environmental business in the Bristol and South West region, the Festival comprises a free exhibition, a sustainable food zone, a sustainable transport zone, 10 seminars and a gala dinner, all taking place within Bristol City Centre. The Festival of Sustainable Business will demonstrate that as a region, we are committed to achieving against our carbon neutrality targets and are leading the way in demonstrating that sustainable business models are commercially viable and the only fair and ethical choice.

Says Alan Bailey, Director of The Future Economy Group: “The Festival of Sustainable Business will help organisations progress their sustainability thinking; showcasing innovations in sustainable technologies and services and facilitating key networking and knowledge sharing opportunities. The Future Economy Group is delighted to be able to bring this to the city, helping Bristol lead the way in achieving its carbon neutrality goals.”

We are delighted that Brunel Group are joining us as one of our major sponsors. Director at Brunel Jonathan Filer says: “Brunel Group are absolutely delighted and very proud to be sponsoring the Festival of Sustainable Business. As a business we don’t just talk about climate impacts, we take action, as is reflected in our paperless office and carbon neutral targets. As a region, Bristol is a dynamic entrepreneurial hub of fantastic businesses. We feel this event is a perfect opportunity to explore collaborations whilst highlighting important sustainability issues. We can’t wait for 17th September!”

The Future Economy Group are excited to announce as keynote speakers, Bristol City Council Mayor, Marvin Rees, and Founder of City to Sea, Natalie Fee. Alongside keynote speakers, our seminars will welcome industry experts such as Airbus discussing progress in electric aviation, Interface showcasing their carbon neutral, circular business model, the Deputy Director of Climate Change at the Environment Agency discussing air quality, Kensa Contracting presenting innovations in district heating, Bristol Energy and The Carbon Trust discussing the Future of Energy, and Triodos Bank, The New Economics Foundation and The Bank of England presenting on Sustainable Finance. The Future Economy Group will also welcome academics from the University of the West of England and the University of Bristol and look forward to hearing Q&As from former Heart FM Radio Presenter, Paris Troy who will be compering the lightening talk stage!

Mayor Marvin Rees, source City Office

Natalie Fee, Founder of City to Sea, source City to Sea

Paris Troy, Radio Presenter, source Paris Troy

Current sponsors include Brunel Group, University of Bristol, UWE, Bristol Energy, Kensa Contracting, TLT and Bevan Brittan. A range of sponsorship and exhibition opportunities are still available, please see www.thefutureeconomynetwork.co.uk/get-involved if of interest. Other supporters include the West of England Combined Authority, Bristol City Council, The Environment Agency, Triodos, Burges Salmon, Smith and Williamson and Grant Thornton.

Discounts are available to Network Subscribers. For details of the benefits of subscribing to the Network see www.thefutureeconomynetwork.co.uk/benefits-of-subscription.

For details about The Future Economy Group, please see  www.thefutureeconomygroup.co.uk and for information on the Network, see www.thefutureeconomynetwork.co.uk