Our region has some excellent examples of low carbon, high-growth businesses but real sustainability needs to combine ecological, economic, and social sustainability: low carbon and low pollution; business models built for the long-term; and jobs that are meaningful, secure, and offer well-being, autonomy and a wage that provides a decent standard of living.
These factors impact businesses directly but also through their relationships with other businesses, up and down their supply chain. How can high growth companies support a future regional economy that is inclusive and offers meaningful employment within a culturally rich city? How can companies ensure that they are not just outsourcing bad jobs, carbon emissions, and economic insecurity to their suppliers? What are the models of good governance and responsibility in the workplace and in supply chain management?
Who should attend?
Senior managers & founders from low carbon / smart energy / Cleantech organisations as well as leaders, policy makers & strategic thinkers. Also relevant for business people keen to learn about how to incorporate sustainability best practice into their workplace.
All should be interested in exploring and sharing ideas, experience and policy for creating a regional ecosystem of sustainable organisations that embed good practice beyond the individual workplace or business.
Agenda
12.30: Arrival, lunch & informal network roundtables
13.15: Welcome by Professor Yvonne Barnett - Deputy Vice Chancellor, ARU
Scene setting: Professor Aled Jones - Director, Global Sustainability Institute, ARU & Dr Martin Clark - CEO & Group Director of Impact, Allia
13.30: Fernando Centeno, Senior Innovation & Growth Specialist – Sustainability – UKRI Funding opportunity
13.45: Panel 1: Chair: Aled Jones (panel members to speak for ~ 5 mins each)
Panel 1: Opportunities & challenges in a green growth region:
- Prof Manoj Dora - Professor in Sustainable Production and Consumption, ARU
- Dr Franziska Sohns - Associate Professor in Economic Geography, ARU
- Dr Tim Moore – CTO, Shark Ninja
- Dan Thorp - Director of Policy and Programmes, Cambridge Ahead
- Sam Goodall - CEO, Cambridge Cleantech
- How can high growth companies support a future regional economy within a culturally rich city?
- How can we create and support a regional ecosystem of sustainable organisations that embed good practice beyond the individual workplace?
- What are the models of good governance and responsibility in supply chains?
- What does the region need to provide to support this future (skills, local government, networks etc)?
15.00: Break
15.30: Panel 2: Chair: Andrew Brisbin - Director of Ventures, Allia (panel members to speak for ~ 5 mins each)
Panel 2: Business models for the long term:
- Prof Chris Land - Professor of Work and Organisation and Deputy Dean, Faculty of Business & Law, ARU
- Dr Frank Nyame-Asiamah - School Lead for Innovation and Knowledge Exchange, ARU
- Steve Thompson – COO, Form the Future
- Hamish Watson - CEO, Polysolar
- What are the challenges and opportunities in developing a future work force (especially within high growth entrepreneurial workplaces) that is inclusive and offers meaningful employment?
- What are the types of work that we need and that provide jobs that are meaningful, secure, offer wellbeing and a wage that provides a decent standard of living?
- What are the models of good governance and responsibility in the workplace?
16.45: Next steps & funding opportunities: Jenny Young - Interim Director, Research & Innovation Development Office, ARU
17.00: Close
When?
Thursday 8 June 2023
12.30pm start with networking lunch; workshop start 1.30pm, finish 5pm
Where?
Conference suite, Allia Future Business Centre Cambridge Campus, King’s Hedges Road, Cambridge CB4 2HY
This workshop is part of ARU’s Sustainable Futures series: Envisioning and delivering transformations through research and innovation.
Sustainable Futures works with regional, national, and international stakeholders to support transformations towards environmentally and socially just societies. We achieve this through engaging individuals and communities in our research and by sharing our knowledge with those who can use it to make a difference.
Anglia Ruskin Universities: Transforming lives through innovative, inclusive and entrepreneurial education and research.
At ARU we've pledged to incorporate sustainability into every aspect of our University’s conduct and administration - from our formal and informal curriculum, to student life and activities, and through our sustainability research and the impacts of our campuses.
Allia: Allia is dedicated to supporting start-ups, enterprises & businesses to thrive, grow and create jobs, so that they can make a positive impact on their community, as well as addressing social and environmental global challenges. Its Future Business Centres in Cambridge and Peterborough support local businesses through flexible workspace and innovation communities; and its venture support programmes help entrepreneurs & start-ups to grow, succeed and have a positive impact on people, place & planet. www.futurebusinesscentre.co.uk
