18th May 2009
Developing sustainable and profitable business models will be the main focus of a major conference and exhibition being organised by JBP in Bristol in July.
The Sustainable Business in Practice Expo 09, which is being run in association with the Bristol Environmental Technologies & Services Initiative (BETS) and sponsored by the City Council, will provide insights, ideas and expert practical advice to help organisations create winning green business strategies, which both improve environmental performance and meet efficiency, financial and commercial goals, particularly important during the current challenging economic climate.
Delegates will be able to gain inspiration from a series of presentations by regional, national and global organisations who have successfully placed sustainability at the heart of their strategies. The conference will also provide expert advice on: achieving cost savings through being energy, carbon and resource efficient; managing risk and reward when making capital investments in green business technologies; and green fiscal incentives and funding opportunities. Other sessions will include an open forum to debate a policy framework for sustainable business to thrive, as well as a look at the skills, leadership and knowledge development requirements to drive the sustainability agenda in organisations.
The concurrent exhibition will also showcase the latest sustainable business solutions, services, products and technologies.
Keynote speakers include:
- Ramon Arratia, European Sustainability Director at InterfaceFLOR, a worldwide leader in the manufacture of modular commercial flooring;
- Lewis Campbell, May Day Champion at REED, specialist recruitment and HR services provider;
- Ian Mackinnon, Chief Executive of AIM-Listed Swallowfield plc, a full service provider for global brands and retailers in the cosmetics, personal care and households good sector;
- Barney Rhys Jones, Managing Director of green electricity supplier Good Energy;
- Gareth Stace, Head of Climate and Environment Policy at the EEF;
- Anthony Kazosi, Director of The Business of Sustainability programme at Ashridge Business School;
- Professor Daniella Tilbury, Director of Sustainability, University of Gloucestershire;
- Stephen Barthorpe, Corporate Responsibility Manager at MITIE Group PLC;
- Peter Jones OBE, Mayor of London’s Appointee on Waste & Chair of the Resource Efficiency Knowledge Network
- Colin Drummond, Chief Executive of Viridor, one of the UK’s largest waste management and renewable energy companies
Says Alan Bailey, a director of local firm Environmental Lean Solutions and Chair of BETS: “This conference will put the business case for sustainability and the pursuit of the win-win scenario: enhanced environmental and financial performance. It has been developed to appeal to senior executives within private, not for profit and public sector organisations, and particularly those with environmental and facilities/estates management responsibilities.
“It is fitting that Bristol is hosting this major environmental business-to-business event as the city and neighbouring region has established itself as a hotbed for leading edge developments in the environmental technologies and services sector.
“It also builds on Bristol’s success in being the only city in the UK to be short-listed for the European Green Capital Award.”
For more information on attending, sponsoring and exhibiting at the Sustainable Business in Practice Expo, please visit www.sustainablebizexpo.com. There are early bird 10% discounts for bookings made before Monday 8 June, and further discounts for members of certain trade bodies.
Media and event partners for the high profile event include the Telegraph Business Club, Sustainable Business magazine, South West Business Insider, EEF, CBI, IOD and Science City Bristol. Sponsors also include Environmental Lean Solutions, Portishead Print Media, University of the West of England, Sustain, University of Bristol and Knowledge West.