Environmental Business Network

So, last night was interesting. Such is my dedication to learning and meeting interesting people that even on my birthday I went to a work do. In the pic below you will see John O’Brien, a remarkable and engaging man who founded the equally remarkable and engaging Anthropy UK Their big gig will be at the Eden Project in March and I’m delighted to say that I will be running a session with Carl Rowlinson and Avril Greenaway entitled “Nature is the answer”. No prizes for guessing what the question is. I loved being in a room of 200 leaders (cue imposter syndrome time, well 199!) at the impressive offices of Omnicom and it was great to meet Ronee Marie Walsh in person but….there’s always a but…the massive issue (IMHO) is how to cascade the passion, ambition and energy to reboot Britain, particularly around environmental sustainability, into the mid market and SME sectors. These are the businesses that are bearing the brunt of the need to change our behaviour. They need help. They need to be rewarded for doing so by their #corporate customers. They need better payment terms and to be treated with respect by big customers. 90% carrot and 10% stick….for now The purpose of the Environmental Business Network is to help these amazing businesses to respond to the climate crisis but they need everyone’s support. I’d love to hear your views.

Two weeks since the EBN Live show at Tottenham and the debate is still raging…well echoing if not raging! I haven’t seen this level of interest and comment on an Environmental Business Network event and a huge amount of that is due to the brilliant venue and the great hospitality, our superb panel, the engaged audience and the subject matter. So, I thought I would do a follow up blog on the whole notion of whether sport has a responsibility to change our sustainability behaviour or not. If you get a moment please give it a read here https://lnkd.in/euc4XYXm and if you would consider sharing it on LinkedIn that would be great and much appreciated. I have expanded the subject a little and have talked about sport sponsorship and how/if sustainability is becoming a factor in the buying and selling of rights but we also cannot escape the existential threat that sport faces as part of climate change either. Matt Hutchinson from the The Sport Ecology Group made some really insightful comments about the threat to river side clubs like Fulham FC and the two Nottingham clubs and this made me think. Only last week we saw the disaster that poor AFC Wimbledon faced with the flood instigated sink hole emerging on their pitch! A sink hole on a football pitch in south west London!! I also had a really interesting chat with Andy King, the Sponsorship Director of Gentoo Sailing Team and I could have dedicated a whole blog to the stuff that came out of that conversation. I hope you like it and please share, not only this blog, but information about the EBN with as many on your networks as possible. Our numbers are growing quickly but we need a whole lot more people to join our movement for change. Marcus Parry Matthew Hutchinson Adam Harridence Johnny Owens Tim Lawler MBE Nick Keller Samantha Bailey Guy Hough

This edition of our newsletter is a review of the Environmental Business Network #liveshow on #sustainability in sport at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium - read more and subscribe for more EBN Insights. This time last week we were gearing up for the start of a fantastic evening with our friends and partners Tottenham Hotspur Football Club

We have arrived! #sustainability in #sport Live Show at Tottenham Hotspur Football Club - can’t wait to hear from our speakers Marcus Parry Johnny Owens Adam Harridence Matthew Hutchinson

No, Roger McKerlie hasn't been unveiled as Tottenham Hotspur Football Club's latest signing - but that is indeed our name up in lights at their incredible stadium! Our EBN Live is gearing up, and we're looking forward to an evening of great networking and talks from Marcus Parry, Johnny Owens, Adam Harridence and Matthew Hutchinson

What an event this will be – and a testament to the growth of the Environmental Business Network that we're now having our live shows at Premier League football stadia! If you'd like to join the movement for change – either as an individual or as a business – ping me a DM or email my colleague roger@theebn.co.uk

We hope you have had a good summer and that business is positive now that the holiday season is over and we are back at our desks. For the EBN this means the imminent arrival of the next Live Show which is taking place tomorrow night (September 12th from 6.00pm) at the magnificent venue that is the Tottenham Hotspur stadium. Places for the very popular EBN Live shows are allocated to our Commercial Partners and Impact Members before we open them up to the wider EBN community and, as you would expect this one has been well received and was initially oversubscribed. But thing change and some people drop out. This means that we have a limited number of free places available to people who support the EBN movement so if you would like to join us please email roger@theebn.co.uk We are really looking forward to the panel discussion on sustainability in sport - does it have a responsibility to influence behaviour that other sectors don’t…or not? 

I always try and go “off grid” in August in order to reset my mind and body, but I’m hugely excited to be back on the horse! We kicked off today with a great breakfast at the stunning Ridgeview Wine Estate in Sussex and a special thanks goes to Martin Garner and his team for great food and service (not sure I like that word in the context of the hospitality industry but…they were great and really friendly and helpful). Business went very quiet in the month or so before the election but since then it’s gone bananas which is great. Maybe it’s the certainty of a new government or faith that they will invest in sustainability but the vibe today was upbeat and positive. Great to see you all, thanks for coming. Ian Hopping Kathryn Paisley Nick Capehorn FIDM UXC Charles Hooker Michelle Morton Eleanor Matthews Rupert Butler Rich Tribe Mark Chipol Julie Chipol Doug Wanstall Robert Lewis-Mayston Nigel Baker Keith Murray Michael Haydon Andrew Waller Claire Reid Dominic Jordan AIEMA and sorry you couldn’t make it Nick Elliot

Will you be joining us for breakfast on September 4th for the launch of the EBN in #sussex? We have partnered with the superb Ridgeview Wine Estate. As a certified B Corporation and a founder member of Sustainable Wines GB, Ridgeview is committed to driving continuous improvements for a better future for all. We are looking forward to hearing all about their B Corp journey enjoying breakfast overlooking the vines - BOOK NOW! #bcorp #esg #breakfastnetworking https://lnkd.in/ebCwndGS

I had the pleasure of visiting the new MEMS Power Generation HQ the other day and it is a testimony to #sustainabledesign and the ambition and professionalism of this excellent business.