Delivering sustainability was the primary theme of the conference held in Cambridge, UK, on 9th October, organized by the Institute of Environmental Management and Assessment (IEMA).
The conference brought together industry professionals, including EMG, to study the challenges and opportunities presented by what Josh Fothergill, Acting Head of Professional Standards and Policy and Practice Lead, referred to as ‘the perfect storm’ of sustainability and environmental challenges. Those present discussed the growing concern as the demand for increasingly scarce raw materials affects world markets and drives prices higher. This comes in combination with global population growth and climate change, and together with other environmental issues amounts to serious threats for the business world and society in general. In many cases organizations, while recognising the imminent problems, are as yet insufficiently prepared to face them.
However these challenges can be turned into lucrative and ethical opportunities if addressed appropriately. Sustainability can and must be at the core of the new business approach and become an integral driving force. To this end the IEMA has initiated a new campaign, to be launched in December. This ‘Preparing for the Perfect Storm’ campaign, reflecting Fothergill’s imagery, has been set up to support businesses in their acquisition of the necessary skills to turn the imminent threat into strategic advantage. The campaign will advocate the necessity for environment and sustainability skills in order for businesses to remain competitive and will assist the development and adaptation of processes and service provision in this respect. It will present the circular economy as the essential ultimate goal, whereby materials are re-used in the process of waste becoming new resources in a continuous cycle.
Various professional organizations are actively supporting the campaign; these include EMG, BAE Systems, Ernst and Young, EDF Energy, the Knowledge Transfer Network and Saint-Gobain.
EMG will be speaking at next IEMA conference on sustainability at the Metropole Hotel in Leeds on 16th October; it will include a presentation on opportunities regarding sustainable resource management.
For more information on delivering sustainability please click here.