Area Focus: Coventry - Mid Warks - Coventry Building Society Arena announces sustainability partnership with E.ON

Leading venue for business, sport and live events, Coventry Building Society Arena, has entered into a sustainability partnership with E.ON to drive the arena’s continued decarbonisation.

It’s underpinned by the 15-year Strategic Energy Partnership announced by E.ON with Coventry City Council in 2023, which commits the organisations to collaborate and transform the city's approach to carbon reduction.

The new partnership with E.ON signals the next stage in a venue-wide sustainability action plan for Coventry Building Society Arena, which it will now be working on with the energy solutions provider to develop, enhance and deliver over the next three years.

The first phase of the sustainability partnership will map out options for low carbon and carbon reduction solutions at the arena, including the potential installation of solar panels on its roof and accessible electric vehicle charging choices for visitors.

In later phases of improvements, the arena’s existing heating and cooling system may also be upgraded, removing the need for gas and enabling renewable options.

The organisations will work together to further enhance the arena’s energy efficiency and sustainability footprint, aligning with Coventry City Council’s climate change strategy and energy vision and to inspire further action from businesses across the city.

Paul Michael, Managing Director at Coventry Building Society Arena, said: “This is a major milestone for our business and we are proud to be partnering with E.ON to drive the next stage of our sustainability strategy.

“E.ON is headquartered in Coventry and already has a strategic partnership in place with Coventry City Council, so this was a natural fit when we were identifying a partner as it will enable us to contribute effectively to the city’s wider strategy.

“Our partnership with E.ON isn’t only about making our own venue as sustainable as possible, it’s about making a real difference in Coventry too and inspiring communities and other businesses to think critically about their use of energy.”

Vijay Tank, Chief Commercial Officer at E.ON Energy Infrastructure Solutions UK, said: “The Coventry Building Society Arena is an iconic venue in our home city and we’re proud to be working in partnership with the team to develop its sustainability plan. Via our Strategic Energy Partnership with Coventry City Council, it will also act as a cornerstone to the city-wide approach which is helping to give people and businesses more opportunities to shape a more sustainable future together.”

Councillor, Jim O’Boyle, Cabinet Member for Jobs, Regeneration and Climate Change said: “Our 15-year Energy Partnership aims to transform Coventry with locally generated green energy, fuelling a thriving green economy, and driving innovation toward a net zero future.

“This partnership between E.ON and the Coventry Building Society Arena is a real demonstration of how partnerships like this are establishing the city as a leader in sustainability and community-focused initiatives.”

For further information visit: www.eonenergy.com/coventry.

A 15-year partnership between building materials supplier Cemex, and the largest nature conservation organisation in the UK, the RSPB, is celebrating having restored more than 1,750 hectares, (the equivalent of approximately 2,500 football pitches) of priority habitats across more than 50 quarry sites in the UK.

The partnership began in 2009 and was created to improve outcomes for both species and habitats, in particular through restoring quarries once they have reached the end of their working life.

These restoration projects now cover more than 600 hectares of grasslands, over 177 hectares of woodland, 100 hectares of heathland and 190 hectares of ponds and open water, with more than 100,000 trees planted in the process. In providing muchneeded habitat for a diverse range of wildlife, the former quarry land is now providing homes for 46 threatened species of bird, including Willow Tit, Twite, Chough and Turtle Doves.

The anniversary was celebrated with a special event at The Lodge, the RSPB’s headquarters in Sandy, Bedfordshire, where teams from both organisations reflected on the success of the partnership and discussed priorities for the future. With plans to continue the collaboration, it is hoped that learnings from the project can help influence policy and practices to better benefit nature and the response to climate change across the sector.

Andy Spencer, Vice President for Sustainability and Corporate Affairs at

Cemex, said: “This partnership is great example of what can be achieved through long term collaboration that fosters a deep level of trust and transparency. It continues to make good business and economic sense, and has delivered positive outcomes for nature and society, with over 1,750 hectares of priority habitat having been restored to date. I’m excited to see what we can achieve together over the next 15 years.”

Moving forward, Cemex will continue to prioritise its partnership with the RSPB to enhance biodiversity, and this forms one of the six pillars of its global Future in Action programme, which sets out the roadmap for Cemex to become a carbon net zero business by 2050.

By incorporating biodiversity considerations from the earliest stages of quarry planning, the partnership is helping to minimise environmental impact and create a positive lasting legacy.

The success of the partnership in the UK has been an important model to also inform conservation efforts elsewhere, including through Birdlife International partners across Europe.

Beccy Speight, chief executive of the RSPB, said: “Together with Cemex, we've restored habitats, supported threatened bird species, and demonstrated the power of business conservation collaboration within the UK and beyond. As we navigate future challenges and continue in partnership to advocate for industry-wide support of these practices, we're excited to continue our work towards a shared vision of a thriving natural world for us all to enjoy”.