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John Auckland, an experienced entrepreneur who has helped more than 90 companies raise over £60m in investment funding.

Dr Mar Fernández, Seafields’ Chief Scientific Officer, said: “While tree-planting and other landbased initiatives are all making a contribution, the ocean represents 70 per cent of the Earth’s surface and offers us the best possible solution in addressing climate change. With carefully managed processes in place, we can cultivate Sargassum offshore by irrigating the surface with nutrient-rich deep waters. Pelagic Sargassum is a seaweed that is unique in its ability to float freely and sequester carbon efficiently due to its rapid growth rate and high carbon to nitrogen ratio.

“We will store compressed bales of Sargassum in selected places at the seafloor to ensure long-term removal of billions of tonnes of carbon from the atmosphere without creating an environmental burden on the deep sea. Aquafarming will also promote the restoration of marine ecosystems, helping many ocean species to survive and thrive, and produce seaweed which can be utilised to create useful and sustainable consumer goods.”

John Auckland said: “Seafields is the most exciting idea I’ve seen in terms of its potential for tackling the climate emergency. By sustainably growing Sargassum, we will use the vast space available in the ocean to meet the coming demand for carbon credits over the next two decades, while also removing billions of tonnes of CO2 from our atmosphere. This is the ocean equivalent of planting trees across the entire Sahara Desert.

“We look forward to showcasing our solution to delegates at the COP26 conference in Glasgow and then focusing on successfully completing our pilot project off the coast of Cape Verde.”

SEAFIELDS

seafields.eco

COLDPLAY’S SUSTAINABLE TOUR

Top band Coldplay have chosen Seafields to help make their upcoming Music Of The Spheres Tour as sustainable and low-carbon as possible. The tour’s three key principles are: Reduce consumption, recycle extensively and cut its CO2 emissions by 50%; Reinvent by supporting new green technologies and developing new sustainable, super-low carbon touring methods; and Restore by making the tour as environmentally beneficial as possible by funding a portfolio of nature, and technology-based projects and drawing down significantly more CO2 than the tour produces. Coldplay has also pledged to donate 10% of total earnings from the tour into a good causes fund, which includes Seafields.

BEE1 SENDS 20,000 WELSH BEES TO LONDON’S PALL MALL

Bee1, a Welsh-based business which offers corporate social responsibility solutions, has sent 20,000 bees to the Institute of Directors’ headquarters at 116 Pall Mall. The bees, which travelled from Neath to London, have settled into their new home in this iconic building and will play a part in a diverse CSR campaign.

The bees will pollinate approximately 200 million local plants, as well as provide educational opportunities for local schools and beekeeping training for IoD staff members.

Jonathan Geldart, the Director General of the Institute of Directors, said: “Bees are one of the most important animals on the planet, but their numbers are plummeting rapidly. I am delighted that we are able to play a small part in protecting bees and the vital role they play in the natural ecosystem.

“Quite apart from the environmental, educational and wellbeing benefits the bees will bring, I am also excited by the prospect of IoD members being able to enjoy honey made by our own little captains of industry.”

Mark Douglas, Bee1’s Founder and Chief Beekeeper, is equally as thrilled to have formed this positive partnership. “I’m delighted that the IOD has chosen Bee1 as their CSR partner. Using a combination of sustainability, support for local schools, the local environment and staff wellbeing we came up with a suitable solution. Plus of course some Bees!

“Seeing organisations such as iOD showing such commitment to sustainability is what it’s all about! The bees have settled in nicely and it’s great to see the iOD team displaying such passion and interest in beekeeping.”

CLIMATE ACTION COURSE FOR CITY SMEs

Applications have opened for a free course aimed at helping small and medium-sized businesses in the City of London play their part in tackling global warming.

The course – Climate 4 SMEs: 4 Steps to Action – is open to businesses of between nine and 249 employees which are either based in or operate in the Square Mile.

Funded by the City of London Corporation and run by responsible business charity Heart of the City, it will introduce firms to practical ways in which they can reduce their carbon footprint, learning from experts in the field.

The course will get businesses ready to be net zero in four modules, introducing them to the principles of sustainability, guiding them through jargon and giving them the chance to meet representatives from other SMEs in a similar position .Participants will be supported to devise an action plan for their business, to make a commitment to become net zero by 2040 and to disclose their progress every year.

More information at theheartofthecity.com/

membership/climate-for-smes-4-steps-to-action

STRATEGY FOR ‘A WORLD BEYOND WASTE’

A five-year strategy from the Chartered Institution of Wastes Management (CIWM) outlines how it will help shape the future of waste, recycling and resource management.

‘Leading the Way to a World beyond Waste’ will help the UK waste and recycling sector promote more sustainable consumption, minimise waste and protect the world’s environment and resources for future generations. This is in line with CIWM’s mission to support its professional community to lead, influence and deliver the science, strategies, businesses and policies for the sustainable management of resources and waste.

Developed in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, the strategy focuses on six key themes:

1. Pioneering professional standards 3. Advocating with an authoritative voice

4. Enhancing engagement and connectivity

5. Cultivating communities of practice

6. Leading through excellence

CIWM president, Dr Adam Read, said: “It is clear we cannot continue to live in a world that uses 60 per cent more resources than the Earth is capable of regenerating. This strategy positions CIWM at the forefront of the movement towards a world which consumes more sustainably, minimises waste and protects its environment and resources for future generations. ‘Leading the Way to a World Beyond Waste’ seeks to support the rebalance of resources and accelerate the move to more efficient and circular economies.”

View the strategy at ciwm.co.uk/ciwm/ciwm-

strategy.aspx

SUSTAINABILITY IS THE WORD AT EDEN UTILITIES

Take the stress out of managing your business utilities by handing them over to Eden Utilities, the energy market specialists who care.

Eden Utilities offer a personal and personable service for all your energy needs. Their flexible end-to-end solutions include procurement, forensic invoice validation, energy cost risk management, total cost utility management and reporting.

With their special emphasis on green solutions, Eden Utilities will take care of as much or as little of your company portfolio as you want, so that you can focus on what matters most… running your business with peace of mind. For example, the team can:

handle your utility procurement needs help you save money on an ongoing basis through auditing, consumption monitoring and advanced budgeting

take full control of your utilities CEO Mark Chipol explains, “Value and efficiency are the most important issues for companies when it comes to finding the best energy deal, but there is so much more interest now in getting the best green deals too. Sustainability is a core value for industry today – not just for our clients, but for their customers and shareholders too.”

Mark adds, “Being ‘sustainable’ can seem difficult and expensive, but our support allows clients to make informed decisions about clean energy deals which are presented in a wholly transparent way. Transparency and trust are core values in everything we do.

“For example, our Eden Infinity product is a circular economy solution, tailored specifically for business. It involves recycling a company’s waste and using the electricity generated from that process to supply back to the company, in effect supporting the generation of your own power in a

Being ‘sustainable’ can seem difficult and expensive, but our support allows clients to make informed decisions about clean energy deals which are presented in a wholly transparent way.

clean, environmentally friendly way, plus there’s no large investment in time and money and even no need to change your waste collector. Everything is managed for you from the signature of an electricity supply contract.

“Our team is very knowledgeable about the challenges and pressures faced by our clients on a day-to-day basis. They are here to chat through your requirements and help you manage costs efficiently and effectively. Whatever your goal – whether it’s reducing costs, switching supplier, or simply going ‘greener’, we can definitely help.”

Eden Utilities tracks wholesale energy markets to ensure that energy is bought at optimum timing. “It’s a bit like buying shares. We monitor the rates to ensure that we get the best value and pricing on the market.”

Mark has over 25 years of experience in the utilities industry, and founded his independent company seven years ago. The company has grown massively in that time but their ethos has never changed. “We pride ourselves on building quality relationships with every single one of our customers, who range from SMEs to leading multi-nationals. In fact, many are personal friends now, and we have got a lot of new business largely through word-of-mouth recommendations!

“Most importantly, we pride ourselves on the transparency and honesty of our practices. We believe that all our clients, no matter how big or small, deserve the same quality service; essentially the concerns and requirements are the same, when to buy, how to buy, who to appoint and for how long; it’s just the consumption that’s different. Eden Utilities offers a range of services, so that you get the best price and the best value. Plus, we are definitely not a sales company, so there is no missselling risk, and any commission earned is always disclosed.”

Find out more at edenutilities.com or email info@edenutilities.com

MARK CHIPOL

Managing Director Eden Utilities

edenutilities.com