Sustainable Business - Q2 2022

Q2 2022 | A promotional supplement distributed on behalf of Mediaplanet, which takes sole responsibility for its content

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Sustainable Business

“Our current problem: we take, we make, we waste.”

“Net zero offers us a pathway to something better.”

Andrew Morlet, CEO, Ellen MacArthur Foundation

Gudrun Cartwright, Environmental Director, Business in the Community (BITC)

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Practical steps to becoming a more sustainable business Do you want your organisation to operate more sustainably, but don’t know where to start?

Here are some of our top tips.

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onsumers today are increasingly demanding sustainable business practices - and they are unlikely to be fooled by greenwashing. We know it can be hard to know where to begin in making sure that sustainability is more than just a buzzword.

Embed purpose into your corporate governance As any organisation develops, there is a risk of mission drift. This can be avoided by building ESG (environmental, social, governance) commitments into your corporate structure. Consider becoming a B Corp or building a mission lock into your articles. You could add a golden shareholder to your board to help focus on your purpose - while employee or steward ownership structures mean your strategic direction is curated by your people or others close to your mission.

Adopting a green employment culture You can set the tone for ambitious climate action through employment policies focused on sustainable commuting; flexible working; and ones that recognise sustainable travel.

Empower and educate your people on your environmental action and include sustainability within your appraisal processes.

Build your values into your supply chain By getting on top of your supply chain you can have a positive impact through your direct and indirect working relationships.

Work out what your priorities are and then build those into your procurement processes.

By developing a supplier questionnaire and audit process you will be able to track how your suppliers meet your needs, live up to your aspirations and measure your impact.

Real estate considerations Assessing your premises with a green lens can have a positive effect on your environmental impact as well as employee wellness and productivity. Think about your emissions, waste usage and optimising use of space as some ideas.

The key to achieving your aims lies in aligning your property, employment and corporate strategy with your ESG agenda.

Bates Wells is a values-driven law firm dedicated to helping clients make a positive impact. We want to make business better.

Get in touch if you do too.

The rewards of unlocking the circular economy for plastics We are approaching a critical juncture in the fight against plastic waste pollution.

Policy and innovation are critical in the fight, but finance will also be key.

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e are in the midst of the United Nations Ocean’s Conference and governments from across the globe recently agreed the “biggest green deal since the Paris Accord” during United Nations Environment Assembly 5 as a means to tackle plastic pollution through a legally binding global framework. Whilst government and business actors are needed to operationalise such an ambitious agreement, finance institutions also play a vital role in addressing this crisis.

Importance of investment in plastic waste and pollution A global framework to tackle plastic pollution could have a massive impact across both asset classes and regions. No doubt policy will be essential in driving action on plastic waste and pollution, especially at the national level, however, there are also huge opportunities for investors.

As we see renewables upend energy markets, this global challenge on plastic pollution also provides an economic opportunity. Consider the opportunities presented by the circular economy, which promote the elimination of waste and the continual safe use of natural resources.

Such a transition will require investment of USD 1.2 trillion and a significant shift away from business-asusual. Yet circular alternatives can yield up to USD 4.5 trillion in economic benefits by 2030. Unfortunately, today only 8.6% of the world is circular, meaning this transition is huge; it requires collaboration and a significant increase in investment.

Such opportunities, as outlined in the Global Plastic Action Partnership’s (GPAP) recent ‘Unlocking the Plastics Circular Economy: A Toolkit for Investment’, can offer proactive investors extraordinary rewards.

Unfortunately, today only 8.6% of the world is circular, meaning this transition is huge; it requires collaboration and a significant increase in investment.

The role of finance There is a critical gap that the finance industry can fill, scaling growth and unlocking capital flows required to turn the plastic waste crisis into a bankable circular-led growth opportunity.

The approach is increasingly clear and now needs to be scaled. The drivers of technological innovation and policy change are critical; however, they cannot solve the growing problem on their own. Those investors early to the sector and the opportunities it brings, will have competitive advantage on those that choose to stand on the side lines. Private investors can generate a market rate of return but must also deploy capital and collaborate with other stakeholders to realise the opportunity.

WRITTEN BY Kristin Hughes Director, Global Plastic Action Partnership, World Economic Forum

WRITTEN BY

Angela Monaghan Purpose & Impact Manager, Bates Wells

Paid for by Bates Wells

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We are deep in debt with nature.

Rethinking the recycling process with innovative AI technology The introduction of digital technologies into the recycling system of fibre based packaging has enabled innovation across the chain and improved impact on the environment.

A Our current problem: we take, we make, we waste As the urgency increases to reach net zero targets and align with the Sustainable Development Goals, more and more businesses are harnessing the power of the circular economy to create resilience and drive positive change.

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ransforming our linear economy into one that is regenerative by design comes with its own set of challenges. Currently, we take materials out of the ground, then make them into products that are thrown away and inevitably end up in landfills, incinerators, leaking into the environment or choking our oceans.

We are deep in debt with nature. Much like running up financial debts – which can result in bankruptcy – when we take too much from our natural environment. Without ensuring and encouraging its recovery, we run the risk of local, regional, and eventually, global ecosystem collapse.

We cannot remain locked into a system that will not work in the long term because it’s depleting our finite resources – fast. We need a bigger idea. One that targets the root causes of the climate crisis, biodiversity loss, waste and pollution. And one that can scale – fast.

So, what’s the big idea?

The circular economy is driven by regenerative design and to take this resilient and prosperous transformation forward, it is first crucial that we go beyond rethinking how we make individual products and consider the entire system that surrounds them.

Circular economy innovation is centred around redesigning products, services and the way our businesses work to shift our whole economic system from take-make-waste to one that eliminates waste, keeps products and materials in circulation and regenerates nature. This includes our business models, how customers access products and what happens to those products when we have finished with them so we can keep the materials in the system for as long as possible.

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Circular economy innovation is centred around redesigning products, services and the way our businesses work to shift our whole economic system from take-makewaste to one that eliminates waste.

Turning ambition into action The role of all businesses, regardless of size, is to find new, circular ways of creating, delivering and capturing value that also benefits society and the environment. Business sits at the heart of this transition and a circular economy shift will create a system that allows us all to make better choices.

Choices that are part of the solution to global challenges, rather than part of the problems.

rtificial intelligence (AI) looks set to overcome some of the current challenges and limits of the recycling and sorting systems mostly used across Europe.

It provides a greater level of accuracy at speed, allowing sorting operations to identify specific packaging materials and guarantee the purity of the material stream.

The most promising technologies already assisting in increasing ever-more effective recycling methods are machine learning, infrared sensors and optical or biomarkers – the latter of which will revolutionise the sorting of fibre-based composite packaging.

Spurring innovation in the supply chain Technology already plays a significant role in the recycling circularity of fibre-based packaging products such as board and paper.

4evergreen, a cross-industry alliance with the specific goal of optimising fibre-based packaging and climate performance, is aiming to raise the overall recycling rate to 90% by 2030.

It is providing a crucial platform to enable innovation within the industry and has a specific work stream aimed at spurring innovation across the fibre-based packaging value chain.

Susanne Haase, Program Director, says: “From design to recycling, new technologies have already been deployed by industries and start-ups to reduce the impact on the environment of the increasing amount of waste. \For example, digital technologies can track the journeys of products, components and materials through digital passports, labelling or watermarks, enabling the collection of greater volumes of packing and increasing efficiency of sorting.”

Improving recycling processes However, while a wide range of sorting and separating technologies exist, their deployment at scale is lacking. Therefore, platforms are required that offer the opportunity for technology providers to test their innovations.

“Technology enables us to re-think the way we conceptualise the whole recycling process, improving the quality and reducing fibres lost in the recycling process,” adds Haase.

AI and process automation in the field of waste sorting offer opportunities to improve performance, building greater resource efficiency and increase the quality of fibres and the value of secondary resources.

Read more at 4evergreenforum.eu

INTERVIEW WITH

Susanne Haase

Program Director, 4evergreen Alliance WRITTEN BY Andrew Morlet CEO, Ellen MacArthur Foundation

WRITTEN BY

Sheree Hanna

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Working to decarbonise the logistics industry

Estimates suggest global logistics emit 3.5 billion tonnes of CO2 every year, just by “moving stuff around.”

Images provided by Maersk

Switching to greener fuels to power ocean-going cargo ships could reduce carbon emissions by millions of tonnes a year.

C INTERVIEW WITH Morten Bo Christiansen Vice President, Head of Decarbonisation, Maersk

WRITTEN BY Mark Nicholls

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ompanies shipping huge volumes of cargo across the globe are acutely aware of the carbon emissions related to the transportation sector.

While their activities are a crucial element of global trade and economies, tonnes of carbon finds its way into the atmosphere as a result. Estimates suggest global logistics emit 3.5 billion tonnes of CO2 every year, just by “moving stuff around.”

“That is simply not sustainable,” according to logistics boss Morten Bo Christiansen.

Cutting emissions Yet steps to reduce this can have a significant impact, not only in helping the environment and reducing carbon emission for the cargo firms themselves, but also with a knock-on impact in supporting their customers and consumers cut carbon emissions.

Global end-to-end provider of logistics services A.P. Moller - Maersk directly emits 36 million tonnes of carbon a year, or around 60 million tonnes when considering indirect (Scope 3) emissions. Its 745-strong ocean-going fleet of ships burn 11 million tonnes of fuel oil or 80 million barrels every year. To put that into perspective, in 2021 global daily oil production was similarly 80 million barrels.

Christiansen, who is the company’s Head of Decarbonisation, leads a team charged with cutting those carbon emissions. “It’s not just ships,” he adds. “It is across all our business: trucking, rail, warehousing, airfreight and the steel for our ships.”

The only way forward In 2018, the company set a vision for its fleet to be carbon neutral by 2050 but that timeline has now been brought forward a decade, to 2040.

“We are doing this because we feel a moral obligation to do so. Our company is part of the problem; just our ships emit more CO2 than the country we are headquartered in, Denmark,” he explains.

“It also means that we can have a large impact; we are part of the problem, and we want to be part of the solution.

But it is also important to safeguard the relevance of our

business going forward because if the global logistics sector does not perform its tasks without damaging the planet, our customers are going to find different solutions.”

Green methanol Over the next 15 years, he points to making the transition toward running the Maersk fleet on green methanol and possibly green ammonia. Both fuels can be made in a “closeto-net-zero-way,” but green ammonia still has associated safety and environmental concerns, while the issue with green or climate neutral methanol is availability.

“There is no fuel on market,” says Christiansen. “It is a chicken and egg situation; no-one was making the fuel because there were no ships, and there are no ships because no-one is making fuel for them.”

Maersk is breaking that cycle and has ordered 13 ships – one 200m vessel and 12 ships that are 400m long and 60m wide – to run on green methanol, with the larger ships entering the fleet in 2024.

It has also signed six memorandums of understanding (MOUs) with companies to supply the 500,000 tonnes of green fuel a year to run the new vessels (the company wants 25% of the fuel it burns to be green by 2030).

Partnership approach Solutions to cut its emissions in other areas of its operations involve piloting electric/hybrid trucking, using renewable energy in warehouses and terminals, using sustainable aviation fuel, and moving from diesel to electrified rail transport.

Recognising that some competitors have also begun exploring green methanol for ships, he believes his customers are coming under increasing pressure from consumers to deliver products with a smaller carbon footprint and will demand future supply chains are decarbonised.

By underlining the need for a partnership approach between customers, suppliers, competitors, and regulators to tackle emissions in the global logistics sector, he advocates a global greenhouse gas emissions price of at least USD 150 per tonne emitted on shipping to deliver a level playing field.

Find out more at maersk.com

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Meeting international maritime standards for decarbonisation The marine sector needs to act now to ensure it meets environmental targets in the coming years.

The technology already exists and is ready to use.

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he International Maritime Organization (IMO) has decreed that the fuel consumption of ships must be documented from 2023 and carbon emissions must be reduced by 40% by 2030.

Bjørn Einar Brath, Managing Director for Siemens Energy Norway, a company leading the way in its sustainable energy programme, explains: “These targets are achievable because honestly, technology is not the issue, it’s about getting the industry to move along.”

Batteries Battery power will help reduce emissions.

“All new builds should have clear requirements for new technology like like batteries, or alternative green fuel. In our existing fleet, which is at least 20-years old, 60% has the potential for remodification to become greener,” Brath suggests.

In 2015, Siemens Energy supplied solutions to the world’s first battery-powered car and passenger ferry and introduced the world’s largest plug-in hybrid vessel four years later.

The company also delivered the state of the art battery solution to the world’s largest electrical ferries.

Global expansion “We can be very proud of what we’ve done, but there’s still lots more to do. Blue is the new green and our target now is to globalise.”

However, there are challenges. The Burke Economic Forum said it will take between USD 1.4-1.9 trillion to cut sector emissions by 50% by 2050.

“We need a global governmental push to ensure shipowners don’t have any option.

Without regulations and economic incentives, people only look at cost and don’t push themselves to reduce emissions,” Brath says.

E-fuels E-fuels are likely to play a key role in decarbonising the marine sector.

E-methanol, hydrogen, ammonia and liquid organic hydrogen carriers are all potential solutions. Their usage should be accelerated and for that, a government push is needed.

However, there are challenges, Brath says.

“There is no obvious silver bullet for which type of fuel is the one. You have options. In order to produce alternative fuels, you need a lot of power. We all know the global situation with energy demand and we need to be sustainable from a cost perspective.”

Read more at siemens-energy.com

INTERVIEW WITH

Bjørn Einar Brath Managing Director, Siemens Energy Norway WRITTEN BY

Meredith Jones Russell

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Net zero offers us a pathway to something better It’s time for a fair and inclusive transition to a net zero, resilient future where people and nature thrive. Let’s get on with it.

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he Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTi) recently shared that more than 2,000 companies, equal to a third of global market capitalisation, have set science-based targets, with two-thirds of goals being compatible with limiting global warming to 1.5°C, in line with the 2015 Paris Agreement.1 This is encouraging, but there is still much to do.

Business in the Community (BITC)’s research found that out of a survey of 2,000 companies, 45% of UK companies do not have a target or plan to cut carbon in line with UK Government targets and do not intend to produce one.2 It’s clear there is a gulf between commitments being made and those needed. However, our research suggests the public are also sceptical about whether businesses will follow through on their commitments.

Almost two-thirds of the 8,000 people surveyed don’t trust companies to do what they promise.3 This scepticism seems to be supported by the 2022 Corporate Climate Responsibility Monitor, whose review of climate commitments and plans from 25 major global companies did not award any high integrity scores.

What it would take to change In a world of growing instability, spiralling costs of living and increasing ill health from pollution, stress and a culture that encourages sedentary consumption, net zero offers us a pathway to something better.

We need to design good jobs that regenerate our infrastructure and build community assets. We need more active lifestyles, more nutritious food, better relationships and shared goals with our neighbours.

We can establish flourishing global networks that share learning. And ultimately, we can become creators rather than consumers.

Out of a survey of 2,000 companies, 45% of UK companies do not have a target or plan to cut carbon in line with UK Government targets and do not intend to produce one.

Our destiny is in our hands Inaction is no longer an option. Unless we’re happy to be the ones that wilfully created a world that is worse for future generations because the status quo is comfortable. How we live and work will change regardless.

Either we continue to hope that technology will save us at some point, or we design the future. Businesses, government, individuals and communities must unite towards a common good. This will be complex and messy, requiring compromise and collaboration.

But also, a huge adventure. Time to act is short, but the rewards are worth playing for.

References 1. https://sciencebasedtargets.org/reports/sbti-progress-report-2021 2. https://www.bitc.org.uk/report/the-right-climate-for-business-leading-a-just-transition/ 3. https://www.bitc.org.uk/report/the-right-climate-for-business-leading-a-just-transition/

WRITTEN BY Gudrun Cartwright Environmental Director, Business in the Community (BITC)

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Sustainability goals provide a win-win for companies Mapping out the way to run a business sustainably that makes good financial sense is top of the agenda for companies keen to make an impact on the climate crisis.

T INTERVIEW WITH Kelly Becker Zone President UKI, Schneider Electric PAGE WRITTEN BY Sheree Hanna

he biggest challenge for larger companies is that they are often decentralised and working from sites across the globe. However, this is by no means something that cannot be overcome – digitisation, software and services enable efficient operations and the technology to do this already exists today. One such company has shown this in an exemplary way, Schneider Electric.

Named as the world’s most sustainable corporation in 2021, Schneider Electric is a global leader manufacturing electrical and digital products and the company also provides a service to clients offering tangible help to set them on their sustainable paths.

Energy partners Here in the UK, the company is the official energy management supplier for Tottenham Hotspur Football Club. It was instrumental in helping the club to both build and run its new stadium in the most sustainable way by using tools that allow for better visibility and control.

Kelly Becker, Zone President for the UK and Ireland, says: “Ultimately, we don’t want to be sat at the top of that sustainability list alone.

“We’ve been doing this for a while and the solutions are here. As a company, we have delivered over 30% energy savings within our global business since our Schneider Energy Action energy efficiency program started 10 years ago and we’re truly committed to playing our part and making an impact.”

We have delivered over 30% energy savings within our global business since our Schneider Energy Action energy efficiency program started 10 years ago and we’re truly committed to playing our part and making an impact.

Business mandate The company began its decarbonisation journey more than 15 years ago when it was decided that taking an active stance on environmental issues was also a good business mandate.

“It starts with using smarter materials within your end products, finding out how you make sure you are sustainably sourcing products and ensuring you have a green supply chain,” she says.

Commitment and measuring sustainability goals are the key to success. Another way the company has kept ahead of the game was by launching its Sustainability Impact Index, and recalibrating goals every five years.

“We are measuring ourselves against our performance.

As such, our employees performance and pay is tied to goals based on our business success which of course includes reducing carbon dioxide emissions, as well as environmental, social and governance measures. We’re walking the talk and enabling our customers and partners to do the same by setting out and achieving climate impacting goals and quickly,” Kelly Becker concludes.

Companies must act now to reach their net zero goals Global companies must now accelerate the race to reach their sustainability objectives and go beyond their own operations if they are to make any significant dent on their carbon footprints.

T INTERVIEW WITH Philippe Diez Partner Europe, Sustainability Business, Schneider Electric

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his year, there is no time to wait for action, and industry leaders must ensure they are working on developing ecosystems across their entire value chain to minimise impact.

Schneider Electric has been leading the advance on the climate crisis for 15 years and provides expert help and digital tools to its clients who want to make sustainable changes to their businesses.

Impact to action Philippe Diez, Partner Europe, Sustainability Business, says: “The largest companies in Europe are pretty advanced in terms of objective setting, but they need to accelerate the race.

“Acceleration means understanding exactly the type of levers you need to activate and moving from impact to action involves bringing your suppliers along with you.”

He believes many companies are currently underusing the digital technologies available to increase operating efficiency while also cutting back on carbon to reach net zero goals.

“The most important first step is to move from strategy to action. You need to identify the right levers, or initiatives that are going to be meaningful for your company. That includes detailed mapping at site level and examining your processes,” he says.

“The second is to be innovative in how to maximise your levers or tools to decarbonise so, for instance, sharing best practice between different suppliers on digital platforms.”

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Engaging suppliers Diez points to a collaboration Schneider Electric spearheaded on behalf of 10 of the major pharmaceutical companies in the world who came together to engage hundreds of their shared suppliers on decarbonisation, to ultimately aim for a joined green power procurement via Power Purchase Agreement (PPA).

“Companies need to understand that sustainability is not a constraint. It is the way you approach it and to survive you need to differentiate because at some point if you are not following the trend, consumers will make their own choice,” he says.

“Another challenge facing us now is the lack of expertise in sustainability throughout industry. We need to collaborate across supply chains, segments and including education to amplify impact for net zero.”

Find out more at perspectives.se.com

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There are two essential elements: it’s got to be affordable and convenient.

Money is tight and people lead busy lives.

How can we encourage people to use refillable packaging?

We need to find new ways of working with people and listening to their concerns when it comes to making greener choices to help build lasting change.

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hilst many residents might well be attached to regular garden waste collections, the fact is that sending diesel-powered lorries to collect this waste could hardly be described as ‘green’.

Working with residents The leader of North Lincolnshire Council, Cllr Rob Waltham, in my constituency, came up with a circular solution. Instead of just giving people green bins, the Council encouraged residents to take up garden composters. Within a year, we had over 2,000 fewer weekly bin lorry stops. This was achieved not by forcing a solution on residents, but by working with them.

That’s the kind of creative thinking we need for dealing with plastic packaging.

WRITTEN BY Andrew Percy MP Conservative Member of Parliament for Brigg and Goole

Reducing plastic packaging We’re all longing to use less as part of dealing with the climate crisis. In a poll last summer, 32% of us said that the climate crisis was a major issue for Britain – the second biggest issue behind COVID-19 and for many people that is about plastic packaging.

It is estimated that 81% of people want to buy products with less packaging and 75% believe single-use plastic should be banned asap.

But only 57% of us are willing to change where we shop if that means using less packaging. There’s a big difference between what people say they want and what they are willing to do. How do we bridge that gap?

In a poll last summer, 32% of us said that the climate crisis was a major issue for Britain – the second biggest issue behind COVID-19.

Affordability and convenience There are two essential elements: it’s got to be affordable and convenient. Money is tight and people lead busy lives.

I recently chaired a cross-party inquiry to hear what the barriers were to people reusing and refilling containers.

Hygiene was a big factor. Many don’t like the idea that someone else has used something before them, no matter how clean they know it is. Convenience is another issue.

What is really promising is the huge potential cost saving.

We heard from the Unpackaged Solutions project, one of the largest refill demonstration projects in the world. It’s working with supermarkets to offer refill containers in hundreds of stores. They have found huge potential cost savings.

We know it’s possible and we know it is what people want.

The trick now is to engage with people and help them to make the shift to reuse and refill.

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Seven golden rules for transforming your sustainability strategies

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In order to navigate the demands of new regulation and provide truly sustainable solutions, companies and brands are increasingly finding that a transformational sustainability strategy is necessary.

“A INTERVIEW WITH Nicola Stopps CEO, Simply Sustainable WRITTEN BY Meredith Jones Russell

credible sustainability strategy will help steer your company through challenging times and both mitigate the risks and capitalise on the opportunities that lie ahead. However, to be effective, it must be robust enough to withstand the scrutiny of your most demanding stakeholders and ambitious enough to drive meaningful, demonstrable change,” says Nicola Stopps, CEO of Simply Sustainable.

Over the past decade, the company has developed corporate sustainability strategies for some of the biggest brands in the world.

Stopps has therefore outlined the seven hallmarks of a successful sustainability strategy.

1. The strategy is unique to your business “Any good sustainability strategy should be unique to the business and brand it belongs to, whilst ensuring it

is closely in step with the commercial strategy as well,” Stopps says.

2. Stakeholders are listened to A company must actively and routinely listen to stakeholders to ensure it is alert and responsive to evolving attitudes and beliefs. “When used correctly, materiality can be a powerful listening tool allowing companies to move from incremental to transformative approaches to corporate sustainability,” she says.

3. Commercial risks and opportunities are aligned All relevant sustainability risks and opportunities should be formally assessed, says Stopps. “A robust sustainability strategy will highlight where values, policies, and practices may be causing negative externalities and potentially creating reputational risk.”

4. The strategy is suitably ambitious All goals must be proportionate to the scale of the problem, the company’s impacts, and the expectations of key stakeholders.

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5. The strategy is transformational Truly transformational objectives and goals should replace targets for yearon-year improvement. “Incremental targets are no longer enough to demonstrate a serious strategic commitment to sustainability.

Transformation requires boards to be comfortable with complexity and uncertainty, and invest in roadmaps that will move the company closer to its vision,” she continues.

6. The strategy meets global standards Stopps explains: “Standards are becoming increasingly important as a company’s sustainability record and the quality of their disclosures come under greater scrutiny, from investors keen to compare progress between companies and sectors.”

7. The strategy is action-oriented A robust sustainability strategy should be actionable and measured by the delivery of tangible results.

Delivery “Good sustainability strategies are focused, mobilise stakeholders to act and engage in ways that move the company forward, create momentum and, most importantly, deliver results,” Stopps concludes.

Find out more at simplysustainable.co.uk

Taking action on the circular economy doesn’t need to be hard.

But it’s easier to do this together. ~Maya DeSouza Circular Economy Director, Business in the Community

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Businesses can be part of the solution to the climate crisis Our current way of procuring, using and disposing of resources isn’t sustainable. Our business practices have to change.

WRITTEN BY Maya DeSouza, Circular Economy Director, Business in the Community (BITC)

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ne of the biggest challenges for businesses in meeting their net zero commitments is reducing the emissions that relate to all that “stuff’ that businesses buy and sell. This means the products and materials businesses sell and those which enable them to provide services.

These are called “scope three emissions,” which corporate net zero targets must cover.

Up to 45% of global emissions are linked to the making of products like food, steel, plastic and aluminium,1 which means that scope three emissions are important. Basically, our current linear way of using resources is contributing to the climate crisis.

Circular economy approaches are part of the solution Businesses can address these emissions by shifting from a linear model to embracing circular economy practices and changing the way they do business.

The circular economy is a system that maximises the value of products by extending product life, then repurposes the products or recycles materials, eliminating waste. This system reduces the demand for finite material resources, lowers carbon emissions and lessens the stress put on the environment. But if businesses are to have an impact for the future, they must change practices now.

As part of Business in the Community’s seven steps for climate action, step six encourages employers to embrace circular economy practices. It starts by abandoning the old-fashioned model of produce, consume and dispose.

It adopts a new way of thinking and acting, by reusing, repairing and reprocessing materials, and asking whether an item needs to be produced or consumed at all.

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The circular economy is a system that maximises the value of products by extending product life, then repurposes the products or recycles materials, eliminating waste.

Using our creativity and innovation to get there This means focusing on five things: 1. Ensuring the design and usage of materials supports circularity.

2. Making the most of products out there – repurposing and upcycling, offering take back systems etc.

3. Recycling materials and turning them into new usable materials that can be recycled many more times.

4. Developing new business models that aren’t reliant on early obsolescence.

5. Using our purchasing power to support all those innovative businesses developing circular products, materials and services.

Taking action on the circular economy doesn’t need to be hard. But it’s easier to do this together. Whether it’s with other businesses, suppliers, students or other partners we can collectively tap into a rich vein of creativity and commitment to change.

References 1. Ellen MacArthur Foundation, Completing the Picture: how the circular economy tackles climate change, 2021 reprint of 2019 report.

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Either we continue to hope that technology will save us at some point, or we design the future. ~Gudrun Cartwright Environmental Director, Business in the Community (BITC) ,

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Universities hold the key to solving the challenges we face and through collaborative research and innovation we can make a real difference now and in the future.

Research collaboration is the front door to net zero innovation

PhD student Rana Faisal Shahzad and Dr Shahid Rasul from Northumbria University’s Energy Futures group discussing a CO2 recycling project with Dan Ferguson, Senior Site Aftercare Manager of SUEZ recycling and recovery UK, at the SUEZ plant in North Tyneside.

E INTERVIEW WITH Professor Neil Beattie Professor of Energy Innovation, Department of Mathematics, Physics and Electrical Engineering, Northumbria University

WRITTEN BY Meredith Jones Russell

nergy Futures, a diverse community of around 50 academics across a variety of disciplines at Northumbria University, was formed with the aim of decarbonisation through research impact.

The research carried out by the team spans photovoltaics, thin film materials, batteries, materials characterisation, electrical power engineering, heat, sustainable design and the built environment.

Professor Neil Beattie, Professor of Energy Innovation, in Northumbria’s Department of Mathematics, Physics and Electrical Engineering, calls the initiative a “front door” to the University’s energy-related work.

“We recognise that getting to net zero carbon dioxide emissions very much transcends traditional disciplines like physics, chemistry or engineering,” he explains. “It’s much more multidisciplinary, involving policymakers, engineers, the public, investors, architects and other stakeholders.”

Collective research power Northumbria also partners with the Universities of Durham and Newcastle to run the Centre for Doctoral Training in Renewable Energy Northeast Universities (ReNU), sponsored by the Engineering Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC).

The city of Newcastle, combined with Durham, is now host to the largest concentration of researchers outside London, according to the recent national review of research excellence across UK universities. ReNU aims to train 65 PhD students by 2027, creating a pipeline of highly-skilled doctoral graduates with outstanding problem-solving abilities to drive forward innovation in small scale renewable and sustainable distributed energy technologies.

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Working with industry Together, the combined ReNU and Energy Futures platform includes a portfolio of over 30 industry partners, ranging from large multinationals such as Airbus, Siemens and Johnson Matthey, to smaller companies closer to home, including Northumbrian Water and local solar power provider Power Roll.

Projects have included developing solar photovoltaics with greater flexibility than the current standardised shapes

With the world facing an unprecedented energy challenge and many countries committing to net zero carbon emissions by 2050, there is an urgent need for sustainable solutions and technologies. and patterns of solar panels, offering aesthetic integration with the built environment and transportation sectors. This will result in more widespread deployment of photovoltaics beyond just solar farms and roof-top systems.

Researchers also work with the Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult in Northumberland which has unique testing facilities for renewable energy technologies systems, as well as collaborating with Nanyang Technological University in Singapore to understand fundamental materials science that has the potential to create more efficient solar cells.

The platform also offers professional training in carbon accounting and management. “It’s about leading and setting the agenda for how and where we can reduce carbon dioxide emissions, and presenting our vision to industry of how to do that,” Beattie explains.

The next generation The University also runs an outreach programme called NUSTEM, which engages with regional school children and young people to increase their interest in STEM subjects. The programme has recorded more than 100,000 interactions with local young people since its inception.

“We recognise STEM will have a big role to play in solving the world’s problems, including the climate emergency, so we have created a full spectrum of skills training going right the way through from engaging with school pupils to training PhD students, and to higher level jobs in industry,” Beattie says.

Equality, diversity and inclusivity The University prides itself on the diversity of these programmes, especially as research suggests that prioritising equality, diversity and inclusivity leads to greater levels of innovation.

“Getting to net zero and the climate emergency are huge problems. We need all the talents that we can get our hands on to solve that,” explains Beattie.

As Energy Futures seeks to influence UK science policy as well as support outreach and training, Beattie believes there is good reason to be hopeful.

“Universities hold the key to solving the challenges we face and through collaborative research and innovation we can make a real difference now and in the future.”

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