chairman's dinner spring 23

Embracing sustainability – the future for North East business

At our recent Chairman's Dinner, Entrepreneurs' Forum members called for action to make positive changes to combat climate change. With greenhouse gas emissions at their highest level in two million years, the event held at The Biscuit Factory in Newcastle witnessed members highlighting the importance of each and every business in the region contributing to the UK’s target of achieving net carbon zero by 2050.

The North East is home to many businesses already committed to making a positive impact on the environment. The event offered the opportunity to hear from two founders who are taking sustainability to the next level in the region.

Low Carbon Materials co-founder, Phil Buckley said: “Sustainability needs to be something you want to do, not something you have to do to complete a checklist.” Tony Cleary MBE, Founder and CEO of Lanchester Group has taken the bull by the horns and made significant investment at the company’s contract bottling site at Greencroft, County Durham, taking real action to achieve their commitment of becoming carbon minus.

Elected Metro Mayor for the North of Tyne, Jamie Driscoll, said: “It isn't a future threat; it's a crisis that's right here, right now. So it was heartening to hear how entrepreneurs are rallying together."