We are encouraging attendees to find their common ground and shared values; what we are calling the Blue Thread. This could be in their businesses, through voluntary work, their sport, wherever they feel inspired. Through collaboration and bringing communities together, individuals and organisations can bring positive change.
At our three day event in Bristol, which will be attended by major corporates, as well as entrepreneurs, founders, investors and start-ups, attendees can find their common thread alongside others.
Now is the time for action. Organisations have to be profitable, yes, but they also have to be working in tandem with our planet to ensure sustainable growth.
Will Hayler, Blue Earth Summit co-founder
One headline speaker at the event will be Richard Walker, MD of Iceland who has already publicly committed the company to bold sustainability goals.
If you and your business are passionate about our planet and the people who work for you, Blue Earth Summit is for you. I am very much looking forward to this year’s Summit as we all need to discover and celebrate how we create businesses that do good. Combining that with a celebration of the outdoors, whether that is encouraging people to walk around their local parks or spending time at the beach if they can. We know it benefits people’s mental and physical health. They are shared goals.
The 5,000 attendees will include fledgling start-ups as well as established business leaders and representatives from FTSE 100 companies meeting between the 11-13 October. Over 72 hours they will have access to expert speakers and advice such as how to successfully get a B Corp certification, how to harness the science based power of the outdoors, how to super-charge your creativity and problem solving and top tips for eco-ethical supply chain sourcing. There will be action-focused panels and workshops to give businesses the tools they need.
The first summit was held last October, as the country was relishing being free from lockdown, embracing the chance of being outdoors and able to meet like minds to discuss business issues, rather than only seeing each other through computer screens.
“Networking can often be seen as a cynical exchange of business cards but the exchange of mutually beneficial ideas at last year’s summit was extraordinary,” said Hayler. “It was the first time so many people with shared visions and values had been able to connect in a business context. The energy and ideas in the rooms were amazing.”
The experts aren’t just on a stage – they’re all around – the people who make change happen. Co-creation sessions will pull in the skills and passion of everyone in the room, so that attendees are not just listening to leading thinkers and doers, they are in conversation with them.
Kresse Wesling CBE, Entrepreneur and Founder of Elvis & Kresse, which handmakes designer accessories from reclaimed fire hoses, donating 50% of profits to The Fire Fighters Charity, is speaking at the event:
The Blue Earth Summit is a place to discover a modern way of working that is good for the planet and helps us retain and inspire staff. The final question we ask ourselves before starting a project: is this going to make the world better for other people’s grandchildren? And if the answer is yes, we do it; if it’s no then we don’t. Everyone thinks sustainability is really complicated but if you ask yourself this question, then it’s not. It also ensures long-term thinking which is always better for the environment.
We believe that the best business ideas happen outside of the boardroom. Day three of the event is held at The Wave, Bristol’s unique inland surfing destination, and is all about this, whether it’s talking shop on a trail-run, drawing inspiration from nature, taking part in poolside networking or making the most of exercise driven endorphins, the great outdoors can be a catalyst for great ideas.
Key themes
Outdoor use & participation
Health & wellbeing
Regenerative food production
Ocean & river conservation
Energy transition
Diversity, youth & inclusion
Responsible investing
Key stats
- 87% of customers have a more positive image of a company that supports social or environmental issues (FORBES)
- Employees at eco-friendly Companies are 16% more productive than average (UCLA and the University of Paris-Dauphine)
- 28% of employees check a company’s sustainability practices before applying for a job, rising to 39% for millennials ( TotalJobs)
- Environmental values positively boost employees spirit leading to staff retention ( Lloyds Bank)