Time: 11:00am – 5:15pm
Location: University of Exeter Great Hall
The concept of focusing on Environmental, Social and Governance issues when running a business – are we getting it right?
The concept of focusing on Environmental, Social, and Governance issues when running a business has been around for some time now. We have also seen the growth of the B Corp movement.
But are we getting it right? Please do join us for a debate on what is working, what is not and what best practice examples are out there.
We are delighted to announce our keynote speaker, Jonathon Porritt, CBE.
Jonathon Porritt is an eminent writer and campaigner on sustainable development.
Since stepping down from Forum for the Future in May 2023, Jonathon has “returned to his campaigning roots”, supporting the Green Party and radical climate campaigns such as Just Stop Oil and Defend our Juries.
In 1996, he co-founded Forum for the Future, a leading international sustainable development charity, working with business and civil society to accelerate the shift toward a sustainable future. He was also a co-founder of the Prince of Wales Business and Sustainability Programme.
Throughout that time, Jonathon provided strategic advice to leading UK and international companies to deepen their understanding of today’s converging environmental and climate crises.
He is now much more focused on intergenerational justice, supporting young people in their activities around sustainable development issues as they face a future defined by the twin crises of the Climate Emergency and Biodiversity Emergency.
He is President of The Conservation Volunteers and Population Matters, and is involved in the work of many other NGOs and groups.
Conference Details:
Date: Thursday 20th February 2025
Location: The Great Hall, University of Exeter, Stocker Road, Exeter, EX4 4PY.
Time: 11:00 – 17:15, registration from 10:30 refreshments and a buffet lunch will be served.
Conference Agenda:
11: 00 – 11:45 – Optional pre-conference presentation on CREWW. An introduction to Centre for Resilience in Environment, Water and Waste with Barry Matthews (SWW/Pennon CREWW Co-Director), and Josie Butcher (UoE CREWW Centre Manager)
Please note that this presentation is optional and has limited availability. If you want to attend, please email [email protected] to book your space.
12:00 – 12:45 – Networking Lunch
13:00 – 13:05 – “Welcome to the conference”: Paul Coles, CEO, SWBC
13:05 – 13:10 – “Welcome to the University of Exeter”: Prof. Lisa Roberts, VC, UoE
13:10 – 13:40 –” Corporate Sustainability More Critical Than Ever – But on Whose Terms?” : Jonathon Porritt, CBE.
13:40 – 14:05 – “Positive and Negative Tipping Points and Green Futures Solutions”: Dr Steve Smith, UoE
14:05 – 14:30 – “From Davos to South West England. Perspectives in Accelerating Business Led Action on Nature & Climate”: Prof. Gail Whiteman, UoE
14:30 – 15:05 – Panel Session 1: “The challenges and best practice on Governance”. Panellists are to be confirmed shortly
15:15 – 15:35 – Refreshment Break
15:35 – 16:00 –“The Met Office and Microsoft: Partnering on Social Value”. Speakers are to be confirmed shortly
16:00 – 16:25 – “The Crown Estate: delivering social value through energy transition”. Speakers are to be confirmed shortly
16:25 – 17:00 – Panel Session 2: “Delivering best practice social value”. Panellists are to be confirmed shortly
17:00 – 17:15 – “Conference Summary”: Stuart Brocklehurst, Deputy VC for Business Engagement and Innovation, UoE
Travel Logistics:
By car
The M4/M5 links Exeter directly to London, the Midlands, South Wales and the North including Scotland. The average journey time from either London or the Midlands is 3 hours. Download the detailed directions to Streatham Campus by car.
Please note that parking on the Streatham Campus is very limited.
By bus/coach
The Streatham Campus is served by the UNI route. The UNI bus route includes St Luke’s Campus, the City Centre and Streatham Campus.
Download the UNI Bus Timetable (PDF)
National Express coaches (08705 808080) call at Exeter Coach Station. The Coach Station is a short walk to the High Street where you can catch the local D bus which will take you to the Streatham Campus.
By rail
Exeter has two railway stations – Exeter St David’s (main station) and Central. Exeter St David’s Station is approximately 10 minutes walk from the Streatham Campus and taxis are available. The average journey time from London Paddington is 2 hours 30 minutes to Exeter. See Streatham Campus map for the walking route.
Use National Rail Enquiries to plan your route. For passenger information telephone 08457 484950.
By taxi
Apple Taxis Exeter (01392 666666) have a dedicated taxi rank on campus. Apple Taxis have offices at both Exeter St David’s rail station and Exeter International Airport
On foot
The University is within easy walking distance of Exeter city centre. The city centre map shows the location of the Streatham Campus and the St Luke’s Campus, plus routes between the campuses and Exeter St David’s and Exeter Central train stations, all within walking distance.
Delegates are recommended to use public transport due to car parking restrictions.
This event is for both members and non-members of SWBC. Ticket numbers are limited and early booking to secure your seat is recommended.
Refund Policy – no refunds within 7 days of the event.
Paul Coles: CEO, SWBC
Paul is a strategic leader and thinker, who over the last few years has built a portfolio career covering the commercial world; public and third sectors. He has a passion for innovation and for digital which he brings to bear when seeking to advance the South-West economy.
Prof. Lisa Roberts RRSB FRSA: University of Exeter President and VC
President and Vice-Chancellor, Professor Lisa Roberts took up her post on 1 September 2020, prior to this, Professor Roberts was Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Research and Innovation at the University of Leeds where she led on the development of the University’s research and innovation strategy.
Professor Roberts is a Professor of Virology. She is a Board member of the Russell Group, Jisc and Universities UK. Regionally, she is a member of the GW4 Council, an inaugural Commissioner for the South West Social Mobility Commission, and a Member of the Great South West Partnership Board. Lisa is the Chair of the IDP Connect Strategic Advisory Board.
Keynote Speaker: Jonathon Porritt, CBE
Jonathon Porritt is an eminent writer and campaigner on sustainable development.
Since stepping down from Forum for the Future in May 2023, Jonathon has “returned to his campaigning roots”, supporting the Green Party and radical climate campaigns such as Just Stop Oil and Defend our Juries.
In 1996, he co-founded Forum for the Future, a leading international sustainable development charity, working with business and civil society to accelerate the shift toward a sustainable future. He was also a co-founder of the Prince of Wales Business and Sustainability Programme.
Throughout that time, Jonathon provided strategic advice to leading UK and international companies to deepen their understanding of today’s converging environmental and climate crises.
He is now much more focused on intergenerational justice, supporting young people in their activities around sustainable development issues as they face a future defined by the twin crises of the Climate Emergency and Biodiversity Emergency.
He is President of The Conservation Volunteers and Population Matters, and is involved in the work of many other NGOs and groups.
Jonathon was formerly Co-Chair of the Green Party (1980-83) and Director of Friends of the Earth (1984-90). He was a Board Member of The Southwest Regional Development Agency between 1999 and 2008. He stood down as Chair of the UK Sustainable Development Commission in 2009, after nine years providing high-level advice to Government Ministers, and served a ten-year term as Chancellor of Keele University (2012-2022).
Jonathon was awarded a CBE in January 2000 for services to environmental protection.
His latest book, Hope in Hell (Simon & Schuster, 2020, revised 2021), is a powerful ‘call to action’ on the Climate Emergency. Before that, he authored nine other books, the first being ‘Seeing Green’ in 1984.
Dr Steve Smith: Tipping Points Research Impact Fellow at Green Futures Solutions
Dr Steve Smith is the Tipping Points Research Impact Fellow at Green Futures Solutions (GFS), University of Exeter. Steve was a lead author of the Global Tipping Points Report 2023 and now co-leads the university’s on-going research on positive tipping points in technology, economy and society. Steve is also a Hoffmann Fellow at the World Economic Forum, Geneva, where he is responsible for thought leadership and translation of positive tipping points insights for industry, business, and policymaking. Steve has presented at many high-profile events including at the World Manufacturing Forum in Milan, October 2024, the World Economic Forum’s Annual Meeting in Davos, January 2024, and the OECD’s virtual pavilion at COP 28, December 2023
Prof. Gail Whiteman: Professor in Sustainability (online)
Gail Whiteman is a Professor of Sustainability at the University of Exeter Business School. She is a social science expert how decision-makers make sense of systemic global risks from climate change and other environmental threats and leads the prestigious Hoffmann Impact Team – Accelerating Action on Nature & Climate. The Impact Team aim to engage regional and global companies who are sitting at key leverage points in their sector and who will play a key role in activating wider systems change.
Gail is a past member of the World Economic Forum’s Global Agenda Council on Frontier Risk, and keynote speaker at Davos. She is Founding Executive Director of Climate Basecamp and Arctic Basecamp.
She is regularly quoted in the media and has had numerous research grants from NERC, the EU and other sources. Professor Whiteman was named one of the top 20 UK Communicators of the Year in 2021 by PR Week, and is a member of the Climate Advisory Council for media outlet Reuters IMPACT to advise on their climate reporting.
Josephine Butcher: Programme Manager, CREWW
Josephine Butcher is an experienced business development, leading the programme and project management of the Centre for Resilience in Environment, Water and Waste (CREWW).
As Programme Manager for CREWW, her responsibilities include leading the development of collaborative research projects and innovation opportunities for the development and growth of the Centre. She account manages the strategic partnership with South West Water.
As the Senior Business Development Manager, Josephine is responsible for working with government bodies and industry partners, to drive impact, create opportunities and generate value within the water sector.
Barry Matthews: Group Deputy General Counsel and Co-Director of the Centre for Resilience in the Environment, Water and Waste (CREWW) at Pennon Group plc.
Barry’s role includes oversight of M&A, Group Legal Compliance & Data Governance, Environmental Assurance, Legal Operations and CREWW. Before joining Pennon, Barry trained and qualified at Hogan Lovells before embarking on a career in-house with ITV and Meggitt Aerospace.
Barry founded the registered charity, the Social Mobility Business Partnership (www.smbp.org.uk) in 2017 which now facilitates over 3000 days of work experience annually across the UK for Year 12 students from low-income backgrounds and then provides access to lifetime career mentoring for the SMBP alumni.
Barry sat on the board of the Solicitors Regulation Authority for 6 years ending in January 2022. He was also a member of the DCMS Tackling Loneliness Taskforce and the City of London & HM Treasury Social Mobility Taskforce.
Stuart Brocklehurst: Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Business Engagement and Innovation), Director, Green Futures Solutions, UoE
Stuart Brocklehurst is Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Business Engagement and Innovation, leading the University’s collaboration with business and our drive to deliver innovation through our research and education. In addition, as Director of Green Futures Solutions he heads up the University’s drive to translate our world leading work on climate change into practical impact.
Stuart started his career in banking, holding a number of roles with Barclays in the UK and Africa, then as Senior Vice President for Digital Commerce at Visa International CEMEA leading the adoption of new business models and technologies. Following a period as a Partner at consultancy Carbon, Stuart joined Amadeus in support of its initial public offering and served as Group Communications Director after the flotation. He went on to run his own business up to its sale to the Troy Group, where he remains a board advisor.
Stuart is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, a Fellow of the British Computer Society, a Companion of the Chartered Management Institute, a Chartered IT Professional, a Chartered Manager, a Freeman of the City of London, and holds a degree in theology from Oxford. He has served on numerous company boards, on the synod and Bishop’s Council of the Diocese of Exeter, as a Governor of Petroc College in North Devon and as a Leadership Fellow of Exeter Business School. He chairs the Exeter Science Centre Advisory Board and is Vice Chair of the Great South West Pan Regional Partnership; as well as serving on the boards of SETsquared; GW4; the Centre for Resilience in the Environment, Water and Waste; the South West Investment Fund’s Strategic Advisory Board; and, the Liveable Exeter Place Board. Additionally, he is on the Executive Committee of parliament’s Rural Economy Research Group and the Selection Committee for the Zayed Sustainability Prize.
