We are so excited to be hosting this sustainability-focused event for commercially ambitious SMEs. Sustainability doesn’t have to be this huge regulatory burden, looming on the horizon; we can harness its power to drive sound business decisions and capitalise on growth opportunities.

COP26 made it ominously clear: companies failing to align their business strategies to sustainability targets will get left behind. Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) has amassed unprecedented attention over recent years, as such, we can start to analyse the returns for those companies who rate well in this area versus those who rate less well. It’s estimated that high ESG performers are now, on average, seeing operating margins of some 3.7 times higher and delivering 2.6 times greater shareholder returns than their counterparts rating average or less well in ESG. Sustainability is becoming a mechanism to not only address the critical issues we face as a planet and in our society, but also to remain relevant and competitive, create long-term value, and secure company longevity.

Furthermore, for those of us seeking equity investment as part of our growth strategy, Ernst & Young’s most recent Global Institutional Investor Survey stated that 74% of investors were more likely to divest from companies with poor sustainability performance, and a whopping 90% said they are starting to focus heavily on a company’s sustainability performance when making investment decisions.

As owners of SMEs, we perhaps have more constricted budgets than our corporate counterparts, so the pressure can feel greater as the demands of customers and supply chain partners shift and regulatory changes and penalties are introduced. Therefore, it is essential that we avoid change and its pace being forced upon us and instead focus on getting ahead of the curve and ensuring that sustainability is a core pillar of our growth strategy.

So, we know it’s hugely important, but where do we start? How do we truly embed sustainability targets into our growth plans? How do we successfully communicate our sustainable business strategy and roadmap so that we engage stakeholders and avoid customer perceptions of greenwashing? How do we navigate the myriad of compliance and reporting? How do we effectively manage technical debt/investment and ROI? And much, much more.

Responding to these questions and more, OxLEP has assembled some of the region’s leading experts to host a sustainability roundtable workshop, offering delegates the opportunity to learn from specialists and their peers as we explore 4 principle areas of sustainability and how companies can embrace it as a pillar of long-term growth. Delegates will also have the opportunity to network with like-minded business owners, hear from guest speakers, and share key learnings with the audience at the end of the day.

The event will be held at the beautiful Garden Room Venue in Steventon, and we hope you will take the opportunity to join us for what promises to be a thoroughly thought provoking and very productive day.

Chairpersons and Guest speakers

• Sia Grenkova, Oxwash – Sia is Oxwash’s sustainability manager, overviewing environmental reporting, circular practices and sustainability communications. She is an alumnus of The Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership’s course in Business Sustainability and has previously consulted various SMEs and larger companies on their sustainability strategies at Fox + Hare.
• Tammy Marrett, Green Savvy – Tammy is founder and director of Green Savvy. With a first degree in Environmental Science, a MSc in the Green Economy, and over 20 years of experience, she works with SMEs, major retailers, brands, manufacturers, and NGOs to help them develop their sustainability goals and to provide a clear step by step process to achieve them.
• Alison Grunewald, Low Carbon Hub – Alison leads Low Carbon Hub’s Energy Solutions Oxfordshire team. With over 20 years of low carbon experience, she helped deliver sustainability at Blenheim Palace and the National Trust, and she is currently running the OxFutures programme, a £4.2 million programme which is growing Oxfordshire’s low carbon economy.
• And more ……

Who is this event for?

This event is for high-growth SMEs and scale ups who recognise the importance of sustainability in securing future growth and profitability, but who want to learn from experts and peers how to fully embed these principles into their business growth, resilience, and compliance strategies.

Agenda

09.30 – Registration, coffee and networking

09.50 – Welcome

10.00 – Guest speaker

10.30 – Workshop session

11.30 – Workshop session

12.30 – Networking lunch

13.30 – Guest speaker

14.00 – Workshop session

15.00 – Workshop session

16.00 – Learnings from the day (full audience participation)

16.30 – Wrap up and Close

How to attend

Workshop places are limited to 40, with no more than one person from any single company. Companies can be at any stage of growth but must be incorporated i.e. registered with Companies House.

Please register your interest for this event and the eScalate team will contact you with some initial checks to ensure your suitability for the workshop.

NB: Should all of the places be taken when you come to book, simply email the team at escalate@oxfordshirelep.com and they will prioritise you for the next workshop.

For more information about the eScalate programme, visit: www.oxfordshirelep.com/escalate

Please note that this support is part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and are delivered as part of the eScalate programme to help SMEs. By engaging in this programme you are being offered assistance under the De Minimis regulation which allows a company to receive up to but not exceeding €200,000 of public funding (at the applicable exchange rate) of De Minimis aid over a rolling three-tax year fiscal period. This de minimis declaration does not cover undertakings engaged in: the primary production of agricultural goods and fisheries/aquaculture, road freight, services of general economic interest and export related activities and activities favouring domestic over imported goods. Please note, support cannot be given to undertakings (businesses) in difficulty. In order to receive support from this programme, you will be required to complete an application form and other relevant documentation.