Sustainability

East Midlands businesses address the challenges of Climate Change preparation at summit

The region’s businesses joined academics and industry specialists to tackle barriers in achieving Net Zero at the East Midlands Sustainability Summit on 12th September.

Workshops, seminars and presentations unpicked hurdles faced by firms in their journey toward become more sustainable at the event hosted by East Midlands Chamber, in partnership with the University of Derby, where the summit was held.

East Midlands Chamber President Stuart Dawkins opened the summit. He said afterwards: “To see so many businesses, of different types and sizes gathered at this summit was a welcome sight and really underlines just how seriously the East Midlands is taking its approach to sustainability. I get the feeling no one is under any pretence about the obstacles that can make mitigating against Climate Change daunting. How does a business prepare? Are they doing it the right way?

“Today’s summit shared best practice, saw research the Chamber has carried out with the University of Derby and workshops to help break down difficulties and find solutions. The East Midlands must, as I reiterated today, think hard about what it leaves for Generation Next-But-One – what we do now directly impacts the life they inherit. Businesses in Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire and Leicestershire really can be on the right side of history and get this right, but how we all get to that destination, when each business is structured differently, is a conversation that must never stop.”

East Midlands Chamber Director of Policy and Insight Richard Blackmore said: “Getting East Midlands businesses together to overcome the challenges around becoming more sustainable is an important step toward achieving Net Zero, but we should remember that the summit was also an excellent opportunity to focus on the economic growth potential for businesses that get the strategy right.

“Keeping the momentum of the sustainability journey front and centre of all business operation is essential, as putting it on the back burner to just worry about another day isn’t an option.

“We heard from some fantastic speakers today and I extend my thanks to all of them – to our summit sponsors Auditel, Geo Green Power and our partner for this summit, the University of Derby.”

Research carried out by the Chamber and the University of Derby into Green Growth Trends – achieving economic growth without negatively impacting the environment – was shared by the university’s Associate Professor of Strategy and Sustainability Dr Polina Baralova. Findings included three quarters of large businesses reporting that they pursue Green Growth, while half of small businesses did.

Following the presentation, Dr Polina Baralova said: “My advice to businesses would be to think a little bit about how to grow sustainably, which we refer to as Green Growth. So, if you have a number of products and services that you trade on the market and they are having green credentials – as in they allow the general public, your customers or suppliers to reduce their carbon footprint and support an environmentally friendly agenda.

“At the same time, you also need to start thinking about your decarbonization initiatives and reducing carbon so those two elements go hand to hand. You can’t really have one without another.”

Businesses in Chesterfield can receive support to reduce their carbon footprint. Find out more by visiting our business support page.

East Midlands Chamber and University of Derby supports the marketing and economic growth of the town through Chesterfield Champions, a network of over 200 organisations across Chesterfield and North Derbyshire.

Lecture theatre at university with summit being delivered

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Sustainability Summit encourages green growth across the East Midlands

East Midlands Chamber has praised the ‘shining examples of success’ of green growth in our regional business community at its latest Sustainability Summit.

The event explored how to unlock the green growth for SMEs and the wider East Midlands economy – across themes including leadership, innovation, international trade and best practice.

It took place against a backdrop in which Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced the Government will water down net zero policies, including delaying a ban on the sales of new petrol and diesel cars and phasing out gas boilers.

Speakers at the Sustainability Summit said “flip-flopping” over net zero commitments from Westminster created huge uncertainty that undermined long-term investments and would ultimately harm the UK’s quest to become a global leader in the green economy.

About 200 people representing organisations from across Derbyshire, Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire gathered for the event, held in partnership with the University of Derby, Mazars, Thompson Tree Services and Epson.

East Midlands Chamber director of policy and insight Chris Hobson said: “We heard at our Sustainability Summit about some of the great things that businesses are doing in pursuing green growth and the very tangible rewards they are reaping with innovation and financial growth.

“These are the shining examples of success we can glean from embracing net zero, which means viewing it as not just a challenge but a golden opportunity.

“Yet while our national leaders correctly talk up the research and development strengths of our businesses and ambitions to be a global leader in developing low-carbon goods and services, there is a huge disconnect between this messaging and Government policy – as evidenced by the Prime Minister’s ill-judged shifting of the goalposts on our country’s net zero commitments.

“We saw first-hand the impact policy flip-flopping has on business decision-making during the chaotic political landscape of 2022, which quashed business confidence and thus investment. The lack of certainty about the future direction of our economy will unfortunately have a similar impact at a time when we should be encouraging transformational long-term investment.

“Having net zero targets is one thing, but to get us there we require a roadmap that will be led by business innovation. The vacillating from our political leaders instead undermines our ability to make real progress in this space and we instead find ourselves stuck in limbo when it comes to the most significant economic opportunity of our lifetime.”

Findings from the Green Growth Trends in the East Midlands research conducted by the Chamber and University of Derby were discussed by report author Dr Polina Baranova, associate professor of strategy and sustainability.

It showed the proportion of East Midlands businesses that have made any income from environmentally-friendly goods and services dropped from 45% in 2022 to 36% in 2023, decarbonisation investment varies significantly according to business size and sector, and a widening gap in business support and information.

Dr Baranova said this illustrated not only the impact of the cost-of-doing business crisis but the “fragility” of the current policy landscape, with green growth yet to be a firmly embedded business philosophy.

Other highlights at the Sustainability Summit included:

  • East Midlands Chamber president Stuart Dawkins discussed how sustainability is at the heart of businesses’ responsibility to support their communities and future generations
  • Professor Chris Bushell, pro vice-chancellor and head of sustainability at the University of Derby, outlined how the institution is taking a lead in the net zero agenda via its research, innovation, thought leadership and knowledge capital
  • Ian Meikle, director of clean growth at Innovate UK, explained how Britain can create jobs and sustainable economic growth by developing its own low-carbon products and services, but this required stable policy and regulation, innovation in business models and supply chains, and a step-change in access to capital
  • Chris Fuggle, global head of sustainability services at audit, tax and advisory services firm Mazars, provided practical strategies to upskill leadership teams on the environmental, social and governance (ESG) agenda and embedding sustainability at board level
  • Charlie de la Haye, communications manager at Epson UK, gave an insight into how the global printing manufacturer had pivoted its business model to deliver green goods and services while demonstrating how it could deliver cost-saving benefits to customers.

Chris Hobson speaking at the East Midlands Chamber sustainability summit

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Midlands councils collaborate to bring more EV chargers to the region

Local authorities across the midlands, including Derbyshire County Council have successfully submitted a bid for £39.3m for more EV chargers in our region.

A partnership between thirteen councils applied for funding from the Government’s Local Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (LEVI) fund, alongside sub-national transport body, Midlands Connect.

Each local authority has been allocated an individual amount from the funding pot.

Analysis by Midlands Connect found the Midlands needs 17,461 new public EV charging points by the end of 2025 to meet the needs of the growing EV market and it’s hoped this latest good news around the Government funding will spur on more region-wide installation of charging points.

Estimates suggest the installation and maintenance of electric vehicle charging points will also create an influx of jobs in the region, with over 42,000 related roles set to be created in the Midlands by the end of 2032.

In 2022, Midlands Connect together with five councils secured £1million of funding through the LEVI Fund Pilot and that cash is expected to attract an additional £2.8m of private sector investment to roll out 322 standard and 27 rapid EV charging points across the Midlands. Charge points are expected to be installed for this project in summer 2024.

Maria Machancoses, CEO of Midlands Connect, said: “We are delighted the Government has allocated funding over £39.3m for 13 councils across the Midlands. This will really help the region to charge ahead of the pack.”

“This is a vital next step in our efforts to improve electric vehicle charging infrastructure across the region ahead of the phase out of sales of new diesel and petrol cars and vans by 2030. This funding will improve the lives of those living in the Midlands, particularly for those who do not have access to off-street parking and may struggle to charge their vehicle otherwise.”

Find out more about Chesterfield Borough Council’s climate strategy, which outlines the council’s aim to become carbon neutral by 2030, and achieving net zero for the borough by 2050.

electric car charging

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North Wingfield community project chosen for national sustainability trial

A community project in North Wingfield has been selected to take part in a national trial, which looks to help consumers reduce their impact on the environment.

North Wingfield Community Garden scheme has been chosen to take part in a national composting trial run through a partnership between Natracare, creator of compostable disposable period products, and Social Farms & Gardens, a UK-wide charity, of which the North Wingfield group is a member.

The partnership sees Natracare providing insulated compost bins to Social Farms & Gardens’ specially selected community garden projects as a pilot scheme. The community gardens will compost garden and food waste, as well as Natracare products. The hot composting should take around six to eight weeks to turn green and brown waste into compost that is ready to use on the garden.

North Wingfield Community Garden scheme near Chesterfield is one of four women-led community garden schemes across the UK to receive a Natracare composting bin. Throughout the ongoing partnership, they will manage and maintain the hot composting process, monitoring and sharing the progress of the composting on their social channels. Additionally, using the Natracare Composting Guide, they will share the value of community composting and the benefits that composting period products has for the environment.

The Social Farms & Gardens partnership is the latest initiative in Natracare’s recently launched Project #BeKind campaign created to draw attention to the need to design health and well-being products for bio-loop systems and to consider the impact of consumer choices on our well-being and the environment.

North Wingfield Community Garden was set up at the start of 2021 as a space where people could safely gather to socialise in a post-lockdown world. Funded by the People’s Health Trust using money raised by Health Lottery East Midlands, the one-acre site is located on allotments at Alice’s View, North Wingfield, and produces a range of fruits and vegetables, all grown using organic and no-dig principles where possible.

It runs social gardening sessions and nature-connection crafting sessions every week. Over the last 12 months alone, more than 50 locals have participated in at least one of these sessions, and there is a core group of 15 regular volunteers who help out with garden maintenance.

Key volunteer and committee secretary Abi Grant said: “Having a hot composter available to us here at North Wingfield Community Garden opens up new opportunities for us to expand our knowledge and become even more sustainable, which is such an exciting thought—we can’t wait to get stuck in!”

north wingfield community garden

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How Chesterfield can be a leader in sustainable housing

How can Chesterfield become a national leader in sustainable housing development for the future? That was the question posed to construction leaders in Chesterfield recently.

The town’s Property and Construction Group gathered to discuss the importance of green development across the town.

Chesterfield Borough Council has set a target of ensuring Chesterfield is a ‘net-zero’ borough by 2050. The organisation is working closely with the sector to find solutions across a range of developments. That includes in both housing and commercial property builds.

Using technology to support sustainable housing

The group first discussed how technological advancements are playing a role in bringing emissions down. Liam Rodda, Business Development Manager at Samsung spoke of the increase in the use of heat pumps in new houses. It is hoped the technology will become just as cost-effective as gas boilers in the coming years.

Liam said: “If you’re putting a heat pump into a new build, there’s not actually a great deal of cost difference compared to a boiler.

“The reality is that heat pumps are easier to fit than most gas boilers. Most competent engineers will be able to upskill in order to fit them pretty quickly. I’m hoping we will see prices come down as we get more labour into it.”

Chesterfield is set to lead the way when it comes to training more heat pump installers. This is thanks to the opening of a newly refurbished training centre by NIBE. Read more about the development, which opened in late 2022 here.

Improving green skills in Chesterfield to power our future

Sustainable skills will also be at the forefront of the new Construction Skills Hub, which is set to be developed in Mastin Moor.

Lynda Sharp, Economic Development Manager at Chesterfield Borough Council spoke about the benefits of the new facility.

Lynda said: “The hub will be an on-site facility linked to a housing scheme at Mastin Moor. That is a fantastic opportunity for young people to gain experience of a live construction site, which will make a big difference locally.”

Another issue raised during the discussion was the viability of retrofitting and insulating existing housing stock, to increase the amount of sustainable housing in Chesterfield.

Jillian Mitchell, of Lomas & Mitchell Architects and Vice-Chair of the Chesterfield Property and Construction Group said: “The big challenge to me in retrofit is how you insulate an existing property without creating more risk of condensation and mould growth.

“The market is so familiar with talking about insulation, and they haven’t really talked about ventilation. Derbyshire is a county where there is a lot of brick and stone, so insulating existing properties is a challenge.”

Cost and viability

Concerns around the cost of sustainable housing was one of the concerns which the forum felt needed to be addressed.

Jillian added: “A lot of what has been done in this country has been incentivised financially. But this has not encouraged people to change their behaviour. A lot of that financial reward seems to be how our industry is driven.

“In Cyprus, they have a scheme where people are able to install a limited amount of PV (solar panels). They are only rewarded if they change their behaviour and reduce the amount of electricity they use. I think that’s what we should be thinking about doing.”

Jim Lomas, Director at DLP Planning Ltd. believes recent climate events have made the sector more focused on cutting emissions, and increasing the number of sustainable housing in Chesterfield: “I certainly think the previous summer has started to focus people’s attention. People have seen some tangible changes in the environment, and it is bringing the issues we face to people’s attention.

“From a construction perspective, we are all probably very informed and alert to it. But the wider public are probably not, and now the penny is beginning to drop. There has to be a cultural change.”

Samsung’s Liam Rodda does believe that new builds are starting to improve from a sustainability point of view: “Terraced houses were built to house a lot of people, very quickly. New builds today are going in the right direction. We’re ticking those boxes more often where the homes are generating their own electricity as much as possible.”

John Short, of JAB Short Ltd. was in agreement, but felt that more focus should be placed on existing buildings in order to make significant change: “It is the existing housing stock that we need to be concentrating on, because that is what will make the huge steps required.”

Working collaboratively to drive change

Jim Lomas stressed the importance of ensuring the younger generation have their say in future developments: “We have got to look at the future generations. Young people will be wanting something more sustainable and will be demanding energy efficient buildings from businesses. We need to give younger people more of a voice and direction in developments because it is their future. However, the viability of schemes is pivotal.”

The session was further evidence of the strong partnership between the private and public sectors in Chesterfield continuing to have an impact.

Lynda Sharp added: “From my point of view, the level of detail and quality of the conversation today shows that we are gaining a greater collective understanding and getting deeper into the issues at hand. From a commercial property perspective, the recently-developed Northern Gateway Enterprise Centre and One Waterside place offices are really good examples of where we should be going.”

Chesterfield’s Property and Construction Group brings together business leaders of the region’s property sector and Chesterfield Borough Council to shape and drive forward collaboration, investment, sustainability and skills within Chesterfield.

Regular forums and networking events are held by the group throughout the year.

If you would like to get involved, find out more about the group at: https://www.chesterfield.co.uk/propertygroup/ or find out more on Linkedin.

property masterclass sustainability

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Trees planted in Staveley in memory of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II

Almost 50 trees have been planted at a site in Staveley, in memory of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.

Local school children and tree wardens were joined by representatives from Chesterfield Borough Council to plant 48 oak trees on Darley Close at Staveley, as part of the Queen’s Green Canopy Initiative.

The Queen’s Green Canopy is a unique tree planting initiative which was launched to help mark Her Majesty The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee in 2022. Following the wishes of His Majesty The King, the initiative has now been extended to the end of March 2023 to give people the opportunity to plant trees throughout the planting season, in memoriam to honour Her Majesty.

The newly planted trees will help to create a new woodland in the area – called the Queen’s Copse – that will serve as a local memorial to Queen Elizabeth II.

Councillor Tricia Gilby, Leader of the Council; Councillor Amanda Serjeant, Deputy Leader of the Council; and the Mayor and Mayoress of Chesterfield were all on hand to help plant some of the first trees on the site.

People across the country – from individuals, groups, schools and communities to larger organisations and businesses – can also play their own part by coming together to plant trees – to serve as a lasting tribute to Her Majesty. More information on how to get involved can be found at www.chesterfield.gov.uk/explore-chesterfield/parks-and-green-spaces/queens-green-canopy

Councillor Tricia Gilby, Leader of Chesterfield Borough Council, said: “Trees help enhance our green spaces, create habitats for wildlife and can tackle climate change by absorbing carbon emissions so I’m hoping that as many people from our local communities will join in with The Queen’s Green Canopy and plant trees across the borough.

“This initiative is not only a great way to honour Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and her extraordinary service, but it will also help increase biodiversity across our borough.”

Over time the site will be managed in a way that is sensitive to nature and biodiversity and compliments the surrounding housing and open space.

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Chesterfield’s Custom Solar wins national award for innovative project

Custom Solar has recently been awarded ‘Commercial Solar Project of the Year’ at this year’s Solar and Storage LIVE, for its innovative work at Portsmouth International Ports.

The Solar PV Project, in partnership with Portsmouth City Council involved designing and developing a Solar PV carport canopy system, a 1.2Mw battery storage solution and a 600kWp rooftop solar system.

This project was unique due to challenges faced at foundation and surveying. Operations teams encountered a plague burial site on the planned locations for the carport canopies. After archeologists surveyed the site, the team were instructed to widen the site and ensure that the structures were less than 1m deep. Considering this, the foundations had to be redesigned completely by Customs design engineers to revert to a concrete pad foundation of 3m x 3m per post fixing.

This makes the 2,660 solar panel installation a landmark moment, worthy of its award, as it is one of the first carport canopies to sit at 5 meters high with only 1-meter depth for fixings. Portsmouth International Ports are also the first UK port to have solar canopies, which will contribute to generating 35% of the site’s power.

Custom Solar’s CEO, Gary Sucharewycz, Said: “We are delighted to have won the award for Commercial Solar and Storage project of the year. To have been recognised at the main industry awards for such a prestige project that the team have developed from concept, is a great reward for everyone involved.

“We have worked with a fantastic client in Portsmouth City Council to have successfully delivered the project through many challenges. We see this as a great case study for how solar and storage can be deployed in major operational environments, with solar car port canopy’s set to play a big role in clients generating their own power and assisting their Net zero ambitions to be realised.”

Cabinet member for Climate Change and Environment at Portsmouth City Council, Cllr Kimberly Barrett, said: “It is the council’s priority to support clean growth. I’m delighted that we’ve met our target to begin generating clean energy at the port by the end of 2022, and when fully operational, it will reduce annual emissions by 239 tonnes at this busy site. We’re committed to take positive action to tackle climate change, and this cut in emissions will boost our ambitions to reduce carbon emissions across the city to net-zero by 2030″.

Custom Solar LTD designs, develops, installs, and maintains large scale infrastructure storage and solar systems for clientele including commercial and public sector institutions across the UK. The firm’s track record of tailoring projects for large-scale commercial clients relies on our creativity, our expertise in engineering, and an industry-leading attitude to health & safety.

The company supports the marketing and economic growth of the town through Chesterfield Champions, a network of over 200 organisations across Chesterfield and North Derbyshire.

 

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Sustainability Summit encourages firms to embed net zero targets in business plans

Moving from a position where the net zero agenda is an aspiration to it being embedded in every strand of a business will be crucial to taking meaningful strides forward in green growth.

This was the consensus among speakers at East Midlands Chamber’s Sustainability Summit, which also heard how the cost-of-doing-business crisis offers an opportunity to make environmentally-friendly efficiencies that reduce overheads for organisations.

The event, held at headline partner the University of Derby’s Enterprise Centre, featured keynote speakers from universities, businesses, banking, not-for-profits and Government.

Chris Hobson, director of policy and external affairs at East Midlands Chamber, said: “Despite firms facing lots of external challenges and a crisis in the cost of doing business, they remain highly committed to the net zero agenda by making efficiencies in their operations and buildings to reduce not only their carbon emissions, but costs too.

“So as we search for solutions to the mountain of problems, it’s vital we don’t take our eye off the ball in supporting businesses to adopt green growth strategies.
“It’s clear we still have much work to do in this respect, with many companies telling us there must be a more joined-up approach between organisations – whether it’s Government agencies, universities, local authorities and business representation networks like the Chamber – and a more consistent message across these bodies.”

Unique research into Green Growth Trends in the East Midlands 2022 carried out by the Chamber and University of Derby found the proportion of the region’s firms that sell green goods and services has almost trebled to 45% over the seven years to 2022, while the proportion considering green growth as part of their business strategies has more than doubled to 21.5% in the past four years.

However, 35% of firms still aren’t engaged with green growth – with reasons cited including gaps in information, skills and access to finance.

Chris added: “While it’s very promising to see real progress being made in the race to net zero, access to finance for green projects and skills for green jobs remain key barriers to making further inroads into greening up our economy.

“From a policy perspective, Government needs to get on with stalled environmental legislation. This will remove the uncertainty and provide businesses with the opportunity to plan for the future.

Businesses want to see our decision-makers pushing through previously proposed legislation in areas like waste management and biodiversity in order to start investing in new technologies that will drive change and there is a message to ‘get on with it’.

“The language we use when discussing the net zero needs to evolve as the landscape does – when we talk about green jobs, let’s start thinking less about the inputs of roles and more about their impact in order to broaden what is currently a very narrow definition.

“And for businesses, we want to move towards green growth being embedded in everything we do – from business plans for growth and making efficiencies, to the products we make and skills we look for. Only once it is part of mainstream thinking can we really begin to make the required progress in cutting emissions and costs.”

For more information about business support related to net zero adoption and green growth, visit the Chamber’s Sustainable East Midlands page at www.emc-dnl.co.uk/sustainability.

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Chesterfield’s top sustainable businesses set to be named in annual awards

Four Chesterfield businesses are in the running to be named as the winner of the Sustainability Award in the 2022 Love Chesterfield Awards organised by Destination Chesterfield in association with Entire FM – Complete Facilities Management.

Astra Designs UK, Bridge Help, Northern Tea Merchants and Robinsons PLC have all been shortlisted for the Sustainability Award which is sponsored by Chesterfield Borough Council.

The Sustainability Award was introduced to the Love Chesterfield Awards and recognises organisations that demonstrates a commitment to sustainable business practices and are working towards becoming carbon neutral.

The four finalists not only measure and report their progress but have also demonstrated a commitment to sustainability during the past five years.

Donna Swift-Moore, Designer and Company Director at Astra Designs explained: “With the fashion industry being the second worst industry for polluting water from dyeing textiles and over a third of all clothing being sent to landfill, it is vital for us to create fashion that has the least impact possible.

Donna Swift-Moore, Astra Designs

“I’m absolutely over the moon that our company has been recognised as a finalist for the Sustainability Award. Our entire business is built around creating sustainable fashion and accessories, so being acknowledged for this is truly amazing.”

Chris Sellars, Chief Executive of Bridge Help commented: “At the start of this year, we were delighted to become carbon neutral. To be recognised by the Love Chesterfield Awards for the work we’ve done in achieving this is fantastic. Sustainability is incredibly important to us; it is something the whole team is passionate about.”

Chris Sellars, Bridge Help

James Pogson, Director at Northern Tea Merchants said: “We put a great deal of time and focus into understanding the impact of the work we do. From the food miles right down to the packaging, we’re always striving to make the operation as sustainable and environmentally friendly as possible. We’ve made some significant positive steps over the last five years and it’s wonderful to get this recognition.”

James Pogson, Northern Tea Merchants

Helene Roberts, CEO at Robinson PLC commented: “Sustainability is at the core of what we do as a business here at Robinson and we are working on a wide range of initiatives to reduce our impact on the environment, as well as enhance the experience of our employees and local communities in which we operate.

“We are delighted to be selected as a finalist for the sustainability award; the team at our Rigid Box site in Chesterfield is proud that our products are not only 100% recyclable and made from 95% recycled materials, but also promote consumers to reuse the beautiful presentation and gift boxes in the home.”

Dr Helene Roberts, CEO of Robinson PLC

Chesterfield Borough Council declared a climate emergency in 2019 and has since committed to the Council and borough becoming carbon neutral by 2030 and 2050 respectively.

Councillor Amanda Serjeant, Deputy Leader of Chesterfield Borough Council, said: “We’re proud to sponsor the Sustainability Award. We all need to work together to tackle the climate crisis and reduce our emissions. It’s important that we celebrate and learn from those businesses that are leading the way and changing their business practices to reduce their carbon footprint.”

Cllr Amanda Serjeant

Peter Swallow, Chair of Destination Chesterfield commented on the importance of recognising sustainability: “Having forward-thinking businesses and individuals is something that Chesterfield prides itself on and the four businesses shortlisted for the Sustainability Award are no exception, helping the town achieve its ambitions of becoming carbon neutral.”

Peter Swallow, Destination Chesterfield Chair

The Sustainability Award is one of 15 categories in the 2022 Love Chesterfield Awards. The winners of all the categories will be announced at a glittering black-tie ceremony at The Winding Wheel Theatre on Wednesday 12 October.

See the full list of 2022 Love Chesterfield Awards finalists here: https://www.chesterfield.co.uk/lovechesterfieldawards/finalists/

As well as Entire FM – Complete Facilities Management and Chesterfield Borough Council, the 2022 Love Chesterfield Awards are also supported and made possible by Banner Jones Solicitors, BHP Accountants, BusinessWise Accounting and Tax, DBC Training, Derbyshire Times, East Midlands Chamber (Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire), Elder Way, Great2, Hoods Florist, JP Fire Safety Solutions, Minuteman Press Chesterfield, MSE Hiller, Peak Pharmacy, Shorts Chartered Accountants, Spirecross Ltd and Sutton McGrath Hartley.

Peter Swallow added: “After the uncertainty of the last two years, the Destination Chesterfield team is working to ensure the 2022 Love Chesterfield Awards is the best yet, which is only possible through the generosity of our sponsors.”

There are a limited number of sponsorship packages available. If you’re interested in sponsoring the awards, information is available at www.chesterfield.co.uk/lovechesterfieldawards/sponsors/sponsorshippackages/ or by contacting Tara Underhill, Senior Destination Chesterfield Coordinator by emailing Tara.underhill@chesterfield.co.uk or calling 01246 207 207.

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Big jump in number of East Midlands businesses selling green products, new research shows

The proportion of East Midlands businesses now selling green goods and services has almost trebled over the past seven years, according to new research by East Midlands Chamber and Derby Business School at the University of Derby.

In 2015, 16% of companies in Derbyshire, Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire derived turnover from supplying environmentally-friendly goods – such as energy efficiency, waste recovery and eco-food and drink products – but this increased to 45% in 2022 as more firms identified opportunities in the UK’s race to net zero.

However, the Green Growth Trends in the East Midlands 2022 study, a unique piece of research of the regional growth trends over the past seven years, found that 35% of businesses still aren’t engaged with green growth – with reasons cited including gaps in information, skills and access to finance.

The Chamber launched a Sustainable East Midlands initiative in 2020 that aims to educate firms about the importance of embracing low-carbon business practices in order to cut costs, win new contracts, and recruit and retain the best talent – while also signposting to funding opportunities.

East Midlands Chamber director of policy and external affairs Chris Hobson said: “The net zero agenda presents a big challenge to businesses but there is also a raft of opportunities for those eager to tackle it head-on by creating the products and services that will help steer the energy transition.

“Amid the current cost of doing business crisis, a move towards sustainable products and services could unlock the long-term efficiency gains that offset rising prices while creating a sustainable East Midlands economy.

“While it’s great to see more engagement among SMEs, there remains a significant gap between large and small firms, and it’s slightly concerning to see the number of organisations accessing business support has dropped in recent times.

“We need our decision-makers to develop policy mechanisms that are better aligned with regional business interests and specific sector needs in order to intensify engagement, while companies also need financial support to reskill and upskill our existing workforce. This will enable us to continue with the great progress we’ve already made in this generation’s most important issue.”

Other key findings from the research, which was based on responses from 372 organisations in Derbyshire, Leicestershire and Nottingham to the Chamber’s Quarterly Economic Survey in February 2022, included:

• There is a rising trend of diversification into green markets, with a four-fold increase (7.5% to 28.5%) in businesses reporting that between 1% and 19% of their turnover derives from green goods and services between 2015 and 2022
• The proportion of businesses considering green growth as part of their business strategies has more than doubled over the past four years from 9.7% in 2018 to 21.5% in 2022
• More than 80% of large businesses are actively pursuing green growth opportunities, compared with 61% of medium, 56% of small and 36% of micro-sized companies
• Only 17% of firms surveyed said the current policy landscape allows them to fully engage with green growth
• A third (33%) did not feel well-informed about the support available for green growth, although this was a drop from 42% in 2021
• The largest demands for skills development are in the areas of energy and resource efficiency, renewables and access to green finance

Report lead Dr Polina Baranova, a senior lecturer in strategic management, said: “It’s been positive to see such a positive trajectory in the proportion of firms entering the green goods and services markets, with SMEs becoming more active in green growth.

“Regionally, as the opportunities for green growth are becoming more pronounced, there is a need for a holistic approach to supporting pro-environmental businesses.”

Dr Fred Paterson, university lead for sustainable business and clean growth, added: “This growth is particularly encouraging in the context of the post-Covid economic recovery as it suggests there has been something of a ‘reset’ in how leaders are developing strategies to grow their business.”

Dr Baranova will discuss findings from the research at East Midlands Chamber’s Sustainability Summit on Thursday 22 September at the University of Derby Enterprise Centre. Find out more about the event here. 

 

 

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Chesterfield firm to take sustainability message across the UK

A Chesterfield firm which specialises on renewable heating systems is taking its sustainability message across the country this summer.

NIBE Energy Systems will be bringing the latest technological and product innovations directly to installers and the general public with a UK tour in a state of the art trailer that kicks off on 16th July at the Braehead Retail Park in Glasgow.

The tour will also be stopping off at Chesterfield’s Technique Stadium on 25th July, showing off the firm’s range of technologies and solutions available to help people and businesses do their bit in reducing carbon emissions.

Those interested in getting to know NIBE better and have been thinking about renewable heating systems will be given the opportunity to get on the trailer and learn about the innovative technologies offered by the brand.

Visitors will get the opportunity to learn about how heat pumps extract natural energy from one place and transfer it to another in order to provide energy-efficient, cost-effective space heating and hot water. They will also see how they can help save money on their heating bills. Installers are invited to pop in and learn about NIBE’s best in class heat pump solutions such as the industry leading, new S2125 air source heat pump.

Phil Hurley, Managing Director of NIBE Energy Systems (UK) said: “NIBE exists to provide the world with better energy solutions. Our UK tour will give homeowners and installers the chance to see first-hand the options available to transform heating systems to the latest available technologies. Heat pumps offer a fantastic solution to helping UK families and business do their bit to reduce carbon emissions.

“NIBE strives to maximise the output of each single product, and our industry-leading air source heat pump is no exception. We invite installers to come and see our products and to learn about NIBE Pro our installer partnership scheme designed to guide and assist them and their teams in making the change to installing heat pumps.  We have been investing widely in the development of innovative solutions which will be showcased in our visit to cities across the country. I am delighted that our dedicated teams will be able to show what we have on offer.”​

  • July 16th to 17th – Braehead Retail Park – Glasgow
  • July 18th – Macdonald Inchyra Hotel & Spa – Falkirk
  • July 19th – Aldwark Manor Golf & Spa – North Yorkshire
  • July 20th – Manchester City Etihad Stadium – Manchester
  • July 21st to 22nd – Trafford Centre, Manchester
  • July 25th – Chesterfield Technique Stadium – Chesterfield
  • July 26th to 27th – The Bullring – Birmingham
  • July 28th – Royal Windsor Racecourse – Windsor
  • July 30th to 31st – Blue Water Shopping Centre – London

Find out more about the upcoming tours at: https://www.nibe.eu/en-gb/about-nibe/events/nibe-on-tour-2022

NIBE Energy Systems supports the marketing and economic growth of the town through Chesterfield Champions, a network of over 200 organisations across Chesterfield and North Derbyshire.

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