Kate Cawley

Looking for an impartial review of carbon reporting solutions for UK SMEs? Sponsored by British Business Bank our report provides: 🗂 A comprehensive list of carbon reporting solutions  🤷‍♂️ Guidance on choosing the right solution for your business 💡 Advice tailored to the needs of your business And much more!

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WRAP has published a practical guide for businesses to identify opportunities for transitioning to reusable and refillable packaging, reducing environmental impact by moving away from single-use plastics. https://lnkd.in/eJEMUYzX

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What a welcome change to previous government inaction! The rapid adoption of DRS will boost three key benefits for UK already enjoyed by many other countries. 1. It will quickly change the mindset of UK consumers that packaging at the end of its first use should be discarded as valueless materials. 2. This will have immediate benefits to the environment on unwanted litter and to those individuals that rescue these materials for recovery. 3. It will reduce our reliance on virgin materials and reduce the carbon footprint of UK via the boost in the recovery rate of packaging materials into the circular economy. Those involved in DRS will know that this is not a simple nor easy nor inexpensive system to administer and there is a need to unify the systems in Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and England otherwise it opens the door to fraud and exploitation of the differences. On the positive side there is vast experience in many countries and DRS operators that can be used as a template for a successful UK wide DRS system.

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Really important that the Government's plans for growth through #PlanningReform also support delivery of its missions on #NetZero (and wider #EnvironmentalTargets) and opportunities for all (#GreenJobs). Key will be optimising outcomes across these missions, rather than trade offs.

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This highlights a great initiative that will help drive the development of a real, global Circular economy. As in all things, beware of cheap because the costs are being covered by something or someone. https://lnkd.in/eM4sC-BX

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The new Circular Economy Bill ♻️ has been passed in Scotland, giving Ministers and local authorities essential tools to boost reuse and recycling rates and modernise waste services. Environmental groups praised the Bill, with Friends of the Earth Scotland calling it a potential turning point away from a throwaway culture. Key powers include: 🌍 Setting local recycling targets inspired by Wales' success 🌍 Establishing statutory targets for a circular economy 🌍 Restricting disposal of unsold goods to reduce landfill waste 🌍 Imposing charges on single-use items like disposable cups 🌍 Empowering local authorities to enforce actions against flytipping and littering Supported by the £70 million Recycling Improvement Fund, these measures aim to make reuse and recycling the default choice. ♻️ #CircularEconomy #Sustainability #Scotland #GreenInitiative #Recycling #WasteManagement https://lnkd.in/dKFmUdBf

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Must-Attend Training Opportunity: Biodiversity A second event for Yorkshire Sustainability Festival fringe - the Biodiversity Collage. Learn what’s behind the word “biodiversity” and why it matters. Remember that we humans may think we’re the main character, but we’re supported by a cast of plants and animals who make our existence possible. Let’s make sure we keep them around so that we can thrive. This workshop will help you get to grips with the role humans play in the grand game of nature, and understand why giving consideration to our impact on animal and plant life is an essential component of every sustainability strategy. Best of all, it’s free and hands-on. You’re gonna have fun while learning to be a planet custodian. Will I see you there ?

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Fascinating discussion on Green Alliance's webinar on what people really want from a greener fashion industry and what this means for government and business, alongside Libby Peake and Alex Proudfoot, and chaired by lucy siegle. We covered two pieces of research from Green Alliance's Circular Economy Task Force and PwC, which between them covered two key topics for progress to be made in this area 1. What the public want from industry and government 2. How reuse can be economically viable My key takeaways from the session were 👩‍👩‍👧‍👦 The public want change and made it clear through Green Alliance's research that reuse and reduction targets are more important then recycling to them. Which shows that people can see beyond recycling, and understand that we need to change our consumption habits, and want government and brands to help them. 👕 An item can retain more value depending on how it's resold - platforms that include processes of quality checks and repairs generate up to 5 x more value for the same items. However 📈 We are owning more pieces of clothing and using them less. Despite 25% of our clothing being reused in some way in the UK, the global growth of clothing production has outstripped GDP, and the average number of times an item is used is falling. We discussed the roles and levers that both government and brands have when it comes to create a more circular and sustainable approach to our clothes, BUT it was great to hear that most of the changes brands have and are making to bring more reuse and repair into their offer, are the result of what their customers are asking of them. People power in action! 🙌 If you want to catch up with what you missed on the webinar, links to the You Tube video as well as links to both the reports are below ⬇ 📺 Catch up on the webinar here 👉 https://lnkd.in/ejwNi4yr Read the reports 📗 Changing fashion: what people want from a greener clothing industry https://lnkd.in/e5AVJsFW 📕 Circular fashion: making resale a reality https://lnkd.in/euyHyfEm #sustainablefashion #circulareconomy #producerresponsibility

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There's a lot of legislation on climate that we face in the next few years. The The Labour Party manifesto suggests a real focus on #circularity and a recent poll i saw showed 64% of businesses don't feel prepared for the changes that are required. Keep an eye on our socials and join us for a webinar series aimed at helping guide you through the myriad of legislation that drives us ever closer to a #NetZero society.

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"It feels like you need an expert to even just identify what expertise you need to start managing your carbon". Yesterday I was at Reset Connect, helping to lead some roundtables focused on 'Overcoming Barriers to Carbon Emissions'. 🌍 Thank you to Andrew Griffiths for including MyCarbon as part of the Carbon Accounting Alliance; always nice to be in the same room and share ideas and learnings with folks from many different business lifes. 🤝 I won't dive into the depths of the discussion (I'd break the word count) but there were some great quotes which do a fantastic job of summing up the frustrations that can hinder progress: 💬 "You can't just hire someone into the role I've found, it's not that easy. The knowledge isn't widespread yet and people find it hard to juggle the needs of the business with the growing needs of the industry." 🧐 "Unlike other topics, to get anything done you really do need buy in and support from across the whole organisation. Especially when trying to get good data processes set up for the first time." 📊 "People just aren't confident to proceed unless they understand every single part of the process. Which means that perfection hinders progress in a lot of organisations." 🚧 "You need to work with suppliers on establishing longer partnerships. If someone is working with you on a year contract, they aren't going to be invested in making any big reduction changes. Over five or more years, where there are KPIs involved, that is a different story." ⏳ Any of that hit home for anyone? 🏠 (I sadly don't have a picture to visually back up my presence though....so I've stolen this one! Typically, in doing my eco travel bit across the country I was at the mercy of the travel gods...and they were not kind yesterday. The railways were feeling a bit flustered, and so was I!) 🚆😅 #resetconnect2024 #carbonaccountingalliance #mycarbon #sustainability

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This article highlights how collaborations and local efforts are driving a global circular economy transition.

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Transforming a Clothing Factory: Sustainability and Savings https://ift.tt/qZTp3nA A Welsh knitwear firm which invested in state-of-the-art renewable energy solutions has seen annual electricity savings of more than £6,000. Mabli Knits, based in River Bridge Business Park on Newport Road in Cardiff, “revolutionised” their office and production facilities with solar panels, cutting-edge EV charging stations, and robust battery storage systems. The family-run business worked with local firm InspireGreen, which provides a range of renewable energy solutions and a turn-key solution to deliver financial and carbon savings. The installation included a total of 40 405-watt solar panels, as well as invertors and a battery storage system. It means the business can produce 13,284 kWh of clean electricity from their own generation every year. This is more electricity than the business uses, meaning that it becomes carbon negative on power. The installation will also see lifetime CO2 savings of 2,821 tonnes. Adding a battery to the installation meant that Mabli increased their grid electricity independence by 22% to 58%, and the company has already reaped rewards in terms of their energy bills. Calculations carried out by InspireGreen suggest that the business will realise a return on investment in 4.3 years. Mabli specialises in natural knitwear and says it is committed to making a difference, embracing the ‘slow fashion’ approach to producing clothing, which places an emphasis on sustainability. Giles Drew, Director of Operations at Mabli Knits, outlines why the business chose to work with InspireGreen and the simplicity of the solutions they put in place. The post Transforming a Clothing Factory: Sustainability and Savings appeared first on Business News Wales. Wales sources via Business News Wales https://ift.tt/Gbuc5Dp April 26, 2024 at 11:32AM

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Ralph Thurm, so good to see a glimmer of generational hope in the concluding line of your apt description of the ‘too little, to late’ documentation of collapse through the incremental and full of complacency disclosures such as of those obsessed with interoperability of reporting , the likes of International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB) & Global Reporting Initiative (GRI)( announcing their best friend forever status this week). I would love to see some empirical evidence and insights on how those supporting the IFRS Foundation’s work on #issb overlap with those who have worked so hard to water-down and reduce the scope of the Friday approved EU #CSDDD that attempted to move us from an ‘ obligation to know/report’ to and ‘ obligation to act’ World. I would not be surprised if these two groups will have a major overlap! Any insights InfluenceMap , Reclaim Finance - ONG , ClientEarth , NewClimate Institute , & Net Zero Tracker ? In my view the CSDDD introducing mandatory due diligence on environmental and social/ human rights issues is a small, but important step in the direction that you represent with your UNSDPI work . Onward! #sustainability #climatechange #ESG

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Irrespective of political persuasions, I think everyone in the UK who is engaged in the circular/sustainable textiles sector will be delighted to hear the news that Mary Creagh CBE has been appointed as the new Minister for Nature with the responsibility for circular economy within the new UK Government. https://lnkd.in/esJNtvgG As a number of you may recall, Mary was the chair of the UK Parliament's Environmental Audit Committee during their inquiry into Fixing Fashion. The report that came out of that was seen by many in the global textiles supply chain as ground-breaking & has been highly influential in formulating policies in this area in other countries. It is the UK Parliament's most downloaded committee report ever. The previous administration did eventually commit to the key recommendation of the report, to prioritise textiles and consult upon the implementation of an EPR scheme for textiles in the UK by the end of 2022. Unfortunately though the Conservative Government reneged on this. Now we have a Minister in place who actually understands and supports what we need to do, in order to address the very real environmental impacts associated with the fashion and textiles industry, we have a very real chance to make some important strides over the coming years. The Textile Recycling Association is welcoming the opportunity to work with Mary Creagh and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs in making this a reality. #Circulareconomy #recycling #circulartextiles #circularfashion #sustainability #climatechange #textilerecycling

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It is going to be a busy day for all of us in sustainability roles - The Financial Conduct Authority has just published two highly anticipated documents! 1️⃣ Finalised Guidance FG24/3 Finalised non‑handbook guidance on the Anti‑Greenwashing Rule 🔗 https://lnkd.in/eJCsGS_u 2️⃣ Consultation Paper CP24/8** Extending the Sustainability Disclosure Requirements (SDR) regime to Portfolio Management  🔗 https://lnkd.in/e7fbCtW3 🧐 We look forward to sharing our comments in due course! Please DM Elly Dowding or Lee Coates OBE or email us at ESG ACCORD (Accord Initiative) if you have any questions. #AccordInitiative #compliance #esginvesting #climate #sustainableinvesting #financialplanning #esg #wealthmanagement

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Why do you think businesses should question their current practices? Businesses make the biggest contribution to our carbon footprint. Individuals have a role to play too but their options are limited to what is marketed to them and disposing of products can be confusing making it harder to do the right thing. Our natural rhythm is lost. Nature is not mainstream anymore, but if we can weave nature back into our lives and think of it as an important component within business practices to drive a reduction in over consumption, it will have a positive impact on biodiversity.   What do you think is the biggest or simplest change that organisations can make? Or do you think that consumers/individuals are best to drive the change? Building products that last and establishing a circular economy for manufacturing products such as dishwashers and washing machines, or cookers. These are things that we need to live or add some level of convenience to our everyday lives, but if they can be convenient without contributing to the degradation of our biodiversity then it’s a step in the right direction. There should be a law to force implementation of an end of life cycle process for products. It’s confusing for consumers on how best to recycle or do their bit for the planet, especially when it’s a product with many components, so businesses doing their bit and manufacturing consciously would be a good starting point. And fast fashion – well that just shouldn’t be a thing.  We agree Helen! And don’t get us started on supermarket promotional marketing – pushing overconsumption as it’s best. There was something I read that stated that millennials will spend 10% more if something is classed as sustainable, so there is an incentive for businesses there.

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In our response to the default energy tariffs for households call for evidence from the government Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DEZNZ), Centre for Sustainable Energy highlights a move to half-hourly electricity pricing could leave many households behind. The UK government is seeking views on new “default” energy tariffs that would charge households different prices depending on the time of day they use electricity. The proposed change is part of efforts to make Britain’s energy system more flexible and maximise use of renewable energy like wind and solar. In our full response, we discuss how half hourly pricing could be an important part of encouraging people to use energy more flexibly, a change vital in the transition to a low carbon energy system. But we raise concerns that any shift to time-of-use pricing threatens to exclude large numbers of people, entrenching inequality in the energy market. #energypolicy #energytariff #fairness #energyadvice Response to default energy tariffs for households: call for evidence - Centre for Sustainable Energy (cse.org.uk)

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Carbon reporting requirements are changing. What do you need to do about it? In April last year, the NHS made carbon reporting a requirement for their suppliers working on large contracts valued at over £5 million. In April this year, that £5 million threshold was extended to most frameworks, regardless of size. This shift has prompted a significant number of NHS suppliers to get their house in order and begin the sometimes painful journey of measuring their carbon footprint. It’s all great stuff that we really love to see. But there’s a catch. The current reporting requirements only cover scope 1, 2, and a small subset of scope 3 emissions - 5 out of the possible 15 scope 3 categories. The biggest one currently being missed is Purchased Goods and Services, which can often constitute a huge proportion of an organisation’s emissions. It also currently focuses only on UK-based emissions. In short, NHS suppliers are reporting some of their emissions but potentially missing a lot in their calculations. But that’s all about to change. By 2027, suppliers will be expected to report all global emissions. I’ll be honest, I’m not sure these companies are ready to take this on. The remaining scope 3 categories are the hardest to measure. That’s likely why the NHS has phased this in. 2027 might seem like a long way off, but consider this: it’s closer to today than when COVID kicked off, by quite a considerable margin. Time really does fly when you're having fun. If you want to know more, I wrote a blog; the link is in the comments. And if you’re looking for help with scope 3 measurements, give me a message. We make it look easy 😉 #scope3 #nhs #crp #cfree

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