Innovation through Sustainability & CSR – Seminar Review

The Sustain Worldwide Innovation through Sustainability & CSR seminar, held on 23 May, drew 40 delegates to the 15Hatfields central London venue. Headline sponsored by Italian HVAC manufacturer, Climaveneta, and supported by sustain’ Magazine, speakers included Gideon Susman and Anthony Davies from Buro Happold, and Dan Taylor from the Bankside Logistics Group.

Facilitated by Andy Caldwell of CoCreate Consulting, whose consultants have worked with amongst others Sony and SAP, the seminar explored how innovation through the lens of sustainability and CSR provides a competitive advantage, demonstrates leadership and generates opportunities for intra- and even cross-sector collaboration for companies with shared values.

The themes were brought to life through a case study-led approach. Taylor presented how the Bankside Logistics Group has co-ordinated the regeneration of the Bankside area of Southwark, which includes Tate Modern and the Shard London Bridge. The forum’s approach has delivered demonstrable innovation, environmental, social and economic sustainability benefits, whilst generating numerous collaborative business opportunities.

Delegate Claire Smith, Senior Sustainability Manager at Willmott Dixon, said: “The seminar’s themes are timely. Sustainability is increasingly significant to Willmott Dixon’s internal work processes – to deliver board level targets to increase efficiencies and reduce resource use. It also enables us to deliver added value to clients which, for example, increases their employees’ productivity and provides health & wellbeing benefits.”

Gideon Susman, who recently completed an EngD on phase change material (PCM) technology at Buro Happold, presented how technical innovation provides sustainable solutions to engineering challenges such as energy-inefficient cooling systems. Gideon introduced to the delegates his NewMass PCM innovation, which is predicted to reduce energy demand by 35% compared to conventional systems.

Andrea Bertelle, Communications Manager for Climaveneta, presented to the delegates how innovative and collaborative work processes have enabled Climaveneta to become a market leader in its field – delivering sustainable solutions for heating and cooling buildings worldwide. He said: “Sustainability has been part of our mission and business success for many years. It is at the core of our business. Collaboration and partnerships are critical to create benefit and drive value for our business.”

Antony Poppleton, Head of PR at Think BDW, who clients include residential housebuilder Kier Homes, said: “The seminar hit the right note, presenting leading edge, energy-efficiency innovations (Susman’s) alongside high-profile case studies – Bankside and M&S’s Plan A development (presented by Davies). The event’s workshop and presentation-led format worked well. I look forward to attending the next Sustain Worldwide seminar.”

The speakers’ presentations can be downloaded at:
http://www.sustainworldwide.com/presentation-downloads.html