Written by Ella Grantham

Future Leap’s Festival of Sustainable Business Exhibition 2024 was a resounding success. With 48 indoor exhibitors, buzzing networking zones, and insights from 20 inspiring speakers on the Just Transition talks stage, the place hummed with energy. On millenium square, the interactive Transport and Tech zone showcased 12 exhibitors, featuring 8 cutting-edge electric vehicles. With 832 registrations and 447 attendees, the event brought together the South West’s sustainable business community and sparked new connections between businesses and individuals striving for a more sustainable future. 

The Future Leap Festival of Sustainable Business kicked off with a warm welcome from our headline sponsors, each sharing their vision for a sustainable and inclusive future… 

Thomas Parsons, Director of Sales and Origination from Good Energy expressed pride in sponsoring the event, stating, “It’s brilliant to be here in Bristol today to talk about sustainable businesses.” He emphasised Good Energy’s mission as a purpose-led organisation dedicated to balancing profit with social and environmental responsibility. “It’s possible to be both activists and capitalists,” Parsons shared, citing projects like Merlin’s solar power installation at the London Dungeons, which achieved payback within three years.  

Managing Director of Retrofit West CIC, Simon Andrews, spoke on the housing issue of our time. His company works with homeowners and sustainable businesses, offering independent advice and discounted surveys to meet sustainability specifications. “This is the challenge of our time,” Andrews remarked. “I want my children to look at us and say we took that challenge on.” 

Bristol City Leap’s Communications and Engagement Manager, James Sterling, highlighted the tremendous opportunity and necessity to improve society through just transition. As a proud sponsor of the festival’s stage, Sterling discussed Bristol City Leap’s ambitious plan to instate the Real Living Wage, diversify supply chains, and lead the city’s decarbonisation efforts. “How can we do something that improves the lives of local people?” he asked. Sterling emphasised the need for collective citywide efforts toward sustainability. 

Stephen Bashford, the Strategic Director of Economy and Skills at the West of England Mayoral Combined Authority emphasised the importance of sustainable growth in the West of England. He shared how the region is aiming for inclusivity and prosperity through a green recovery fund, which was launched to support the development of eco-friendly businesses and projects. “We have major things to build on in this region, but we must ensure we do it in a sustainable way,” Bashford noted. 

Stephen Thomas, Director of The Eco Scheme, spoke of his company’s carbon-neutral initiatives, including retrofitting (the process of making existing buildings more energy-efficient) and offsetting. “The goal is to show other organisations how sustainability can be embedded in everyday operations,” he mentioned, “that’s why we felt it was important to sponsor Future leap’s Festival of Sustainable Business, so that sustainable businesses can connect and learn from one another”.  

Exhibitors Spotlight: The Green School Project 

Tom Hague, Head of Development at the Green School Project shared that over 80% of young people are eager to take action to help the environment, a sentiment shared by most teachers. The organisation is helping schools go zero-carbon by calculating carbon footprints, changing menus, and making other impactful changes. With a focus on Bristol and the Southwest, Hague expressed gratitude to Future Leap for providing a platform to form new partnerships. “We are grateful for this stand and the opportunity to connect with businesses and corporates,” he shared. 

The Transport Zone: Test Drives with a Green Twist 

Attendees had the chance to test drive electric scooters and bikes by Dott. “They’re pretty zippy!” exclaimed Megan Gallagher, Operations Director at Future Leap. Callum Dixon, Operations Coordinator, explained, “This space promotes sustainable transport as an accessible alternative.” Dott currently operates 3,000 scooters in Bristol and 300 in Bath, offering an eco-friendly transport option. 

There was also the exciting opportunity to take out a Tesla or a Lexus for a spin! Tim La Touche, Director of La Touche Consultancy Ltd had a chance to try out both. “It was fun test driving the electric vehicles,” he commented, “I was impressed with how much storage room there was inside the hatchback version with plenty of room to get my bike(s) inside!” 

Insightful Talks at the Just Transition Stage 

Social Value Panel 

The first panel discussion at the Just Transition stage was on the topic of Social Value. Poku Pipim Osei FRSA, Founder of Babbasa and Merop Consulting stressed the need for organisations to be intentional and strategic in creating social value, urging attendees to reflect on their own roles. “We have a moral imperative to think about social value,” he said. 

Julia Gray, Principal and CEO at City of Bristol College, focused on the importance of providing pathways for young people in green industries. She advocated for more partnerships between employers and educational institutions to bridge the growing skills gap. “Young people are our future, and they are worth investing in,” she declared. 

Rachel Baker, Social Value Coordinator at Bristol City Leap, highlighted the role of social value in community resilience, especially as Bristol moves toward decarbonisation. She shared how Bristol City Leap engages with schools to inspire the next generation of green leaders. “We want to give them something exciting to latch onto rather than the doom and gloom of the climate crisis,” she said. 

Caroline Bird, Senior Research Associate, Department of Computer Science at University of Bristol spoke of her interesting research investigating how social value is mapped onto city decarbonisation approaches.  

Marvin Rees OBE on Diversity in Environmentalism 

Previous Mayor of Bristol, and the first black Mayor to lead a European city, Marvin Rees OBE, addressed the racial prejudice in the environmentalism movement, and the need for greater diversity. “I cycle to work every day, yet I am not seen as a cyclist?”  he questioned, mirroring similar presumptions Rees has faced around not being an environmentalist despite establishing the C40 Cities’ global mayors’ taskforce on climate and migration, amongst other climate-conscious efforts. Rees called for more media representation of minority groups in climate action. He also argued that addressing environmental concerns must also be put into perspective with broader socioeconomic challenges, such as food insecurity and crime, which continue to be threats for low-income families. “Diversity in environmentalism is about the integrity of the movement and the resilience of the movement,” he concluded.  

Fuad Muhammed on Inclusion and Climate 

Fuad Muhammed, CEO and Founder of ACH Refugee Integration Services Provider started by posing the thought-provoking question: “Is sustainable business for all?” He highlighted that global climate change is currently affecting refugee communities the most and yet they still are not included in climate change conversations. “We must change the bad assumptions about migrants,” Muhammed stated, calling for greater inclusion. 

Carla Denyer MP’s Vision for a Green Bristol 

Carla Denyer, The Green Party Co-Leader and Bristol MP painted a picture of Bristol as a beacon of hope. “Imagine a city where the air is clean and fresh, and everyone benefits from a green, circular economy,” she said, “this utopia is not so far out of reach”. “We are living through a time of immense challenges but also opportunity!” Denyer emphasised. The MP also asserted that lifestyle changes must be backed by system changes to make sustainable choices more accessible. “We must change the rules of the game,” she concluded.  

Panel Discussion: The Future of Heat Networks 

The closing panel discussed the benefits of heat networks in reducing carbon emissions and costs. Jon Sankey, Head of Business Development at Vattenfall Bristol, highlighted the financial challenges of transitioning away from gas. Simon Andrews stressed the need for better public communication around retrofitting homes for energy efficiency. 

Closing Remarks: The Road Ahead 

Our sponsors gave closing talks to round the day off. Simon Andrews returned to the stage and expressed his optimism for the future. “I’m impressed by the growing professionalism and understanding of what we need to do,” he said. “Reducing the damage our earth has suffered is within our power—let’s make sure we do it.” 

The Future Leap Festival has proven to be a hub of inspiration, innovation, and collaboration. With sponsors, exhibitors, and speakers all dedicated to sustainable growth, Bristol is leading the charge towards a greener, fairer future. 

We can’t wait for the Festival of Sustainable Business Conference 2025 to continue the conversation. Early bird tickets are already available. We’ll see you there!