Sustainability Journey
Sustainability is at the heart of everything we do at Future Leap. Here, we’d like to share the steps we are taking to ensure we are progressing with our mission.
Net Zero Commitments
Sustainability is at the heart of everything we do at Future Leap. Here, we’d like to share the steps we are taking to ensure we are progressing with our mission.Â
The Future Leap Network, Future Leap Hubs and The Festival of Sustainable Business teams have made commitments to be carbon neutral in their operations and to consider sustainability in every aspect of their service delivery.
Together, we can work towards Net Zero. Here is how we are reducing our environmental impact.
Strategic Sustainability
Since the opening of our first hub in 2019, we have been committed to achieving carbon neutrality with a long-term aim of going beyond neutrality and achieving Net Zero in line with science-based targets.
In 2019-20, we measured Scopes 1 and 2 and had a carbon footprint of 19.2 tonnes CO2e. Â
In 2020-21, we started getting processes in place and collecting data for Scope 3 emissions and measured our Scope 1, 2 and some scope 3 as 25 tonnes CO2e. The increase was due to businesses operational expansion. Â
For 2021-22, we decided to measure our carbon intensity, alongside our footprint. We made this decision as we are a growing business and want to accurately reflect our carbon impacts.Â
2022 saw the opening of our second carbon neutral hub and so our carbon footprint naturally increased (71 tonnes) but our carbon intensity remained relatively stable; 0.065kg CO2e/£ in 2020-21 versus 0.074kg CO2e/£ in 2021-22 (Scopes 1, 2 and elements of 3). Â
The carbon that we have been unable to remove was then offset with our offset partner, The Converging World.Â
2022 also saw us complete our B Impact Assessment and the creation of working groups to ensure we can evidence the various impact areas of the B Corp accreditation.Â
For 2022-23, we will measure all three scopes of our carbon as well as our carbon intensity. We have set the following targets:Â
- A 7.5% carbon intensity reduction on our 2021-22 carbon footprint (Scope 1, 2 and 3)Â Â
- Successful completion of our B Impact Assessment audit and subsequent award of B Corp accreditationÂ
- The installation of solar PV panels on our Gloucester Road Hub Â
Our Director of Partnerships and Head of Sustainability sits on the One City Environment and Sustainability Board. More information can be found here.Â
Within our weekly event introduction slides, we draw attention to either the Sustainable Development Goals or Bristol’s Climate Strategy Delivery Themes.
The Future Leap Hubs
Our hub on Gloucester Road forms the epicentre of Future Leap’s community of change makers and showcases innovative technologies. Complete with co-working space, an ethical café, exhibition space and eco-lifestyle shop, sustainability is embedded throughout the building itself, having been reconditioned and re-purposed before opening in Early 2020.Â
The hub includes original features such as an old stone partition wall and 1930’s wooden flooring, which have been kept, ensuring zero waste to landfill.Â
One of the largest living walls in Bristol spans the length of the building to help improve air quality and promote biodiversity in the area, including pollinator-friendly plants.Â
Cutting edge tech, such as a state-of-the-art air source heat pump, a mechanical ventilation heat recovery system and energy efficient LED lighting has helped the hub to achieve its carbon neutral status. Even the carpets are made from discarded fishing nets removed from the ocean. Â
Here, we showcase sustainability-related products, green technologies and services to help other businesses and the general public consider what they might be able to do to reduce their environmental impact.Â
Our Clifton Hub is the second of our co-working sites and is located within a beautiful period building. The retrofit of this building was more challenging due to its structure and functionality. Therefore, we have a taken a staged approach with the retrofit. Future Leap Clifton is operated as a joint venture with the building owners who have agreed to our sustainability charter and a plan to implement further site improvements.  Â
As with the Gloucester Road Hub, the Clifton hub is classified as carbon neutral through measurement and reduction of emissions and subsequent offsetting. Improvements recently made include utilising reclaimed wood, second hand furniture and installing low energy LED lighting. As we implement future improvements this will reduce our overall footprint and offsetting requirements. We want to show that even with a period building, it is possible to retrofit and work towards minimising your environmental impact. Â
We will report annual on our progress with carbon reduction at Future Leap Clifton.Â
For future co-working sites, property owners will be required to sign up to a charter which commits them to future additional changes to the building regarding social and environmental sustainability.
A Sustainable Business Network
The Future Leap Network has various opportunities available to help you accelerate your sustainability journey.Â
The Network offers knowledge sharing and networking via their weekly sustainability-related events (free to members). Network members also benefit from personalised business introductions and have the opportunity to influence the Bristol region’s sustainable development via the One City Environmental Sustainability Board (of which, the Head of Partnerships & Sustainability, Katherine Piper is a board member).Â
To further encourage accessibility, we also offer discounted event tickets to students and underserved groups.Â
Why not also consider joining the Network and benefiting from our weekly sustainability-related business networking events?Â
You could also sign up to our newsletter or follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin or Instagram to keep abreast of sustainability news and opportunities.Â
Sustainability Consultancy
In order to assist others in progressing towards net zero, we offer a dedicated sustainability consultancy service, advising the business community in reducing their carbon footprint and enhance their sustainable business practices.
Our consultancy offers:Â
- Carbon and net-zero services: Carbon foot-printing, carbon reduction plans, net-zero strategy and roadmaps, certification and offsetting recommendationsÂ
- Sustainability assessments, policy development and action planningÂ
- Green technology assessments: option comparison with business case adviceÂ
- Renewable energy feasibility studies and integration adviceÂ
- B Corp impact assessment coaching and mentoringÂ
- Implementation of environmental management solutions including ISO 14001Â
- Digital, website and e-commerce sustainability optimisationÂ
- Supply and install of low-carbon retrofit solutionsÂ
- B Corp Accreditation
Alongside working directly with clients to progress their sustainability ambitions, the Future Leap consultancy team partner with higher education providers (such as UWE and Bath Spa University) to offer workshops and courses designed to educate business owners and leaders in sustainability-focused subjects.Â
B Corp Accreditation
We have made a commitment to gain B-Corp accreditation and have completed our B-Impact Assessment; the tool to measure our impact on our workers, community, the environment and our customers.Â
We have a dedicated B Corp Consultant. who can support other organisations through their B Corp application and audit. Get in touch if this would be useful and do also keep an eye on our upcoming events for our popular B Corp workshops. Â
Sustainable Travel
When inviting clients to events, our Festival or the Hub, we give active and public transport options in the first instance.Â
The Future Leap sustainable business hubs are easily accessible by both bus and train, have secure bike storage, lockers and showers to promote active travel and also have an electric charge point.Â
Future Leap Network members and clients can benefit from various sustainability discounts and perks from within the community.
Venues
When hosting external events, we choose venues who have demonstrated their commitment towards sustainability and work with venue providers to ensure that sustainability is considered throughout their programmes, including consideration of appropriate heating and lighting and the provision of sustainably sourced refreshments.Â
Food and Catering
The Gloucester Road Future Leap sustainable business hub has an eco-café and catering service where consideration of our food’s environmental impact is paramount.
Any external caterers we use are briefed in relation to our sustainability requirements.Â
We supported the Going for Gold initiative, a campaign that works to improve Bristol’s food systems and led to the city achieving its Gold Sustainable Food Award in June 2021.Â
And finally, for our annual Festival of Sustainable Business Awards Ceremony at The Bristol hotel (Green Tourism Gold Award, Trip Advisor Green Leaders Gold Award), we liaise with the hotel to ensure that vegan, Fairtrade, organic and local options are on the menu and we ensure that the default option on the menu is the vegetarian option. This led to all attendees at the 2022 Awards Ceremony eating vegetarian with no-one opting for the meat option.Â
Waste Management
At our events, the Festival of Sustainable Business and at the Future Leap hubs, we provide separated waste/recycling bins and to minimise unnecessary waste, we encourage attendees to bring re-usable coffee cup and water bottles. There is a refill station at the Hub and at various locations throughout the city centre, you can find the nearest refill station below.Â
Carbon Offsetting
We are working with our chosen charity The Converging World to offset the carbon emissions of the Festival, our events and and Future Leap’s carbon neutral sustainable business hubs. Â
Supporting our Not-for-Profit Partners
The Future Leap Network has three not-for-profit partners who we support financially and with other member benefits. These are Babbasa, Nature Connection CIC and Digilocal.
Our partners receive free Future Leap Network membership for a year, free exhibition space at the Festival of Sustainable Business and opportunities to showcase their services through Future Leap.Â
Health and Wellbeing
It is important to us that we support the wellbeing of the Future Leap team and our community of changemakers. We encourage feedback and open dialogue from within the team on health, wellbeing and wider issues. As such, we offer:Â
- Wellbeing Wednesdays – encouragement to attend regular yoga, breathwork and wellbeing-related eventsÂ
- Fresh Air Breaks – encouragement to take a break from the desk, go outside, move and connect with nature and one anotherÂ
- Netwalking – bi-monthly walks in green spaces whilst networkingÂ
- Away Days and Socials – monthly Dinner and Drinks free to our community of changemakers, and Future Leap team away-days (in 2022, we had a walk and pub lunch along the canal near Bradford-on-Avon, a team picnic and rounders on the Downs alongside our regular pizza-and-pint nights out. Â
- Moans and Gratitudes – The team are encouraged to attend a weekly team meeting where each team member shares what they are working on and (if they want to) a moan and/or gratitude, plus a piece of Sustainability News.Â
Expertise in Sustainability
Future Leap’s senior management team collectively hold 3 Masters (Msc) qualifications in Sustainable Development in Practice plus experience working in the green tech sector in the UK and Internationally. Future Leap’s founder Alan Bailey, was awarded an Honorary MSc by the University of the West of England for his work in supporting the South West and UK low carbon economy and is a leading UK advocate for sustainable economic development.Â
We support a fantastic team of individuals passionate about sustainability and the environment; a number of whom have also been awarded undergraduate or postgraduate degrees in environmental and sustainability-related subjects.Â
