New Beginnings and Regeneration

Dear Readers

I can't express how great it is to write that this week, we shall see the first day of spring! I don't know about you but for me, it has felt like a long winter and so I am delighted to know that the lighter, clearer days are upon us; a time of new beginnings and regeneration!

Here, at Future Leap, there have been plenty of new beginnings to welcome in! I am sure many people are already aware that work is well underway to regenerate a second sustainable business hub. The Future Leap Clifton site will open its doors mid-April, so stay tuned for updates on that as we head into spring.

We have also welcomed many new team members to Future Leap over the last few weeks. Katie, will be our Business Network Account Manager; a vital role as we continue to grow our community of change-makers. We have welcomed Eve, a former Kickstarter, into the Future Leap family as she is taking on a Business Administration apprenticeship to support a lot of our activities. Another Kickstarter, Luc, has joined the Consultancy Team and is rapidly getting to grips with carbon foot-printing and all the carbon jargon we discussed in this week's business breakfast! And last but not least, we have welcomed Cal to the reception team, who will be a huge support to our co-working community.

Sadly the Kickstart scheme is drawing to a close and so that does mean that we will be saying farewell to Joe, who has been supporting our membership activities. Huge thanks to Joe for all the support during such a busy time. We have loved having you as part of the team (I have particularly enjoyed you leading our Wellbeing Wednesdays) and we wish you all the best for the future.

As some of you may know, Future Leap has been a Gateway organisation for the DWP's Kickstart scheme. This means that we have supported members of our business community to access and administrate the scheme. Indeed, since the scheme opened, we have supported 15 employers to give 39 young people the opportunity to learn new skills and develop their CVs. Additionally within the team, we have had 11 Kickstarters working alongside us, three of whom have gone on to take on permanent positions at Future Leap. It has been wonderful to give these young people the opportunity to develop their careers and for them to share their knowledge, fresh ideas and creativity with us. I would like to thank colleagues within the DWP for their support to make this happen.

Speaking of creativity, this month saw our first ever Wildlife Photography Exhibition take place. It was an amazing evening with such a great buzz about the photos and wildlife in general. A huge thanks to Niche Frames for sponsoring the event and providing the frames with sustainability in mind and a massive thank you to representatives from Avon Wildlife Trust and Wildscreen for their brilliant presentations.

Here's to the buzziness continuing into our summer schedule which will see us launch the One City Sustainable Business Awards at our Festival of Sustainable Business Gala Dinner on 16th June 2022. This will be a great opportunity for organisations doing "business unusual" to get recognition for their efforts. If your organisation is doing impressive stuff around Sustainable Buildings, Communicating the Climate and Ecological Emergency, The Natural Environment, Sustainable Travel and Transport or Reduction of Waste and Consumption, you still have time to apply. Deadline for applications is 12pm 4th April and winners will receive a complimentary invite to the Gala Dinner, a physical award (made sustainably from wasted plastic) and a year’s membership to the Future Leap Network. More info can be found here.

So here's to more new beginnings as we welcome in the spring!

Very best wishes

Katherine

Head of Partnerships and Sustainability at Future Leap

We are Making Nature Everyone's Business

Dear Readers,

Hope your month is going well and you are keeping to those sustainability new year's resolutions I spoke about in the last newsletter. We too, at Future Leap are trying to keep to our resolutions.

After hosting the Health and Wellbeing event in January for example, the Future Leap team decided to embrace some of the event recommendations and we all disappeared into nature for a morning! Guided by our wonderful Senior Carbon Consultant, Dr. Simon Forsyth, we explored the nature and history of his home turf in Limpley Stoke. The Future Leap team understands the importance of biophilia but also recognise that time can be limited and so we have done everything we can to bring nature to you. Within our Hub, for example, the space is filled with beautiful plants thanks to our collaboration with Maria at From Pachamama. And we encourage our community to engage with our bi-monthly netwalking events, which give you the opportunity to connect with other organisations, whilst experiencing the benefits of being out in Bristol's wonderful green spaces.

Other notable links with nature include our upcoming Wildlife Photography Exhibition in March, our Business and Biodiversity event in April and our Natural Environment Award as part of our Festival of Sustainable Business in June. Many thanks to Future Leap Network members, Niche Frames and Michelmores for supporting the above. There are still sponsorship opportunities available for other weekly events and elements of the Festival of Sustainable Business. Get in touch if you would like to discuss this.

And the Future Leap team was out and about again last week, this time to explore the new Clifton site. This workspace will be located within a beautiful period building near Whiteladies Road. We are currently finalising package options, so please do register your interest here for updates. This was followed by a very entertaining "Would I Lie to You" game in the local pub...what revelations and what a great way to get to know your team - highly recommended!

Finally, in other exciting news, we are pleased to support Future Leap Network members, North Somerset Council in offering a funded carbon consultancy opportunity for organisations based in the North Somerset area. In order to learn more and to sign up to this initiative, you can visit the council’s website here. Deadlines for expressions of interest is by the end of February, so get in touch if this is something your organisation would like to explore.

Very best wishes to all,

Katherine Piper

Head of Partnerships & Sustainability

Achieve your Sustainability Resolutions with the Future Leap Network

Happy New Year!

We hope you enjoy this bumper newsletter due to not having had a publication in December. This month’s is packed with useful information on our events, news and plenty of fantastic opportunities for you and your organisation.

Do you have a new year's resolution? Why not consider making your resolution a green one? You could do this by pledging the following commitments on the Bristol One City Climate Ask page:

1. Declare an ambition to become Net Zero by 2030

2. Commit to developing a plan to reduce carbon emissions within 6 months (Future Leap's consultancy team can support you with this)

3. Start delivering on your plan within 12 months

4. Inspire other businesses by sharing your journey. We want to share your stories as #BristolClimate Action

Even if your organisation is outside Bristol, why not consider the above. They are great pledges, regardless of where you are based and the team at Future Leap would be happy to support you with your carbon reduction plans. Just get in touch!

Remember, we are here to help you expand your knowledge and to provide you with the tools needed to adapt to a greener future. To encourage this knowledge-sharing and collaboration, we have made all of our our regular events free to all Future Leap Network members.

We look forward to the next two Festival of Sustainable Business events, which have now been pushed back due to the emergence of the Omicron variant. Our Gala Dinner and Sustainable Business Awards Ceremony will now take place on the 16th June 2022, and our Sustainable Business Exhibition will now be taking place on the 23rd June 2022.

Stand out as a leader in business sustainability and be recognised for your contributions towards people, planet and profit. Entering the Future Leap Sustainable Business Awards allows you the opportunity to share and celebrate your hard work and success stories. Learn more here.

Finally, we are pleased to support North Somerset Council in offering a funded carbon consultancy opportunity for organisations based in the North Somerset area. In order to learn more and to sign up to this initiative, you can visit the council’s website here.

We look forward to the discovery, innovation and collaboration that this next year will bring.

To all of our members, readers and extended community - we wish you all the best for the months ahead.

The Future Leap Team.

IOD Appoints Future Leap Sustainability Ambassador

The Institute of Directors (IoD) has boosted its South West team with the appointment of a quartet of experienced business leaders.

Future Leap’s Katherine Piper joins as sustainability ambassador while Peter Doyle comes on board as education and skills ambassador. Alex Chikhani is the region's new inclusivity and diversity ambassador, John Rotherford becomes international ambassador.

Katherine said: "I am delighted to take on the role of SW Sustainability Ambassador for the IoD alongside my role as Head of Sustainability and Partnerships at Future Leap. Such an appointment will strengthen the links between the IoD and Future Leap - Future Leap's mission being to give organisations the space, knowledge and tools to accelerate their sustainability journey and progress towards net zero carbon. Members of the IoD will benefit from discounted access to all that Future Leap has to offer; weekly sustainability-related events, networking opportunities, sustainability consultancy support, net zero co-working facilities and lots more! I look forward to bringing my expertise and enthusiasm for sustainable development to the IoD. Do get in touch if you would like to know more: info@futureleap.co.uk. "

IoD ambassadors ensure that everything the IoD does places the member first. They enable greater connectivity, create influence and drive professional development opportunities while giving a local voice to the Institute.

The appointments follow the arrival of Steve Hill as IoD South West chair in October 2021. The team is supported by senior manager Kerri-Anne Mruk and branch manager Jayne Miller.

Hill said: "Our ambassadors play a vital, highly valued role in connecting, developing and influencing across the South West. I am delighted to welcome Katherine, Peter, Alex and John to the team.

"Together we strengthen local connectivity with members and give a local voice and presence in the region – helping each other to grow and succeed."

The IoD South West team is embarking on a regional tour of universities, hubs and businesses in the New Year.

IoD South West is based at the University of the West of England in Bristol. The region’s branch structure aligns with its world-class universities to ensure it fulfils its commitment to deliver ‘Tomorrow’s Director’.

Post COP26 - It is down to us!

Well, COP26 has been and gone and I guess my overarching thoughts are...well...the pledges made by the various countries are an improvement, but not nearly ambitious enough to be in line with what climate scientists are telling us. Indeed, the IPCC now say it is inevitable that we will breach 1.5C global warming. We need cuts of last year's magnitude every year to keep warming close to 1.5C. My conclusion is that the work we do here at Future Leap is now more important than ever. It is down to us; us as a business network, us as individuals and us in our communities to do all that we can to limit the devastating impacts of the climate emergency.

So, with that in mind, I would like to share a #BristolClimateAction campaign film featuring yours truly speaking about my commitment to not fly until there are low carbon options and another film from the Net Zero Tour, discussing the services Future Leap can offer, as well as a recent BBC Radio Bristol interview where I reflected upon the outcomes of COP26 and spoke about the actions that businesses can take.

In addition to these, since the last time of writing, the Future Leap team attended the Bristol City Gathering, to hear from national, regional and local speakers all with the same ambition, to tackle the climate and ecological crises and to make Bristol Net Zero by 2030. Our Future Leap team also partnered with Bristol City Council and Network members, Business West to deliver ‘the business of net zero’ which included what Bristol businesses are doing to reduce emissions, where the growth opportunities in the low carbon economy are and what offers of support are available. If you were unable to attend, check out the recording here.

So, we keep pushing on, pushing as fast as we can towards promoting and accelerating sustainable business practices. And we see and hear about so many incredible companies doing the same within our Network! Indeed, we are receiving some brilliant examples of sustainable business practices as applications come in for our Future Leap Business Awards. Please do apply if your organisation is leading the way (deadline 12:00pm 1st Feb 2022). We all need to collaborate and learn from one another if we are to minimise the negative impacts of the climate emergency.

Here's to working together, for a better, greener future!

With very best wishes

Katherine Piper

Head of Partnerships & Sustainability

Katherine Piper on BBC Radio Bristol

Listen to our Head of Partnerships and Sustainability, Katherine Piper, on BBC Radio Bristol discussing how businesses need to change the way they operate and to share her thoughts on whether COP26 has been ambitious enough.

COP26 is Just Around the Corner

Dear Readers

Wow, what a busy few weeks for those involved in anything sustainability-related! I hope, despite this, you have the time to take a few minutes out of your busy day to grab a cuppa and read all the exciting news from our Future Leap Network. There is a lot to share!

With COP26 just around the corner, our activities are certainly ramping up. Indeed, since the last time of writing a month ago, we have delivered a whopping 10 sustainability-related events with a total of 770+ attendances. A huge shout out to the whole team for their work on this, ensuring the delivery of some exceptional, inspiring hybrid seminars, workshops and networking events.

Outside of Future Leap's events, there has also been a lot of exciting COP-related activity. I had the opportunity, for example, to shout out about Future Leap's activities during the Zero Carbon Tour and I was recently filmed sharing my decision to not fly until there are low carbon flights (both films to follow in the next week or two!). I was also invited onto a Bristol 24/7 expert panel exploring whether Bristol can be the first net zero city and Future Leap also partnered with the Blue Earth Summit, ensuring a vibrant two-day programme of activities.

And the activities continue....we are delighted to be partnering with several local authorities and key players on various initiatives in the run up to COP26. We are particularly excited to be delivering some of the COP26 Green Zone event The Business of Net Zero in partnership with Bristol City Council and Future Leap Network members, Business West.

So that gives an overview of our involvement, but our plans go way beyond COP26, with the team pulling together the next element of our Festival of Sustainable Business; the Gala Dinner Sustainable Business Awards ceremony, taking place on 7th April 2022. ​As part of our commitment to Bristol's One City approach, Future Leap has taken on Goal 43: 'Bristol holds annual awards to recognise individuals, communities and organisations for their leadership and contribution to an environmentally sustainable and socially just future.' If your organisation has made contributions towards sustainability in relation to Buildings, Communicating the Climate and Ecological Emergency, The Natural Environment, Travel and Transport and/or Reduction of Waste and Consumption, you might want to think about applying. You can register your interested here, and we will be in touch to let you know as soon as applications go live. Deadline for application: 1st Feb 2022 midday, winners will receive a physical award (made sustainably from waste plastic) and a year’s membership to the Future Leap Network.

Finally, I am delighted to see that we are not the only ones going full speed ahead to make the most of the opportunities that COP26 presents. As you will see in this month's newsletter, our wonderful Future Leap Network members have also been doing some amazing things in the name of the climate and ecological emergency! Enjoy your read!

Katherine Piper

Head of Partnerships and Sustainability

5 Days To Go...

Only 5 days to go until our BIG event of the year, our Festival of Sustainable Business. Hopefully by now, you will have already bought your tickets. If not, here are some reasons you should:

• It is taking place on Zero Emissions Day! Set aside the day to address your future sustainability direction in advance of COP26

• Learn about ways you can make positive change and accelerate your sustainable business practices.

• We are in a climate emergency. To quote the UN Secretary General, this is "Code Red for Humanity"

• To quote another expert, Mark Carney, UN Special Envoy for Climate Action and Finance has stressed that “Companies that don’t adapt will go bankrupt without question [...] It's not just a niche part of the economy. It's a whole economy transition. That's where the focus increasingly is.”

• We will experience brilliant, relevant seminars aimed at aiding climate action, covering discussions around the built environment, nature based solutions, sustainable travel and B Corp.

• These will be led by expert live speakers including representatives from Triodos Bank, Kensa Contracting, Bevan Brittan, Elmtronics and The Environment Agency

• Delicious refreshments and at long last, the opportunity to network in person! Check out how we are keeping the space safe here.

• And if you cannot make it in person, the conference will also be virtual

​There are only a few tickets left so get yours now! Use our special code ‘future20’ for 20% off all ticket prices.

Really looking forward to seeing you all there.

With very best wishes

Katherine

Katherine Piper

Collaborate with us for immediate, rapid and large-scale change!

Dear Colleagues,

I'm sure it will come as no surprise to find the IPCC's Sixth Assessment Report in my opening introduction to this month's newsletter. I have yet to finish reading the report (it will take me some weeks) but I thought it might be useful to summarise the main points I have discerned thus far:

The report has called for immediate, rapid and large-scale reductions in greenhouse gas emissions if we are to limit global warming to close to 1.5°C or even 2°C.

It found that global surface temperature will continue to increase until at least the mid-century under all emissions scenarios considered and that global warming of 1.5°C and 2°C will be exceeded during the 21st century unless deep reductions in CO2 and other greenhouse gas emissions occur in the coming decades. It states that at 2°C of global warming, heat extremes would more often reach critical tolerance thresholds for agriculture and health and that extreme sea level events that previously occurred once in 100 years could happen every year by the end of this century.

The report stated that it is unequivocal that human influence has warmed the atmosphere, ocean and land and that this influence has warmed the climate at a rate that is unprecedented in at least the last 2000 years. It found that many changes due to past and future greenhouse gas emissions are irreversible for centuries to millennia, especially changes in the ocean, ice sheets and global sea level.

It is truly a harrowing read which is why the activities of Future Leap and other organisations working towards sustainable practices, is now more important than ever. So... if you are not already a Future Leap Network member, please join! If you want to learn more about the actions you can take, come to our Festival of Sustainable Business or speak to our sustainability consultants! ​If you want to connect with other like-minded individuals and learn about environmental technologies, visit us at the Future Leap Hub! ​Although some changes are irreversible, there is A LOT that we, as a business community, can do to improve our futures. As the UN secretary general, António Guterres said, this is a “code red” for humanity. We are here to support you in taking meaningful action and we look forward to you getting in touch, regardless of where you are on your sustainability journey. ​

In other news, we said a fond farewell to Sasha this month who has completed her internship with us and is going on to complete her Geography final year at Bristol University. Huge thanks for all your hard work Sasha and we wish you all the best! Replacing some of Sasha's activities will be Eve, who has joined us as a Financial Administrator and will be working closely with Fenna and I on Kickstart and B-Corp coordination, amongst other things! Which brings me on to our B Corp journey... Things are progressing well with different team members inputting into the process via dedicated working groups and we envisage having submitted our B Impact Assessment by the next Network Newsletter. More info on that next month!

And finally, this month saw us finally hosting our Future Leap launch event. The evening provided a long over-due opportunity to enjoy one another’s company, the success of the hub since opening during the pandemic and the chance to network in a safe environment. The Future Leap hub was created in order to provide a headquarters for the Future Economy Network, and a wider community of change-makers. Here, our dedicated team work to facilitate our weekly events programme, provide a carbon neutral co-working space, offer carbon consultancy, as well as our café and eco-lifestyle shop.

Future Leap now acts as an epicentre for sustainability within the region, bringing people and organisations together under one unifying goal, to progress sustainability. It is for this reason that the announcement was made at the launch, that we are now merging all areas of our network and services together under one unifying brand, Future Leap. We see this decision as a natural evolution of the Future Economy Network, a network that continues to thrive and now moves from strength to strength following the creation of our first hub.

So, from all of us within the Future Leap team, we wish you all the best and we look forward to supporting you, in the coming months, with your sustainability aspirations. It is only by us all working together, that we can achieve the large-scale changes required. Get in touch with us at Future Leap to 'Discover, Collaborate and Innovate'. We look forward to hearing from you!

With very best wishes for a positive future,

Katherine

Katherine Piper

Head of Partnerships and Sustainability

Cool, Comfortable and Climate Friendly

Dear Colleagues

I hope you are all well and have been coping in the heat over the last few days. If you haven't already given it a try, do come and try out our carbon-neutral co-working space for a cool, comfortable and climate friendly working environment, thanks to our state of the art Air Source Heat Pumps and Mechanical Ventilation Heat Recovery System.​

This month has seen the team going Plastic Free as part of Plastic Free July. It has been really great to share insights with one another and we have all learned a lot. Stay tuned for some social media posts sharing top tips over the coming weeks!

As always, July was a busy month for the events team, with topics covering Science Based Targets, Net Zero Cities, Nature-Based Solutions and Circular Economy (amongst others). The team will be taking a well-deserved break from events in August but will be back in September for our BIG event of the year, The Festival of Sustainable Business.

The Festival provides a platform for forward-thinking organisations to share and expand knowledge, as well as making valuable connections. The importance of city-wide engagement on Bristol’s climate and ecological ambitions was discussed in depth at our quarterly One City Environment Board this month (summary can be found here) and the Festival is a great way of disseminating expert knowledge throughout the Bristol region and beyond. Do book your tickets if you have not already and share far and wide to ensure we bring everyone with us on the transition to a greener future!

We have a really exciting line up of Festival activities throughout 2021-22, our first Festival event taking place on Zero Emissions Day (21st September 2021) will explore Low Carbon Energy Solutions, Sustainable Buildings and Sustainable Infrastructure amongst other topics and this will be followed up in 2022 with a sustainably-sourced gala dinner and awards ceremony and a sustainable business exhibition.

If you are interested in sponsoring an element of the Festival, please take a look at our Partnerships Opportunity brochure, there are many ways in which you can support the Festival and we would welcome your involvement.

Looking forward to welcoming you to our wonderful Future Leap Hub, to the Festival of Sustainable Business or both in the near future!

All the best

Katherine Piper

Head of Partnerships and Sustainability