Formally the Future Economy Network - The Future Leap Network, Future Leap hub and The Festival of Sustainable Business team have made commitments to be carbon neutral in our operations and to consider sustainability in every aspect of our operations. Here is how we are reducing our environmental impact:
STRATEGIC SUSTAINABILITY
In 2020 we made a commitment to achieve carbon neutrality within the year. We are delighted to say that we achieved this and measured our carbon footprint as 19.2 tonnes CO2e for 2020 (Scope1 and 2+). The carbon that we have been unable to remove was then offset with our chosen charity, The Converging Worlds. In March 2021, we set out new targets for the coming year as follows:
A 7.5% carbon intensity reduction on our 2020 carbon footprint (Scope 1 and 2+)
Completion of the B Impact Assessment with a view to becoming B Corp accredited
For 2022, we would like to start recording and reducing our Scope 3 emissions and so throughout 2021, we shall investigate the data required to enable this
The team hold monthly sustainability meetings to ensure progress against these targets.
Our Director of Partnerships and Head of Sustainability sits on the One City Environment and Sustainability Board. More information can be found here.
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 SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS HUB
Our hub on Gloucester Road forms the epicentre of Future Leap’s community of change makers and innovative technologies. Complete with 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. All of our retail suppliers must complete a sustainability questionnaire and meet a specific criteria in order to qualify to retail within the space.
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. 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. 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.
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.
A SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS COMMUNITY: OPPORTUNITIES TO NETWORK, INFLUENCE AND SHARE KNOWLEDGE
The Future Leap Network has various opportunities available to help you accelerate your sustainability journey. The Network offers knowledge sharing and networking via their weekly sustainability-related events. 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 Network Director, Katherine Piper is a board member).
To further encourage accessibility we also offer discounted event tickets to students and underserved groups.
Why not also consider joining the Network and benefiting from our weekly sustainability-related business networking events?
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.
SUSTAINABILITY CONSULTANCY
We have a dedicated sustainability consultancy service, advising the business community in reducing their carbon footprint.
Our consultancy offers:
Carbon assessment services, Carbon neutrality, accreditation and offsetting PAS 2060, ‘DataCollator’ Carbon data management software.
Environmental management solutions including ISO14001.
Business sustainability health checking, CSR, performance and reporting processes, KPI implementation and management.
B Corp impact assessment workshops, guidance and coaching.
Sustainable business model, entrepreneurship and innovation workshops.
Circular economy design, waste and plastic reduction workshops and education.
Retrofit assessments, energy certificates, built environment and low-carbon technology advice, supply and installation.
Renewable energy and EV feasibility studies and renewable energy integration advice.
B-CORP ACCREDITATION
We have made a commitment to gain B-Corp accreditation and are in the process of completing our B-Impact Assessment; the tool to measure our impact on our workers, community, the environment and our customers.
SUSTAINABLE TRAVEL
When inviting clients to events/our Festival/the Hub, we give active and public transport options in the first instance. The Future Leap sustainable business hub, for example is easily accessible by both bus and train, has secure bike storage, lockers and showers to promote active travel and also has an electric charge point. FLN members and Future Leap clients can benefit from a discount to EcoMove’s electric mopeds. The team collect data relating to how clients travel to our events and add an additional £1 per event to offset their carbon.
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.
FOOD AND CATERING
The 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 are briefed in relation to our sustainability requirements. At the Festival’s Sustainable Food Zone, the vendors are carefully selected due to their credentials and commitment to locally sourced, eco-friendly, great tasting food and we ask that all food containers/cutlery are biodegradable.
We are also supporting the Going for Gold initiative, a campaign that works to improve Bristol’s food systems on their mission to get our home recognised as a Gold Sustainable Food City.
And finally, for our Gala Dinner at The Bristol (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.
PAPER USAGE
To reduce our paper waste, we print very few materials, for example we do not provide printed guides for the Festival and instead, these are made available online for attendees to access through their devices. We also use electronic signing systems to further reduce our paper usage.
For any printed materials, we have ensured that the paper is either recycled or Sustainable FSC® Papers and our ink is less-harmful, vegetable-based ink.
WASTE MANAGEMENT
At our events, the Festival and at the Future Leap hub, 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 here.
CARBON OFFSETTING
We are working with FLN’s chosen charity The Converging World to offset the carbon emissions of the Festival, our events and Future Leap; the carbon neutral sustainable business hub.
Find out more about what we are doing with The Converging World:
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 The Converging World, City to Sea and Solutions for the Planet.
Our partners receive free FLN membership for a year, free exhibition space at the Festival of Sustainable Business and free rental space to showcase their services within the Future Leap sustainability hub.
