Day 1 - Net Zero five years on… Are we on track?​​

Big Zero Lectures

The lectures are short TED-talk style sessions where a range of industry leading speakers will inspire and challenge your thinking. This year we have an amazing array of subjects covered from EVs to religion! And our headline speaker is the Rt Hon Chris Skidmore.

09:45-10:00
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Sumit Bose - future net zero

Welcome Session

Join our welcome session with Sumit Bose, Founder of future net zero.

10:00-10:30
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Rt Hon Chris Skidmore OBE

Net Zero: 5 Years On

The man who wrote net zero into law and authored the Mission Zero report gives us his insight into the UK's efforts so far.

10:30-10:40
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Julia Hailes

System Change, Not Climate Change 

Julia Hailes has been at the forefront of sustainability for 40 years. The author of The Green Consumer Guide, she has dedicated her life to engaging with businesses to produce more sustainable products. She gives her assessment of what businesses have done right and wrong over the last three decades and what we need to do now to ensure actual change.

10:45-10:55
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Nick Molden - Emissions Analytics Ltd

How We Can Actually Achieve Net Zero Transport, Not Just Officially 

This session will give an overview of different technology paths to net zero, why zero emission vehicles are a myth, the importance of cost and timing  and how to avoid another Dieselgate. 

11:00-11:10
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Vicky Pryce - The Centre for Economics and Business Research

Go Zero To Get Cash

Leading economist and author Vicky Pryce explains why your ESG credibility will soon be vital when it comes to raising investment or even trading. She will guide you through the policy landscape in the short term and why your financial models and forecasts will have to include your ambitions about emissions reduction.

11:15-11:25
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Michael Pollitt - University of Cambridge

Can Religion Be The Secret Weapon In The Fight To Cut Emissions?

A fascinating session from professor Michael Pollitt of Cambridge Judge Business School who has done a study into the power of religious messaging and whether we could use this globally to speed up the net zero transition.

11:30-11:40
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Jo Robinson - Equity Energies

Does Net Zero have a language barrier?

Jo talks about the communications challenges that can hamper Net Zero progress, from spoken and written word to body language and beyond. She discusses the barriers that often exist between different roles and functions within an organisation, which can have varied levels of understanding, and misaligned expectations, related to energy strategy and the pathway to Net Zero. Can encouraging more people to ‘learn the language of Net Zero’ inspire greater progress? And are there other ways of sharing knowledge and aiding understanding that can bring positive change?

11:45-11:55
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Angela Hepworth - Drax

What role do carbon removals have to play in net zero?

Angela explores the role of carbon removals in hitting net zero and how Bioenergy with Carbon Capture and Storage can contribute.

12:00-12:10
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Jamie Elliott - West Midlands Combined Authority

Local Authorities And Their Key Role In Net Zero

Join Dr. Jamie Elliott from  the West Midlands Combined Authority as he explains how the role of local authorities will be paramount on the road to 2050. Dr. Elliott will explore how engaging with local authorities will be vital for both businesses and the wider energy sector as we implement net zero technologies.

12:15-12:25
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Tim Delport - Rendesco

The Future Of Heating

Tim Delport talks about where heating is heading and what that looks like and means for the domestic and commercial consumers of the country. He will cover the benefits for the transition to net zero, infrastructure aspects and responsibilities.

12:30-12:40
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Simon Manley - UNDO

Enhanced Rock Weathering, A Community-Based Carbon Removal Solution Helping Businesses Achieve Net Zero

All businesses planning their net zero journey should be engaging with carbon removal solutions now. If they don't, what is an opportunity today will become a problem tomorrow as high quality supply gets claimed. Enhanced rock weathering (ERW), UNDO's high value, permanent, nature-enabled approach, is ready to scale and comes with a wealth of socio-economic and agricultural benefits for rural communities. This talk will explain how ERW works and how it can be incorporated into organisations' carbon management plans. 

Pathway to Net Zero

The pathway presentations cover case studies, methodologies and advice from your peers working in the energy, sustainability and ESG sector. They have faced the challenges you do and have the answers you need. There is an opportunity to ask questions in some of the sessions.

10:30-10:45
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Ollie Rosevear - Fuller, Smith and Turner

Decarbonising the customer journey on the road to Net Zero

The session will explore Fullers roadmap to Net Zero and the importance of taking customers on the journey. It will focus on Fullers approach to encouraging the use of Electric Vehicles when travel to our Hotels and Pubs.

10:50-11:05
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Tom Maidment - Hilton Foods

On Land And At Sea: Tackling Emissions In The Livestock Sector

Food production accounts for around 30% of global emissions and is a key part of many companies' supply chain. But this highly dispersed sector poses a unique challenge for decarbonisation as the majority of those emissions come from biological processes. In this session Tom will talk about the steps businesses can take to reduce emissions in this difficult to abate sector without impacting food security. 

11:10-11:25
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Rebecca Howard - Coventry Building Society

Net Zero Into Action

This session is about how Coventry Building Society has involved stakeholders in determining ESG priorities, communications and initiatives. It will focus on net zero and greenhouse gas emissions but will also address travel, waste management, diversity & inclusion, social value, community initiatives and supplier payment practices. The presentation will demonstrate how effective inter-organisational collaboration enables acceleration towards a net zero future. 

11:30-11:45
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Vijay Chouhan - Virgin Media O2

Virgin Media O2’s Pathway to Net Zero

Join Vijay Chouhan for an enlightening session as he delves into Virgin Media O2's ambitious journey towards achieving net zero emissions. Discover the innovative strategies, collaborative efforts and transformative technologies propelling Virgin Media O2 towards a sustainable future.

11:50-12:05
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Fitzroy Hutchinson - The Celtic Collection

The Celtic Collection: 30 Years Of Net Zero Success

Over two decades, our commitment to sustainability has been unwavering. This session will provide an overview of where we are currently and where we are looking to go. Low hanging fruit, to larger investment (BMS (linked to our booking system), LEDs, motors, pumps, heat pumps, de-gassing, biomass, hydrogen, green CHP, water management, sustainable maintenance and behavioural change creating a sustainable culture. 

12:10-12:25
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Bret Willers - Coventry City Council

Coventry - The role of local authorities in addressing climate change, carbon reduction and adapting to the inevitability of change

An outline of the activities of one of the UK’s leading authority’s working across Departments and in partnership with others in combatting climate change its causes and effects and adapting to the changes we are likely to face over the coming decades.

12:30-12:45
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Wendy Cheeseman - NHS

Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust's Journey To Net Zero

Join Wendy Cheeseman as she explores the challenges and opportunities pursuing the ambitious NHS carbon reduction targets and galvanising a workforce to action.

12:50-13:05
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David Medori - 888 William Hill

Bringing Net Zero To Life

888 William Hill has an aggressive target to achieve Net Zero by 2035. David, who leads the Environmental Strategy will discuss the journey he has had to date from taking ownership and being accountable for the environment, focussing on emission reduction activities and to most recently setting and writing a full transitional plan. David will articulate the challenges, risks and opportunities to date with examples of practical key initiatives that have driven emissions down. This session will illustrate a clear path and plan to Net Zero while highlighting the necessity for collaboration with a wide variety of stakeholders as imperative to achieving Net Zero.

13:05-13:45

Lunch

13:45-14:00
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Ola Bankole - London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine

Achieving And Sustaining A Net Zero Status For Your Organisation: The Key Elements

Net zero should not be considered as a destination but rather as a journey, one that continues beyond the target year. With this in mind the posture organisations must take on carbon reductions must be one that can be sustained into the future. This session provides insights into key elements organisations need in order to sustain their net zero journey while continuing to thrive in a competitive environment. 

14:05-14:20
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Matteo Deidda - Lloyds Banking Group

Lloyds Banking Group's Journey Towards 50% Reduction In Supply Chain Emissions By 2030

The session will cover Lloyds’ journey in setting a supply chain emissions reduction target and the group's approach to suppliers’ engagement via the Emerald Standard. 

14:25-14:40
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Fiona Edwards - JPA Workspaces

Net Zero Through Workspace Design

Up to 1.2million office desks and 1.8million still fit-for-task but simply out-of-fashion task chairs go to UK landfill every year. This results in the loss of potentially useful materials and resources, creating further emissions, pollution and nature degradation.  With much of this redundant furniture then replaced with new items, the outcome is further carbon emissions, waste, pollution, nature degradation and finite resource depletion.   

I’d like to share how a simple focus on SDG 12 Responsible Consumption and Production has helped our clients reduce furniture waste, carbon and pollution. This focus has also enabled clients to evidence sustainable procurement in action, generate baseline data for future carbon reduction and achieve significant budget savings.  

Using furniture resources already in place or those we are about to buy for twice as long means we can reduce embodied carbon and costs by 50%, a good first step towards Net Zero. 

14:45-15:00
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Morgan Roberts - Sustainability West Midlands

Don’t Go It Alone: The Support Available For Putting Net Zero Into Action

Morgan works for Sustainability West Midlands (SWM), an independent not-for-profit organisation with 22+ years of presence in the region, expertise across the sustainability sector and a strong focus on stakeholder engagement. SWM utilises these features to make the region more sustainable, fairer and greener for all. In this presentation, Morgan will be giving practical, actionable advice on using support and collaboration to action your net zero goals. She will cover guidance on collaborating and creating partnerships for driving action, tips for finding and accessing the right support for you and will provide an overview of the net zero support currently available in the region, including the benefits of signing up to the West Midlands Net Zero Business Pledge, a free initiative delivered by SWM on behalf of the West Midlands Combined Authority.

15:05-15:20
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Guy Bradbury - Imerys

Imerys - An Energy Intensive User's Guide to Decarbonisation

As the world's leading supplier of speciality minerals for industry, Imerys has recognised the growing global demand for natural resources placing pressure on our planet, and the need for sustainable solutions as part of its commitments to decarbonise its operations.

We will look at some the renewable solutions that our business is targeting across our sites, and some of the challenges that an energy intensive industry faces to meet its ambitious mid-term objectives and targets.

 

15:25-15:40
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Dr Bahareh Salehi - Mott MacDonald

Navigating Toward NetZero: Mott MacDonald’s Journey

Global energy consumption presents a pressing challenge that demands immediate action from societies and governments, especially considering that 40% of it is linked to building energy consumption. At Mott MacDonald, we are committed to taking bold and innovative approaches to reduce energy consumption within buildings. Our NetZero journey has been characterized by significant progress, and we have developed a comprehensive strategy that we will discuss in detail during this session. If you are intrigued by Mott’s journey to NetZero and the groundbreaking methods we are using, do not hesitate to let me know.

 

For additional context, Mott MacDonald has developed net-zero route-maps not only for our own organization but also for clients within the water, transport, energy, and environment sector. Our approach is built around global best practices, including the use of PAS 2080, the international standard that we authored for managing carbon across the built environment. Let’s continue the conversation!

15:45-16:00
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Haydn Young - Rutland Forums

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Ben Reade - Cornwall Insight

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Dr Toby Ferenczi - Granular Energy

The 24/7 Clean Energy Revolution And The Reshaping Of Renewable Energy Procurement

Initially driven from the tech sector in the US, the 24/7 clean energy concept now has a global reach within Europe, Asia and North America and boasts the backing of the United Nations and the US Government.
So, what’s the fuss about? In this session Haydn (Rutland Forums), Ben (Cornwall Insights), Tom (Sky) and Toby (Granular Energy) will outline how 24/7 could reshape the UK renewable energy market especially for REGO backed renewable power.

Net Zero Index

Just like the Index on futurenetzero.com, this content stream will cover technologies and tools for cutting emissions right now. We have presentations from an array of companies creating or using products and behaviours which can have an immediate effect on your carbon footprint.

11:00-11:10
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James Murphy - Stark

Market-wide Half Hourly Settlement will affect your Net Zero journey. Find out how to take control with the energy experts

With over 40 years in energy data, Stark has seen it all. Now the biggest change in the electricity industry, Market-wide Half Hourly Settlement is here - and Stark are ready. This session will arm you with the knowledge you need to stay in control of your energy data & metering, both essential for your Net Zero Journey.

11:15-11:25
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Sean Langford - Smartest Energy

The Changing Landscape of Renewable Electricity for Corporates

Join us as explore the dynamic shifts in the renewable energy market, analyse their implications for corporate sustainability goals, and choosing the optimal path for your journey to Net Zero. Discover how to navigate upcoming changes and secure a sustainable future for your business. 

11:30 - 11:40
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Rowland Harper - ENGIE

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Ben Finnerty - ENGIE

Collaborative corporate PPAs: An innovative approach to drive towards net-zero

With many companies embarking on ambitious net-zero targets, we share the story of how ENGIE and Arla Foods have collaborated to an develop innovative approach to corporate PPAs that supports their mission to become net-zero by 2025.  

11:45-11:55
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Will Russell - Innova

What should energy buyers look out for in a Corporate PPA?

During this session, a specialist from Innova Renewables will discuss the benefits and challenges of corporate PPAs, alongside some of the key areas that energy buyers should be mindful of in an increasingly complex energy market landscape.

12:00-12:10
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Kerry Locke - Bryt Energy

Developing a business energy strategy fit for a net zero future

As businesses face an energy transition amid a changing industry, understanding how best to navigate it can be complex and uncertain. During this session, an expert from Bryt Energy will discuss what to expect from these changes, and what businesses will need to consider within their energy strategies to thrive in a net zero future.

12:15-12:25
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Anne Connor - Water Plus

You can't go Net Zero without water - tapping into the opportunities

Knowing what water your business is using and where is an important key to empowering your organisation towards more efficient operations, paving the way to Net Zero and beyond. 

 

But here's the best part – going greener with your water doesn't have to break the bank or be complicated. Join Anne Connor, from Water Plus, boasting over 20 years of expertise in water management. Anne will guide you through the simple yet powerful steps you can take with water, and how these actions can not only save energy but also significantly reduce carbon emissions. 

 

Don't miss out on this opportunity to learn about sustainable water practices and discover how you can make a real difference – for your organisation.

12:30-12:40
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Jordan Rassas - Inenco

Empowering your people to support your Net Zero Transition Plan

Whether you’re just starting out on your net zero journey or looking for support to reach your agreed milestones, having a clear and aligned transition plan supported by your people will be your key to success. 

 

In this session energy management and sustainability experts Inenco will explore the importance of a robust Net Zero Transition Plan, aligned to your organisation’s vision and strategic direction. Highlighting the pivotal role behavioural change plays and the value of empowering, enabling and educating your people to support your net zero goals. With real life examples and practical insights this spotlight session will showcase the relationship between your plan, data and people in achieving success and truly making a positive impact. 

12:45-12:55
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Simon Cubitt - VEV

Case Study: End-to-End Bus Fleet Electrification for Tootbus London

The Tootbus electrification project illustrates how to design, build and operate a new electric bus fleet.  Tootbus appointed VEV to develop its fleet electrification plan for its London operations at the power-constrained depot in Wandsworth, London.  The goal was to develop a cost-effective, future-proof infrastructure solution to meet Tootbus’ decarbonisation mission while maintaining the resilient and reliable bus service.  Find out how these goals were met with renewable power, charging infrastructure, solar power generation and smart energy management.

12:55-13:30

Lunch

13:30-13:40
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George Richards - JRP Solutions

Breaking through: how to overcome the barriers to implementation of Net Zero plans and projects

Many organisations have now pinpointed the key steps required to slash their emissions and reach the milestone of Net Zero. Yet, despite this awareness, they grapple with formidable obstacles hindering the execution of their plans. 

 

Join us for an engaging presentation where we delve into the heart of these challenges. Through live case studies, we will present actionable strategies to overcome these hurdles and pave the way for a Net Zero future. 

13:45-13:55
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Mark Westwood - Brook Green Supply

Harnessing the Power of Renewable Energy Certificates: A Pathway to a Sustainable Future

Join Brook Green Supply for an insight on REGOs & RGGOs and their pivotal role in the transition to a sustainable future. This session will demystify Renewable Energy Certificates, explaining what they are, how they work, and their importance in the UK's push towards renewable energy adoption.

We will explore:

• Understanding the fundamentals and the lifecycle of REGOs & RGGOs.
• Insight into the trading of REGOs and their impact on renewable energy markets.
• How REGOs & RGGOs contribute to reducing carbon footprints and promoting green energy.
• The role of REGOs & RGGOs in corporate sustainability strategies and achieving net-zero goals.
• Emerging developments and the future landscape of renewable energy

14:00-14:10
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George Dale - Ecotricity

Ecotricity introduces Heckington Fen Solar and Storage Park – one of the UK’s biggest solar parks

The story of a Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project. How Ecotricity are developing one of the UK's biggest solar parks to replace electricity from outmoded fossil-fuel generation but without the CO2. Why this is the deep green you have been searching for in a world of greenwashing.

14:15-14:25
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Alex Avila - Mitie

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Alex Baggallay - Salesforce

Emissions Intelligence – built for net zero

Efficiency, transparency, confidence – get it all with managed carbon reporting and reduction.

Carbon reporting can be complicated and time-consuming. But with Emissions Intelligence, you can calculate, report and reduce your carbon emissions more efficiently. Our end-to-end carbon reporting solution uses our data gathering and decarbonisation expertise to help you be compliant, reduce costs and confidently take steps towards a cleaner future.

Join this session to learn more about Emissions Intelligence. Delivered by Mitie, in partnership with Salesforce.