The Attenborough effect appears to be at work – highlighting the damage plastic pollution is doing to our oceans, whilst the Government’s commitment to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050 – shows that changes to our lifestyles and business practices are required to avert climate catastrophe.
Customers are starting to understand the perils the planet is facing – and have increasing expectations for businesses to respond in the way products are made and disposed of, and how services are delivered.
Investors recognize that companies that build sustainability into their operations perform better financially, and consumers are willing to spend more with a sustainable brand.
The sport and physical activity sector have massive reach and the potential to positively influence behaviour – how can we create new markets for clean products and services, delivering reduced overheads and real brand benefits; and how can we transform businesses putting sustainability at the heart of what we do to minimize negative impacts and increase positive impacts?
Chaired by Chris Whitaker.
BASIS
Chris is the current Chair of BASIS a role he has fulfilled for the last 9 years. A founder member of the Association, he spent 12 years at the England and Wales Cricket Board as a Facilities and Investment Manager, coordinating and supporting the delivery and implementation of the National Governing Body facility funding programmes in the recreational game. He worked on several pilot and landmark projects which helped to drive the adoption of sustainable practices within the recreational game including the state of the art and forward looking, Urban Hub at the Leyton Sports Ground in East London.
Chris facilitates and manages the Special Interest Groups at BASIS which bring together leading specialists in their field to ‘deep dive’ into topics which are the burning issues within sport, with the purpose of sharing and publishing information relevant to the industry.
Outside of BASIS, Chris currently Chairs a not for profit, social enterprise providing leadership and life skills to young volunteers.
Exeter City Living
Emma Osmundsen is Managing Director of Exeter City Living Ltd, the ‘Profit for Purpose’ Development Company of Exeter City Council. Emma’s Passivhaus journey started in 2008 when she headed up the development of the UK’s first multi-residential certified Passivhaus scheme for Exeter City Council. Since then, Emma has been responsible for delivering more than 100 Passivhaus homes across the city and, more recently, two of the UK-first Passivhaus developments; an Extra-Care elderly housing, Edwards Court and St Sidwell’s Point Leisure Centre and spa.
Space & Place
Keith is the CEO of SPACE & PLACE, Europe’s leading architects in sport, leisure, and entertainment. He’s proud to be the present leader of, what he describes as, the awesome S&P team, who for over 40 years have successfully delivered some of the most innovative and pioneering projects for the UK’s sport and leisure market. Every year over 100 million people use S&P buildings and he’s equally animated whether talking about S&P’s tiniest community sports clubs, their 2012 London Aquatic Centre with Zaha Hadid, or S&P’s, and the world’s, most energy efficient sports and centre for Exeter City, which is the first and only facility in the UK to receive Passivhaus Certification.
Keith is a regular contributor to local government on the development and funding of community sport and improved activity levels, and works with International Federations and NGBs on outstanding contemporary strategies to get more people engaged in improving physical and mental wellness.
He is known throughout the sector for his creativity and thought leadership and challenges everyone to do better, whether it is on big issues like climate crisis action, or on the smallest construction detail in one of S&P’s buildings
Keith has Previously held roles at the Royal Household, the board of Swim England, and has chaired BISL’s sport sector. He’s currently a Non-Executive Director of British Swimming and is passionate about GB Olympic and Paralympic success.
Energym
"Male innovator of the Year”, Will Flint, is the Founder and CEO of Energym, where he's leading the charge, and rebellion, against climate change. Recently awarded “Tech Startup of the Year”, Energym is a precision-engineering, tech-for-good scale-up based in Birmingham, UK, that has developed highly efficient, patented systems and equipment that efficiently captures the energy from peoples’ exercise, converting it into clean, green (and free) sustainable energy. As a self-titled “tech-geek” with an early career in the energy efficiency industry and a love for fitness (with a Bodybuilding Pro Card) - Will has built a business that delivers products and solutions that combine all the things he is passionate about. One that’s empowering the fitness industry to create a better future for our planet.
Find out how Energym is turning Human Power: On - www.energym.io