Summit declares the time for talk is over while promoting actionable paths to sustainability

“Acting sustainably is no longer a buzzword; it is now a necessity,” were the words of the King’s representative in Northamptonshire during his opening remarks at the third University of Northampton (UON) Sustainability Summit this week.

As he declared the summit open The Lord Lieutenant of Northamptonshire, James Saunders Watson said: “Today we face innumerable environmental challenges, most notably the climate crisis.

“Today is the hottest day of the year, and as a farmer I can tell you we have not had rain since March, my crops are wilted, but it’s not just this country it is the whole of northern Europe. Think of the consequence of that.

“But there are also many other growing social issues – inequality, workplace mental health and equitable resource distribution, to name a few, that demand attention and action.”

However, the Lord Lieutenant said there were reasons to be optimistic and urged summit delegates to embrace the summit’s theme, ‘Building Sustainable Organisations: Strategies and Partnerships for Enhancing Positive Change’ and to learn from each other to find innovative solutions and build strong partnerships.

UON’s Deputy Vice Chancellor and Chief Operating Officer Becky Bradshaw said, with mounting pressures on businesses, “sustainability is no longer a question of values alone, it is a question of viability.”

She added: “But within these challenges lies an opportunity to reframe sustainability, not as a burden, but as a lever for business advantage.”

In the first of several panel discussions scheduled over the two-day summit which started on Monday 30 June, Natalie Eichmann, Managing Director of Gilt Edge Promotions, and Robert Thompson, Chief Executive Officer at SEE Ltd spoke about the impact on their businesses after attending the last two Sustainability Summits.

Robert said it had been a daunting and lonely prospect when he first set his company on its sustainability journey in 2019 at a time when it was felt sustainability was something for multinationals or firms with a high net worth to tackle.

He added: “It was refreshing and exciting getting involved with the University because you had a series of businesses and individuals who were like-minded and have experienced what you have experienced, and they were on your doorstep. You felt supported, you felt part of a community willing to share ideas.”

Natalie said after initial hesitance, she attended her first summit and was then able to embed sustainability into the culture of her organisation.

She added: “We created a sustainability team, trained them, and we meet regularly to talk about what’s happening in the workplace.

“And actually, when we go into Board meetings it’s now the first thing we discuss. It used to be last on the agenda and always got missed.”

The main event of the second day was the launch of the UON Sustainable Innovation Challenge. Dr Chijioke Uba, Chair of the Centre for Sustainable Business Practices and Co-Chair of the Summit Planning Committee, said, “The Sustainable Innovation Challenge is a competition where our students create innovative solutions to a real-life industry problem for the summit attendees and organisations.”

“It’s an excellent opportunity for our students to apply what we have taught them in class, to showcase their talents while collaborating with academic mentors to build sustainable businesses in Northamptonshire.”

To find out more, download the 2025 Sustainability Summit brochure.

To find out how to get involved with future Sustainability Summits, email the chairs of the Summit organising committee, Dr Chijioke Uba or Dr Seyi Omoloso.