iESE Conference 2022 | The Green Agenda

Transform Talk 3: The Green Agenda
Sustainability goes beyond the environment, which is a pressing and vital component, but that it also embraces social and economic factors too. All are linked and tied to our methodology of helping local authorities move from surviving to thriving. A community cannot be thriving if it is not sustainable. Here we will look at sustainability as a sector and as individual entities, and also consider how our policies and plans affect the people and places we serve and the planet.

As this is popular topic, we are running two conference segments: Transform Talk 5: The Green Agenda and Breakout Session 5: Big Picture Sustainability.

Transform Talk 3: The Green Agenda
This year the key speakers for this segment are:

- Audrey Wales, Alderman, Mid and East Antrim Borough Council
- Karen Hastings, Investment & Place Manager, Mid and East Antrim Borough Council
- Mark Hunter, Strategic Lead Food and Facilities, East Ayrshire Council
- Ian Bowers, Climate Change Manager, Babergh & Mid Suffolk Councils

This segment will be chaired by Dr Andrew Larner, Chief Executive of iESE.

Hydrogen & the Hydrogen Training Academy | Mid and East Antrim Council
Hydrogen has been identified as a priority growth area for Mid and East Antrim where the borough council is leading on a pilot project aimed at upskilling individuals and educators to enable them to embrace the emerging sector. As part of this, the council has been the lead partner in an initiative called the Hydrogen Training Academy, which aims to upskill the workforce through delivery of courses which train delegates to work with hydrogen fuel, and ‘Train the Trainer’ through a Level 5 course aimed at upskilling academics and educators.

Dignified Food Programme | East Ayrshire Council
East Ayrshire’s Dignified Food Programme has far-reaching benefits to its communities, tackling hunger in the area while simultaneously reducing food waste. Despite its enormously valuable work, it’s an initiative the council hopes its residents do not know exists. In 2005 the council started developing closer relationships with local suppliers to increase local produce in its school meals. Fast forward to 2017 and work on its Dignified Food Programme began in response to Brexit, was further strengthened in the pandemic and is still growing as increasing numbers of residents’ face food and now fuel poverty.

Hydro-treated Vegetable Oil | Babergh & Mid Suffolk Councils
Climate change is fundamental to Babergh and Mid Suffolk District Councils’ agenda. Since declaring a climate emergency in 2019 and approving the councils first Carbon Reduction Management Plan in 2020, work has been underway to cut emissions and show positive community leadership. The councils are the first rural-based UK councils to shift their vehicle fleet to Hydro treated Vegetable Oil (HVO). The introduction of HVO is expected to reduce pollutant emissions significantly – up to a 90% reduction in CO2. It is a major step in achieving the councils aim of becoming carbon neutral by 2030.