Top 10 ‘must-attend’ sessions at edie Live 2019

With a week to go until the show doors open, the edie editorial team picks 10 standout case studies set to take the stage at the UK's largest sustainability and energy exhibition, edie Live, as it returns to the NEC Birmingham on 21-22 May.


Top 10 ‘must-attend’ sessions at edie Live 2019

There's still time to register for your free pass to edie Live

With almost 200 speakers appearing in 36 sessions across four theatres, planning which discussions to sit in on is no easy task. Never fear, for edie’s editorial team has independently selected their top 10 ‘must-attend’ sessions based on the standout case studies that are being presented across both days of the show. Enjoy!

— REGISTER FOR YOUR FREE EDIE LIVE 2019 PASS HERE —

DAY ONE

Sky: Leading the plastic revolution through the Ocean Rescue campaign

Circular Economy Theatre @ 09:50

Anyone looking for a prime example of a business transforming its operations and shining a spotlight on critical sustainability issues through a purpose-driven campaign should look no further than Sky. Through its Ocean Rescue initiative, the broadcaster has effectively used its channels and news platform to inspire a wave of behavioural change around single-use plastics. In the first part of our ‘Big Business Plastics Debate’ on the Circular Economy Theatre, Sky’s head of inspirational business and Sky Ocean Rescue Fiona Ball provides her top tips for implementing new sustainability and CSR campaigns.      


Anglian Water Services: Combining energy storage with renewables

Energy Theatre @ 11:40

Battery storage has long been talked about as the ‘silver bullet’ for business energy – particularly when combined with otherwise intermittent renewable energy systems. But how do you know when the time is right to invest in storage technology; and what are the key considerations when it comes to implementing storage alongside solar? In this ‘flexible future’- themed session, Anglian Water Services’ renewable energy specialist Alex Riley will explain how Anglian became the first water utility company to install AI-powered energy storage infrastructure that offers reliable, renewable ‘baseload’ power.


Berkeley Group: Becoming a ‘net-zero carbon’ business

Sustainability Keynote @ 11:50

‘Net-zero’ is certainly the topic of the moment, with policymakers and businesses scrambling to announce bold new commitments to slash emissions. British property developer Berkeley Group has been leading the charge, having pledged to create new homes that can operate at net-zero carbon by 2030. In this ‘net-zero’ themed Keynote session, Berkeley Group’s head of sustainable places Louise Clarke explains how the firm is moving from ambition into action with this industry-leading strategy.


Rolls Royce: Using the Internet of Things and big data to enhance sustainability

Innovation Theatre @ 12:45

By embedding IoT sensors across its product lines and facilities, global engineering giant Rolls Royce has come to view data — and the services it can deliver — as a strategic sustainability asset. In this manufacturing-focused Innovation Theatre session, Rolls Royce’s sustainability manager Andrew Clifton explains why other sustainability and energy managers should be embracing disruptive innovation and taking the leap of faith with technological breakthroughs.


Bournemouth University: Driving 45,000 employee actions through gamification

Circular Economy Theatre @ 12:45

“Less stick, more carrot” is the philosophy that has been adopted by Bournemouth Uni when it comes to implementing sustainability practices – and it’s a philosophy that has clearly been paying off, with innovative ‘gamification’ approaches being used to permanently adjust behaviours and make students and staff alike real ‘agents of change’. Kicking off our ‘Making Circular Real’ session on the Circular Economy Theatre, Bournemouth University’s sustainability manager Neil Smith tells us his inspiring story – a must-attend for anyone struggling to engage people with sustainability or energy.


DAY TWO

Teemill: Making ‘circular’ t-shirts through robots and AI

Energy Theatre @ 10:00

A standout case study from our Innovation Theatre comes in the form of UK company Rapanui, who’s Teemill brand is based on an innovative, sustainable retail business model which lets consumers effectively build their own online store and sell t-shirts online. In this talk, Teemill’s founder Mart Drake-Knight explains how the fast-growing start-up is championing technological innovations such as AI, robotics and 3D printing to offer a scalable, sustainable alternative to the fashion industry. 


National Trust: The journey towards energy self-sufficiency

Energy Theatre @ 10:20

Installing on-site renewables and implementing energy efficiency upgrades throughout a listed building is no mean feat – but from this challenge the National Trust has seized an opportunity to connect its nature-loving customers with environmental issues and solutions. In this opening session of the Energy Theatre, we’ll hear from National Trust’s national specialist for energy Kirsty Ricey; and project manager for renewable energy Adrian Fox, who explain how the Trust is using both traditional methods and modern engineering to enhance sustainability and move towards a state of energy self-sufficiency.


Bank of England: Making the transition to a ‘plastic-free’ office

Circular Economy Theatre @ 11:30am

When it comes to eliminate single-use plastics, stating your ambition is the easy step. Turning that ambition into action is where things can become highly complex. But with the right approach, sustainability professionals can cut through the complexity and drive tangible change, fast. One of the standout case studies of the show comes within the second part of our ‘Big Business Plastics Debate’ on the Circular Economy Theatre, where the Bank of England’s head of corporate sustainability Charles Joly reveals how the business has driven a cultural change to achieve an 80% reduction in single-use plastics.  


Hewlett Packard Enterprise: Taking the lead on modern slavery & human rights

Sustainability Keynote @ 13:05pm  

With Day Two on the Sustainability Keynote dubbed our ‘SDG Day’, the entire programme is full of inspiring individual case studies about how the Goals can be used to drive action across all areas of sustainable development. Our pick of the bunch is a social sustainability-focussed talk delivered by Hewlett Packard Enterprises’ vice-president for international corporate affairs Ed Lewin, who explains how the IT firm has taken a ‘total transparency’ approach to supplier engagement and developed a Modern Slavery Statement that works.


edie’s 30 Under 30 2019: In conversation with the next generation of sustainability leaders

Sustainability Keynote @ 15:15pm  

This isn’t a ‘case study’ per se, but a lively panel discussion about the future of business, formed through edie’s ‘30 Under 30’ initiative. Auto Trader’s Agnes Altmets; Capgemini’s Harry Ashman; Heathrow Airport’s Crista Buznea and Multiplex’s Joshua Davies are four members of our newly formed group of 30 professionals, aged under 30, who are applying new twists to the old tools of the sustainability trade. This closing session of the Keynote will no doubt be one of the most inspiring elements of the entire show – a true ‘must-attend’ for all sustainability and CSR professionals…


edie staff

Action inspires action. Stay ahead of the curve with sustainability and energy newsletters from edie

Subscribe