SMEs: The Key To Unlocking Net Zero In The Square Mile?

Find out more about this event on our website: https://bit.ly/3KhW4rM The City of London Corporation has adopted a ground-breaking Climate Action Strategy which sets out how the organisation will achieve net zero, build climate resilience and champion sustainable growth, both in the UK and globally, over the next two decades. As part of this strategy, the Corporation has committed to support the achievement of net zero in the Square Mile by 2040. And this commitment includes providing net zero training support for small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) based in the area. As well as being fundamental to the UK’s economic performance, SMEs are engines of growth, key drivers of innovation and they are creating jobs and generating prosperity. They are essential to our ongoing recovery from the pandemic, levelling up communities and in reaching net zero. But what role do SMEs play in your company’s eco-system? And in your company’s drive to reach net zero? Supply chain emissions are 11.4 times higher than operational emissions and understandably many large companies want their suppliers – who are often SMEs – to measure, report and cut down emissions. So in these unprecedentedly tough trading conditions, the net zero challenge remains as urgent as ever. But SMEs need support to fully contribute to decarbonisation goals – within corporate supply chains, within the Square Mile and within the wider UK and European economies. Join this session to learn about the net zero support that is being provided to SMEs in Square Mile; to consider the support that larger firms can provide to their own SME suppliers and to hear a selection of top tips businesses can adopt to ensure we’re all on track to reach net zero. Speaker: Maggie Berry OBE leads Heart of the City, a charity that supports SMEs to develop responsible business practices ranging from implementing net zero programmes, supporting their local community to promoting inclusion and wellbeing in the workplace. Since its inception twenty years ago, Heart of the City has been at the forefront of helping small businesses to build successful responsible business programmes. Maggie was previously Executive Director for Europe for WEConnect International, a global organisation championing supply chain inclusion by helping women-owned businesses to connect into corporate supply chains. Maggie had lead responsibility for the organisation in Europe and her role involved developing corporate and public sector support as well as growing and supporting a network of women-owned businesses across Europe. Prior to this, Maggie ran an online job board, recruitment and networking forum for women working in the technology profession in the UK. Maggie remains informally involved with championing women in the technology profession and is a Freeman at the Information Technologists' Company in the City of London. In June 2019, Maggie was awarded an OBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List in recognition of her services to women in business and technology.