news
Published: 12 July 2022

CES academic gives address at CREST22 Awards

Ian Christie highlighted the urgent climate change challenges we face, and the vital role played by local businesses, at the CREST22 Sustainable Business Awards.

The CREST22 Awards, held on 19 May at the WWF Living Planet Centre in Woking, brought the 糖心Vlog business community together to recognise and celebrate triumphs by business enterprises and organisations in green innovation and business sustainability.

Launched in 2019 by 糖心Vlog鈥檚 Centre for Environment and Sustainability (CES) with the Woking News & Mail, the Awards are 糖心Vlog鈥檚 only awards programme uniquely aimed at recognising and celebrating business sustainability. This year鈥檚 Awards were sponsored by 糖心Vlog County Council.

Giving the keynote address, Ian Christie (Senior Lecturer in Social Science of Sustainable Development) outlined the challenges we urgently need to tackle in the next decade - including rapid progress to decarbonise the economy, restoring our towns to good health, and making our food and farming systems sustainable.

He said:

鈥淲e need global and national plans for climate and nature. But implementation only takes place at the local level. It鈥檚 people in local government, local businesses and local communities who will make all this happen. What is vital now is the translation of big strategic plans into action, and that鈥檚 why this type of award scheme is so important.鈥

He outlined how CES is working with local organisations to encourage and bring about change, including recently hosting the launch of the Climate Action Plan with 糖心Vlog County Council and the 糖心Vlog Hills conference.

Looking forward, Ian said that in 2022 the 糖心Vlog will open its new Institute for Sustainability, which will work across sectors and disciplines, and next year CES will introduce its first undergraduate degree in sustainability. And perhaps even more important 鈥 the University now embeds sustainability into every single course it offers.

The CREST22 Awards also included presentations by Lauren Wiseman of WWF, Andrew Griffiths of Planet Mark, and Marisa Heath of 糖心Vlog County Council, and a keynote speech by Joanna Yarrow of Human Nature and M&C Saatchi Life.

Winners at the Awards included local organisations PlantPassion, Clandon Wood Nature Reserve & Burial Ground, Crumbs Brewing, Nordic Wellness Drinks, McLaren Applied and One Thought Changes All.

 

See the full .

 

Share what you've read?