Businesses won’t survive if they are not sustainable: free Midlands bootcamp aims to get companies ready with unmissable tips and expert advice
- Sustainable Nation Ireland, the national body helping Irish business become more sustainable, is hosting 2°Camp
- Midlands-based businesses are invited to register and take part for free on Thursday,April 13 at the Enterprise Ireland Midlands Office in Athlone.
- Well-known author and Entrepeneur Ron Immink will guide businesses through the ins and outs of sustainability
- Topics include resource efficiency, startup ideas, investments in environmentally-friendly projects and other challenges
Ron Immink with Caroline Pope of KPMG
Climate change is one of the biggest existential threats to humanity, but also as one of the largest opportunities we have ever seen. But is your business ready?
Climate change really matters. It is also a fantastic lever within organisations, big and small, to unleash potential and positive impact. It makes business sense too.
The opportunity is so hot, it sizzles. Which is why Sustainable Nation designed its free 2oCamp on April 13. 2° refers to the stated ambition of global leaders to limit global warming to 2° or less.
Forming part of the Irish Government’s IFS 2020 strategy, Sustainable Nation Ireland’s role is support and develop ideas, innovations and strategies to respond to global challenges such as urbanisation and rising consumption of scarce resources such as food, water and energy.
2oCamp is a free one day workshop that will give anyone with an environmentally-friendly business idea the tools to develop the idea further.
It is open to a start-up or an existing business – everyone with an idea is welcome. You can register at http://sustainablenation.ie/bl
og/tackling-climate-change-thr ough-entrepreneurship-join-our -2camp/
Ideas can range from renewable energy to sustainable transport and from smart agriculture right through to new business models and ways to fund projects and make an impact.
The one-day Midlands bootcamp, facilitated by Sustainable Nation’s Entrepreneur in Residence Ron Immink, the well-known author, CEO, speaker and founder, will put businesses through the steps to learn how to develop a sustainable business, and will be guided through supports to accelerate your business.
Supported by Enterprise Ireland and Climate-KIC, Sustainable Nation believes the more successful a business is, the bigger the positive climate impact it can have.
Announcing the Athlone bootcamp for Midlands businesses, Ron Immink said: “At the top level of the money pyramid are the very large institutional banks and investors. Since last year, they are now penalising projects that are not deemed sustainable.
“That means you have to pay extra to borrow for non-sustainable projects. That is starting to cascade down to smaller investors and banks. Within a few years, it is going to be difficult to access funding if your company is not seen to be sustainable.
“The pressure from funders, large companies and government will make it difficult to survive as a company, so it will become a fundamental part of mainstream business models, a bit like E-commerce which began life as something of an exotic creature.
“That’s bad news. The good news is that it is the hottest business opportunity ever totaling an estimated $85 trillion dollars. It is a fantastic platform for innovation and engaging with staff and customers. It is the place where businesses and startups should play.
“2°degree camps help people or companies with cleantech or enironmentally fiendly ideas to develop those ideas further and is a gateway for further business support and funding.”
NOTES:
*Sustainable Nation Ireland was established in 2016 from the merging of several existing bodies to help transition Ireland to a low-carbon future – a multi-billion-euro opportunity for innovation, learning and responsible business to flourish. www.sustainablenation.ie
**Forming part of the Irish Government’s IFS 2020 strategy, its role is support and develop ideas, innovations and strategies to respond to global challenges such as urbanisation and rising consumption of scarce resources such as food, water and energy.
***Sustainable Nation Ireland is a partner of Climate-KIC, and is the Irish Manager of the Climate-KIC UK & Irl Hub.
