Business Not as Usual
Liverpool businesses recently came together to discuss improving the city for future generations through sustainability and embracing ESG.
The Business Not as Usual conference was a co-produced event organised by our firm and a legal practice DTM Legal LLP and held at the stunning Liverpool Museum.
The aim of the event was to bring together several of the region’s leading firms; Liverpool ONE, University of Liverpool, Liverpool Museum, Carbon Neutral Happy, DTM Legal LLP, Liverpool Chamber and our firm to talk about how they have all embraced ESG to address the climate crisis and move to a more sustainable future.
More than 200 people attended the conference and were greeted to a series of updates and presentations from speakers including Professor Jo Meehan, professor of responsible procurement at the University of Liverpool and Paul Cherpeau, CEO at the Liverpool Chamber, before a wider Q&A session between panellists and attendees.
Paul Cherpeau, chief executive of Liverpool Chamber, who chaired the event said:
“Conforming to ESG has become the norm for many businesses, including SMEs, as they understand the benefits of adopting responsible business practice and the increasingly urgent need to do so.
“There are many great practitioners and initiatives in our city region and it is important to share those examples among peers and enhance our ability to be at the forefront of this work. However, many businesses are still unsure about where they should start and there is inconsistency around exactly what constitutes good ESG practice.
“Working with local authorities and anchor institutions, we can improve our procurement processes and allow social value to become a universally applied currency within our city region that is embedded at the outset, rather than being an afterthought. A successful ESG strategy cannot happen without leadership and accountability at all levels and now is the time for us all to collectively raise the bar.”
Paul Spencer partner, said:
“We were delighted to see such appetite and level of interest in this inaugural ESG focused event.
“It was inspiring to see so many people attend and engage with the discussions on the day around the three strands of ESG, environmental, societal and governance; and how they each need to play a vital role in every business, no matter how big or small.
“As co-producers of this event we hope that this will act as a launch pad for future events and help to put Liverpool under the global spotlight as a leading ESG business friendly city”
Richard Harris partner at DTM Legal LLP, said:
“We were thrilled to co-host the ‘Business Not as Usual’ event, where attendees displayed a strong enthusiasm for exploring the next steps in implementing effective ESG strategies for their businesses.
“It was inspiring to witness the collective engagement and discussions surrounding not just environmental concerns but all three aspects of ESG policy – environmental, social, and governance. Together, we aim to propel Liverpool into the global spotlight as a hub for ESG-driven businesses.”
This is the first of what is hoped will become a regular series of events on the topic of sustainability and how Liverpool is a leading the way when it comes to ESG and addressing the climate crisis.
