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Transforming UK business to meet the '9 billion challenge'

Business in the Community set up The Prince's Mayday Network in 2007, calling upon UK companies to embark on the journey to a more sustainable future. The network now has over 3,800 members.

What started as a journey encouraging and supporting companies to measure and reduce environmental impacts, has begun to look at the transformational change required of companies to secure a truly sustainable future.

For the next stage of the journey we will work with other Business in the Community campaigns to compel UK business to transform itself to meet the UK contribution to the '9 billion challenge'.

Join the Prince's Mayday Network if you'd like to be a part of the journey

Sign up to our newsletter highlighting best practice to help you on your journey.

The UK government's sustainable development framework aims to deliver a 'strong, healthy and just society within global limits'.

Only about 3 billion of us enjoy a modern poverty free lifestyle today.

At current rates of consumption, if all 7 billion people currently on the planet were to have UK lifestyles, we would need 3 planet earths.

With the global population set to increase by nearly 30% over the next 40 years, the challenge is: How do we deliver the UK contribution to 9 billion poverty free sustainable lifestyles in 2050?

The '9 billion challenge' requires answers to fundamental questions around our relationship with nature, how our weather works, how business works and how we inspire citizens to make their contribution.

We need to shape companies, products and citizens' lifestyles to ensure we can deliver a sustainable future for our planet and its peoples.

Making your business more sustainable to address the UK contribution to the '9 billion challenge' makes good business sense.

It's not only about granting business a social licence to operate, it is about having the supply chains that are sufficiently robust to deliver the products that will help you and your customers enjoy sustainable lives.

The journey to 9 billion sustainable lifestyles requires new ways of thinking and working. Business in the Community has 30 years experience challenging, engaging and supporting UK businesses to act responsibly, so we are well placed to help you get there. The Prince's Mayday Network is just one part of Business in the Community's overall offering.

Over the next few months Business in the Community will be shaping our new Sustainability meta-programme, designed to help UK businesses and consumers meet various aspects of the 9 billion challenge, and we want your input.

We want to hear from as many UK businesses as possible in terms of how best we (using campaigns like Mayday) can support you to make your business more sustainable.

Please help us by filling in the following short Call for Input (by 1 September 2012)

If you would like further background, please see this Call for Input briefing note (pdf) for more information

Happening in The Mayday Network

A message from HRH Prince of Wales
to the Mayday Network

Mayday TV

15 May 2012

Mayday Summit 2012

A brief overview of Business in the Community's Mayday Summit 2012 bringing together business leaders to discuss how to use sustainability to unlock value for UK plc. See delegates' responses to Business in the Community's '9 billion challenge' as a way to frame the sustainable development debate and galvanise action on sustainability by UK businesses.

News

10 May 2012

Free Sustainability Advice for SMEs

A new national campaign by Planet Positive to offer all UK SMEs free sustainability advice began to work with the first companies last week. The 7-days to Sustainability campaign will enable SMEs to kick-start their sustainability programmes and experience the business benefits.

There are 4.5million small to medium sized enterprises (SMEs) in the UK, that’s 99% of all Britain’s enterprises. But when it comes to sustainability the benefits of being green are often being missed.

Events

Wed, 2012-06-27 18:00

Awards for Excellence Gala sponsored by Wates

Business in the Community's Awards for Excellence are the most credible, influential and established Awards for responsible business.

This year's Awards for Excellence will be held in the presence of our President HRH The Prince of Wales. The event will take place on 27 June from 1800 – 2300 in a new venue, and will also be a celebration of Business in the Community's 30th Anniversary.

Events

Tue, 2012-05-22 15:00

22 May Webinar: Measuring & reporting beyond your direct emissions

While businesses are accustomed to reporting their own direct emissions, there is broad discretion about which indirect emissions should be included in a business carbon footprint. This webinar will provide examples of reporting on indirect emissions from sources that are not directly controlled by a business (Scope 3) including reporting carbon emissions of waste, recycling, transport and processing. It will provide the business case for adoption with The Midcounties Co-op presenting their 3 year plan to report on local supplier carbon emissions.

News

18 April 2012

BITC's new Sustainability Director to outline new Mayday strategy on 1 May

In 2007, Business in the Community (BITC) convened The Prince’s Mayday Network, calling upon UK companies to embark on the journey to a more sustainable future. What started as a journey encouraging and supporting companies to measure and reduce environmental impacts, has evolved and begun to look at the transformational change required of companies to secure a truly sustainable future for our planet and its peoples.

twitter

MaydayWebinar: Carbon reporting Scope 3: What is it? Who does it? Why do it? on 22 May @3pm @CDProject @midcountiescoop http://t.co/Wx4yRotS

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