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Somerset in Business 2007 - - Wednesday November 7th

Good business = Green Business.“

Going Green is not just about saving polar bears,” according to Philippa Forrester, key-note speaker at the 2007 Somerset in Business Conference. “Whatever people think, mankind is part of the natural world and what affects nature affects humans.”

Philippa warned the 150 delegates about the risks of being “Greened Out” and said she “sympathised with those who are fed up with hearing about sustainability”.

She continued: “There is no magic green bullet that will save the world and save a fortune. But there are dozens of small steps, many of them easy. Little changes and little choices lead to big differences.”

Dozens of other ideas were shared. Michael Dunn, South West regional manager for BT challenged executives to ask themselves if they really need an office. He said many people today could be executive nomads, doing much of their work from home and meeting up with others only when a particular job or discussion is required.

Charles Couzens of the Ecos Trust suggested each firm found a green champion who might be a store-man or a director to promote sustainable policies and feed back success stories. And he suggested revising the office dress code – open necks in summer and warm woollies in the winter.

Others saw the green economy as a golden opportunity. Using waste for energy could potentially solve two problems while creating jobs and wealth.

There were calls for a rethink by local and central government to encourage more business recycling. While a flat above a shop benefits from free kerbside collections, the shop keeper has often, not only to pay, but to pay more for collection of separated waste than if he puts everything in a single bag or bin.

Speaking after the conference, the chairman of the Somerset Strategic Partnership, Lord Ewen Cameron, said: “It has been a good day with much learned and shared about the business opportunities offered by the green agenda. Doing 'good' business need not be expensive business and it is often just as effective to do what you are doing better, than to invest in new high tech equipment".