Our expert panel included Ali Clabburn, founder and CEO of Liftshare; Philippa Glover, Managing Director of CNC Robotics; Rob Labinski, Head of Electrification at Octopus Energy; Dr Bob Stear, Chief Engineer at Severn Trent Water; and Professor Chris White, Director of Industrial Policy and Insight Centre at the Manufacturing Technology Centre (MTC).

Additional guests were Katherine Bennett CBE, CEO of High Value Manufacturing Catapult; Matthew Higham, Chief Digital Officer of Microsoft UK; and Richard Hill, Head of Manufacturing & Automotive Sector at NatWest Group.

• Sustainability is as much a ‘people’ issue as it is a business one, and employers are responsible and strongly positioned for guiding their workforces on environmental issues
  
• Technology is vital to achieving industry-wide sustainability but it’s not a quick fix for businesses – its use must be combined with understanding, skill and culture
  
• Manufacturers must see green energy as a strategic resource for the future, powering their operations for long-term security
  
• Incentives will create momentum and, while financial support from the government is important, businesses also need help measuring their sustainability and knowing how to invest in green technologies
  
• The first step in future-proofing is to think; measuring and action can follow from that
  

The government’s role in fighting climate change is hugely significant, but businesses, as employers, arguably have a greater and more direct influence over people. This is a unique power to have, and one that manufacturers shouldn’t overlook.

It’s the responsibility of organisations at all levels to educate and influence employees, not only on sustainable working processes but also on the choices they make outside of work. Small actions – encouraging and incentivising greener commutes, for example – contribute to a sustainable culture that will in turn help businesses have a bigger overall impact.

Only with employees fully on board and the right skills available will businesses be able to use technology to measure and improve sustainability. At present, there’s a significant digital skills gap holding businesses back. Building a culture of sustainability is one of the biggest steps in fixing this: when employees want to support their employers’ environmental efforts, the desire to upskill grows.

The expectation for cheap, reliable energy is deep-rooted in the traditional business mind, but this approach is proving to be unsustainable. Undeniable climate change symptoms, rising bills and increasingly frequent provider collapses all suggest manufacturers must rethink how they power their operations for long-term security.

Manufacturers must see it as a strategic resource for the future, rather than treating energy as a commodity cost. And by switching to green energy sources – even if the initial cost is higher – businesses will cut emissions immediately; this is the lowest-hanging fruit.

Many businesses feel the government should be contributing to the costs of their green transition. Incentives are undoubtedly important to create momentum, but cost is only one of the barriers that manufacturers must overcome. Even then, it’s often not as big a barrier as it’s perceived to be.

Where money does exist, businesses need to know what to do with it: which technological investments will generate the biggest sustainability returns? And which skills are needed to harness these technologies properly? Government incentives must include support in these areas, too.

Sustainability is a journey of many small steps rather than a single action; first, think about the issue of sustainability and how it relates to your business.

When you begin to identify small improvement opportunities, actions can follow, and momentum should build organically. The assumption that major, disruptive change is needed immediately stops many businesses acting at all. Right now, by being proactive, we’re in the position to start small and build.

Our experts share their best future-proofing advice for manufacturers:

• Rob Labinski, Head of Electrification, Octopus Energy: “Go for super low-hanging fruit: change your energy supply to 100% green and you’ll save a significant portion of your emissions immediately.”
• Dr Bob Stear, Chief Engineer, Severn Trent Water: “Be humble, recognise the people who are further along the journey and go and steal with pride their ideas.”
• Ali Clabburn, Founder and CEO, Liftshare: “Look at your own team, look at your communities. See how you can galvanise them.”
• Philippa Glover, Managing Director, CNC Robotics: “Think, measure, act.”
• Professor Chris White, Director of Industrial Policy and Insight Centre, Manufacturing Technology Centre (MTC): “Collaborate better with your supply chain.”

If you would like to find out more about sustainable manufacturing solutions or how to make your business more sustainable, please speak to your Relationship Manager, contact WMG at wmgbusiness@warwick.ac.uk or submit an enquiry to the High Value Manufacturing Catapult at: hvm.catapult.org.uk/talk-to-us.

For SMEs, there is also the opportunity to join like-minded businesses in the Net Zero Innovation Network – find out more here: 

WMG SME Group | Net Zero Innovation Network (warwick.ac.uk)