RL Business Club: ESG beyond the tickbox
About this Event
Event details:
When was the last time a customer, supplier or funder asked about your organisation's Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) credentials?
If they haven't yet, it's likely only a matter of time!
Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) frameworks are no longer something that's only relevant to large corporations or publicly listed companies. It is rapidly becoming part of how organisations of all sizes are assessed by customers, prospective clients, funders, your supply chain and even your own employees.
As expectations around ESG continue to rise, organisations can no longer treat it as a tick-box exercise. Producing an ESG policy without a clear strategy or genuine commitment to embedding it into the organisation won't create the meaningful change stakeholders expect to see.
Organisations that will thrive in this new landscape won't necessarily be those with the biggest ESG policies or the most impressive sustainability reports. They'll be the ones that weave ESG into the way they lead, make decisions and operate every day.
At this RL Business Club event, our expert speakers will show you how to move beyond the ESG tick-box and start embedding practical strategies that strengthen your organisation and create a genuine competitive advantage!
You'll learn how to:
- Get ahead of the growing expectations around ESG
- Understand why ESG is becoming a commercial necessity - not just a tick box compliance exercise
- Win trust with customers, funders, suppliers and stakeholders who are expecting ESG integration in your organisation
- Turn ESG from a compliance burden into a genuine competitive advantage
- Build an ESG strategy that's practical, achievable and aligned with your organisational goals
- Embed ESG into the way your organisation leads, operates and grows
If you're ready to build a stronger, more future ready organisation...
Register for FREE today via this Eventbrite page.
We're looking forward to seeing you there!
Event speakers:
1. James Staniforth - Sustainability Consultant, Sustainable Business Services:
James Staniforth is the Founder and Director of Sustainable Business Services (SBS), a North East sustainability consultancy helping SMEs across the UK measure, reduce, and report their carbon footprint. Since founding SBS in 2020, James has built a practical, commercially focused business supporting organisations across net zero planning, compliance and reporting, sustainable procurement, people skills and training, nature positive programmes, digital sustainability tools, and a growing community of like-minded businesses.
James's Talk:
In his talk, James will explore how businesses can move beyond seeing sustainability as a tick-box exercise and instead use it as a driver for commercial success. As environmental expectations continue to grow, organisations that fail to adapt risk becoming less competitive with customers, supply chains and investors.
James will explain why carbon reporting and Net Zero planning are becoming increasingly important, challenge common misconceptions SME's have around sustainability, and share practical, achievable actions that businesses of any size can take to begin their sustainability journey.
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2. Emily Pearson - Wellbeing Advisor, Wellbeing Lead Academy:
Emily Pearson is the Founder and CEO of the Wellbeing Lead Academy and a recognised thought leader in strategic workplace wellbeing and human sustainability. With over 25 years' experience, Emily helps organisations embed wellbeing into business strategy, governance and leadership, enabling them to create healthier workplaces, stronger cultures and more sustainable business performance. Emily is also the creator of the Human Sustainability Framework™ and author of the forthcoming book Human Sustainability.
Emily's Talk:
In her talk, Emily will explore why the 'Social' pillar of ESG is becoming a business imperative rather than a nice-to-have. As organisations face growing expectations from employees, customers and stakeholders, creating a culture where people can thrive is becoming a key driver of long-term success.
Emily will introduce the concept of Human Sustainability, demonstrating how organisations can embed wellbeing into governance, leadership and decision-making to improve engagement, performance and resilience. Attendees will leave with practical ideas to create lasting value for both their people and their business.
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3. Daniel Adamson - Business Advisor, Robson Laidler
Daniel Adamson is a Business Advisor at Robson Laidler, working with ambitious business owners to build stronger, more resilient organisations. Passionate about helping businesses move beyond compliance, Daniel supports clients to embed clear strategy, robust governance and effective decision-making into their day-to-day operations. His practical, commercially focused approach helps businesses create sustainable growth while building organisations that are fit for the future.
Daniel's Talk:
In his talk, Daniel will explore how businesses can move beyond treating governance as a compliance exercise and instead use it as a foundation for sustainable growth. As organisations face increasing pressure from customers, employees, investors and regulators, strong leadership and effective decision-making are becoming key drivers of long-term success.
As Daniel puts it, "Governance isn't about having better policies. It's about making better decisions."
He'll demonstrate how businesses can embed good governance into everyday operations to build trust, manage risk and create long-term value.
Who is this event for?
Whether you're a business owner, charity leader, trustee, director, senior manager or responsible for shaping the future of your organisation, this event is designed to help you move beyond seeing ESG as a tick-box exercise.
Through practical insights from experts in environmental sustainability, human sustainability and governance, you'll discover how ESG can strengthen leadership, improve organisational resilience, build trust with stakeholders and create long-term value - whatever sector you operate in.
You'll benefit from attending if:
- You're unsure what ESG really means for your organisation beyond compliance
- Customers, funders, commissioners, suppliers or stakeholders are increasingly asking about your environmental or social impact
- You want to attract, engage and retain talented people while creating a positive workplace culture
- You're looking for practical ways to strengthen governance, improve decision-making and reduce organisational risk
- You want to future-proof your organisation against changing expectations and emerging challenges
- You're interested in using ESG to create long-term value for your people, your organisation and the communities you serve
- You want practical advice you can start implementing immediately - not just theory
Our aim for this event:
Our aim is to demonstrate that ESG isn't simply about compliance - it's about building stronger, more resilient organisations that are fit for the future. By embedding practical Environmental, Social and Governance principles into everyday decision-making, you'll be better equipped to create positive outcomes for your people, your customers or beneficiaries, your community and the wider world, while strengthening the long-term success and sustainability of your organisation.
Agenda
🕑: 04:00 PM - 04:25 PM
Tea, coffee and networking
Info: Have a brew and make some new connections!
🕑: 04:25 PM - 04:30 PM
Introduction to the RL Business Club
Host: Jack Spoor (Event Host) - Robson Laidler
🕑: 04:30 PM - 04:55 PM
Beyond compliance: The business case for environmental action
Host: James Staniforth - Sustainability Consultant
Info: James will explain how businesses can use sustainability as a driver of commercial success rather than a tick-box exercise. He'll cover why carbon reporting and Net Zero planning matter, challenge common SME misconceptions, and share practical first steps to help businesses stay competitive and begin their sustainability journey.
🕑: 04:55 PM - 05:20 PM
Human sustainability: Building organisations where people thrive
Host: Emily Pearson - Wellbeing Advisor
Info: Emily will explore why the 'Social' pillar of ESG is becoming a business imperative, and how creating a culture where people can thrive is key to long-term success. She'll share practical ways to embed Human Sustainability into leadership and decision-making, helping organisations build stronger cultures, more engaged people and more resilient businesses.
🕑: 05:20 PM - 05:45 PM
Governance beyond the tickbox: Better decisions, stronger organisations
Host: Daniel Adamson - Business Advisor
Info: In his talk, Daniel will show how businesses can move beyond viewing governance as a compliance exercise and use it to drive sustainable growth. As expectations from customers, employees, investors and regulators continue to grow, effective decision-making is becoming essential for long-term success. Daniel will share how embedding good governance into everyday operations helps build trust, manage risk and create lasting value.
🕑: 05:45 PM - 06:00 PM
Q&A Panel
Host: The full speaker lineup
Info: Pick the brains of the speaker panel and ask any questions you had from their talks.
🕑: 06:00 PM - 06:30 PM
Networking
Info: No need to head straight off. Feel free to stick around, grab the speakers to ask any further questions, and maximise the opportunity to build new connections and network with other attendees.
Where is it happening?
Event Location & Nearby Stays:
GBP 0.00
