About the event

Businesses are facing increasing expectations to understand and address their impacts on biodiversity and the natural environment. Customers, clients and employees want to see meaningful action on sustainability and nature recovery. Getting involved in local conservation projects is one of the clearest, most visible ways to show that commitment, and this event gives you the tools, insight and inspiration to do just that.

Richard Betts of RZB Advisory 

Senior sustainability and ESG advisor with over two decades of experience advising boards, investors and policymakers in the UK and across the world on sustainability. Richard has held senior leadership roles at three of the Big 4 and ERM, a global sustainability consultancy.

Richard will share practical insights into the UK Sustainability Reporting Standards (UK SRS) - the UK's newly published disclosure framework, with mandatory rules for listed companies expected to be confirmed shortly. He'll set UK SRS in its wider global and European context, covering how it fits alongside the ISSB's international baseline and the EU's Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) - essential for any business trading across UK and EU markets, or supplying companies that do.

Richard will cover what this means for:

• Managing compliance risk - across UK, EU and global reporting obligations
• Biodiversity and nature-related reporting
• Supply chains - and the growing pressure on SMEs to report data up to larger customers and partners
• Growth opportunities in new markets - as ESG credentials increasingly shape procurement and investment decisions

Andy Meek, Group Head of Sustainability at Chesnara PLC

With over 20 years of experience within financial services, including Deloitte and insurance services, Andy leads Chesnara Plc’s group sustainability strategy across its UK and European businesses.

Andy embeds environmental, social and governance considerations into business decision-making and strategy, while overseeing sustainability reporting and disclosures. He will be sharing insights into:

• Financial risks presented by climate change and nature decline
• Building resilience into the value chain
• Examples of action businesses are taking
• How Chesnara established a nature-based partnership with Lancashire Wildlife Trust.

For attendees who are up with the larks, there’s an additional opportunity to start your day with our Nature Reserves manager Lorna Bennett, with a guided tour of Brockholes birdlife. Bring your boots and binoculars!

The event ends at 11am but there’s opportunity for networking and a wander round the reserve before you head back to the office.

Event Timings:

The floating* Visitor Village will be open from 8am, providing a quiet space to catch up on emails or plan your day before the presentations begin.

8.15am: Optional Brockholes tour to explore the exceptional bird life on the reserve. Boots and binoculars recommended but not necessary. Please ensure you book the add-on ticket for this - there is no additional charge.

9.30am: Presentations

11am: Free networking and access to independently explore the reserve.

*Yes, it floats. Our visitor and conference facilities are built on a floating island, surrounded by Meadow Lake. The structure has a BREEAM Outstanding rating and the architects Adam Khan won Public Building Architect of the Year together with RIBA, Civic Trust, and Wood Awards.