IoD Scotland Autumn 2021

More documents

Recommendations

Info

IoD Scotland events: Global Conference IoD Global Conference 2021: Connecting the World Tackling our global challenges together This year, the IoD Global Conference, organised by IoD Scotland, took as its focus the biggest challenge facing humanity – climate change. With keynote speakers, business leaders, eco-activists and delegates drawn from across the globe, it was a comprehensive response to the key issue of today as speakers offered their contributions on the steps business and society need to take to help us all reach carbon ‘Net Zero’. Opened by IoD director general Jon Geldart, speakers included, from public service, First Minister Rt Hon Nicola Sturgeon, the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, The Rt Hon Kwasi Kwarteng MP and former UK Foreign Secretary The Rt Hon David Miliband, alongside respected business voices such as Professor Mark Logan, former COO of Skyscanner; Dr Ifeyinwa Kanu of IntelliDigest; Douglas Lamont, innocent drinks; and Martyn Link of Wood. Crucially, however, the conference also included the voices of prominent ecoactivists, including Samantha Suppiah, sustainability strategist, and Jojo Mehta of Stop Ecocide International. Perhaps more poignantly, the voice of the youth were also present, with contributions reviewed by Kate Chambers of the 2050 Climate Group, while Vanessa Nakate, founder of the Rise Up Movement, Africa’s first youth-led climate campaign group, offered a view from the Global South. Over the next 10 pages there are reports on the key contributions, with details on actionable insights delegates took away from the event and the results of specially commissioned opinion polls. in partnership with Want to catch up? The full conference can be viewed at: https://www.iod.com/events-community/regions/scotland/annual-conference Opening thoughts: The voice of government, the voice of youth Set targets – but don’t cherry-pick the data The IoD Global Conference was opened by The Rt Hon Kwasi Kwarteng MP, Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, who highlighted the UK’s recent record on clean growth. The economy had risen by 78 per cent, he said, as carbon emissions fell by 44 per cent. He was also pleased that so many business leaders were getting behind the government’s ambitious 10-point plan for greening the economy. “Net Zero policies are now at the heart of all Government decision making,” he said, “and we are determined our decarbonisation plans will deliver world-leading results.” The voice of young activists was given a central place in the IoD Conference, with Climate Change 2050 representative Kate Chambers offering her thoughts after each session. On Kwasi Kwarteng, she said while it was important to celebrate achievements, his comments cherry-picked Government progress on Net Zero. In particular she criticised the methodology behind recording carbon emissions which ignored CO 2 produced overseas in the manufacture of goods purchased and consumed in the UK. She was also surprised that official figures still ignored emissions from the aviation industry. She openly challenged conference over business practices that meant “we are not living within our planetary means… we use too many natural resources while millions go without.” Extractive economic models had led to an environmental crisis that demands urgent action at COP26: “We need to be realistic about the cost of inaction,” she said. The rate of progress on reducing carbon emissions had been painfully slow over the past 30 years, despite the science clearly telling us of the likely repercussions. She made one hugely telling point: “Consider this: a child born during COP26 will be 29 by the time the UK Government has met its target of Net Zero.” When put in such stark terms, “doesn’t that feel really slow to you?” Opening thoughts from Kwasi Kwarteng, Kate Chambers and Jon Geldart 28 iod.com Autumn 2021
Spotlight interview: David Miliband Business needs to lead – but avoid temptation to hide your carbon output Former UK Foreign Secretary David Miliband didn’t mince his words on the issue of climate change as he took part in the opening keynote interview with journalist and broadcaster Halla Mohieddeen. Worldwide, politicians “have had their heads in the sand” over climate change, he said, and the current crisis over the environment was the result of “a failure of leadership for over 30 years ... we’re living in a vacuum of leadership at the most dangerous time since the end of the Cold War,” he said. Miliband – now President and CEO of the New Yorkbased International Rescue Committee – told conference that Covid had highlighted the weakness of global institutions, and the only response should be a strengthening of bodies such as the World Health Organization and UN groups working on the environment. If WHO had been properly funded and had real capacity for global action, the Covid pandemic could have been nipped in the bud early: how much has governmental responses cost the world since the start of 2020? He was alarmed by the response to the recent UN IPCC report on climate change, which he described as “a red flag demanding action: we need to be on a war footing to beat climate change.” The lack of a co-ordinated response suggested the lessons of Covid-19 – that only by working together can we emerge from the pandemic together – had not been learned, and he called on business leaders to make climate change their number one priority. Those worried about whether businesses could afford to make the transition to carbon Net Zero were warned that “inaction will cost considerably more”, using the devastation caused by recent flooding in Europe and wildfires in North America as his evidence. Businesses needed to adopt a policy of decarbonisation now, and he was critical of those happy to adopt green washing policies that look good on paper but achieve little. “Decarbonisation is the only way forward. You cannot clean up the planet by exporting your emissions elsewhere. “It’s no good thinking you can compensate for your emissions by planting a tree or using carbon sinks.” “Pick metrics you can understand to measure your carbon footprint and take steps now to reduce it.” Too many were content with ‘Happy Talk’ – a phrase that emerged from the Vietnam War to describe commanders who only told their superiors the good news, leaving out the bad. “We need action; we need to highlight progress on carbon emissions without glossing over those areas where improvements have not been made.” He wasn’t optimistic that a solution could be found but he did point out that society had “more tools at our disposal than ever before to come up with the “A child born during COP26 will be 29 by the time the UK meets its target of Net Zero... doesn’t that feel really slow to you?” Kate Chambers answers.” However, he remained baffled that in the USA, many still had their heads in the sand on climate change, “despite record heatwaves, droughts and wildfires.” “We must challenge the deniers; speak truth to power where necessary.” The response to Covid-19 has been likened to that of a nation going to war, and he was adamant that a similar approached was required on climate change. Business has a key role, he stressed, by using its capacity for innovation. Businesses sheltering behind high carbon strategies will be found out, “either by investors moving away, your customer base collapsing or you will find your supply chain disrupted.” Business leaders should also remember that they hold great sway with the government. “The power of your voice cannot be overestimated; if business speaks with clarity, governments will listen.” He said he was optimistic about success as he believed people had the capacity to do great things; what was important was to “expose and challenge those who deny the science, confront the forces that ally with them. “We have a duty to strangers, to reassert our common humanity.” Actionable insights n Develop your metrics – figure out what you need to measure. Connect with the help that is out there and learn from nature while you’re at it! n Put these issues on your agenda – at every board meeting (and think of the COP26 baby while you’re there) n Be honest about where we are – but connect and learn from those making a difference to give you hope and inspiration “We need to expose those who challenge the science... we have a duty to strangers, to reassert our common humanity” David Miliband Autumn 2021 iod.com 29
Page 1: The official membership magazine fo
Page 4 and 5: News: IoD Scotland comment Net Zero
Page 6 and 7: News Clark launches tech PR boutiqu
Page 8 and 9: Downtime / IoD membership services
Page 10: Behind the desk: Jojo Mehta Let’s
Page 13 and 14: “At Skyscanner we proved you can
Page 15 and 16: that the internet was global so the
Page 17 and 18: Role of qualifications in enabling
Page 19 and 20: Developing teams capable of sustain
Page 21 and 22: What to do about burnout, how can y
Page 24 and 25: IoD Membership benefits IoD members
Page 30 and 31: IoD Scotland events: Global Confere
Page 38 and 39: Director of the Year Awards Awards
Page 40 and 41: Events Please note: All events on t
Page 42: IoD Events Welcome to IoD Director

IoD Scotland Autumn 2021

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?