Jennings to host Making a Difference business workshop

Jennings, one of Oxfordshire’s leading business park operators, today announced the launch of their first live event since the COVID outbreak, to be held in partnership with Oxfordshire Greentech and South & Vale Business Support.

The ‘Making a Difference Business Workshop’ on Tuesday 10th May 2022, marks the achievement of net zero carbon for Jennings and is designed to help small business owners embark on their own journey to sustainable and ethical practices.

This interactive networking and ideas workshop at Jennings’ Chalgrove headquarters, Hampden House in Monument Park, will offer practical advice on how businesses can make a positive impact on their environment and own community. It is open to all businesses, charities and community groups in Oxfordshire and the surrounding areas and will also be an opportunity to network with like-minded entrepreneurs.

In line with the theme of ‘how to do good for people and planet’, a series of speakers will inspire business owners with all kinds of ideas on how to overcome barriers and grow a sustainable, people-centred business. These will include representatives from Jennings and Oxfordshire Greentech as well as sustainable design company, Kite Creative and ‘Planet Positive’ printers, Seacourt.

Talks and Q&As will be followed by interactive breakout workshops in facilitated small groups to help map a future sustainable business that puts people and the planet first. Part of this group work will be to identify the barriers stopping action and find solutions to help build a business with a net positive impact on the world.

The event, which is free and open to all, offers a way for businesses to kick off their own sustainability journey. As a company, Jennings have already achieved net zero and have the same vision for the whole of Monument Park and its 80+ businesses by 2030.

Chris Williams, Sustainability Champion and Commercial Manager for Jennings, comments: “It’s clear that we’ve reached crisis point for our planet with scientists from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change warning it’s now or never to limit global warming. Every company has a responsibility to offset in some way because the nature of any industry is that carbon is produced. But here at Jennings we believe every business has a choice to make sustainability top of their agenda and take every effort in their power to reduce their own carbon footprint.”

“As a company established here for nearly a century when it first began as a farm, we are extremely proud to have achieved net zero carbon. This is a journey for us and we want to help take as many people and businesses as possible along the same route. This event will support business owners on their own journey to a sustainable future and we are with them all the way,” he adds.

Hannah Scott, Communications and Members Manager for Oxfordshire Greentech said: “Oxfordshire Greentech is thrilled to offer this event for local businesses at Jennings. It’ll be a chance to support and learn from each other about how climate action impacts people and planet, and also makes business sense too. Hearing from innovative companies who have already embraced action, sharing ideas and expertise, will help everyone.”

“No single business can solve the climate crisis on their own, but together, our impact could be transformational to Oxfordshire and beyond,” she adds.

Tickets for the free-of-charge event on 10th May at Hampden House in Monument Park, Chalgrove, can be obtained here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/make-a-difference-business-workshop-do-good-for-people-planet-tickets-292260056697?aff=ebdsoporgprofile

Agenda for the Make a Difference Business Workshop

9.30-10:00                 Networking

10:00-11.00               Case studies from inspiring speakers in the Oxfordshire business community

11:00-11.15               Q&A Panel

11:15-11.30               Coffee break

11.30-12.30               Interactive workshop on putting ideas into practice

12:30 -13:00              Optional tour and networking

13:00:                         Close