The Festival of Sustainable Business, the one-day event aimed at showcasing and celebrating firms’ actions to achieve carbon neutrality, has announced Bristol City Council as a headline sponsor.
The council joins fellow sponsors Bristol insurer Brunel Group and the Future Economy Network, the Bristol-based group that is also organising the event, which will be staged next April. 
The festival made its debut last year, attracting more than 1,500 attendees and developing a reputation as one of the UK’s largest free events centred on sustainable business.
It also helped underpin Bristol’s role as a hotbed of green innovation and testbed for world-leading technology.
The Future Economy Network said the council’s sponsorship demonstrated its commitment to improving the city’s environmental and climate commitments.
James Sterling, communications, engagement and partnership manager for the city council’s Energy Service and City Leap said: “Bristol is recognised as a leading sustainable city and Bristol City Council is at the heart of this reputation, having invested over £60m in zero-carbon infrastructure over the past decade.”
Last November the council became the first in the UK to declare a climate emergency – recognising the need to rapidly accelerate progress in both carbon reduction and to become the UK’s first carbon neutral city by 2030.
The Future Economy Network has also welcome Brunel Group back for a second year. The insurer was headline sponsors of last year’s inaugural festival.
Brunel Group broking director Jon Filer said: “Brunel believes all companies have a responsibility to play their part in addressing the issue of climate change.
“As a group, we have taken key steps towards a more sustainable future by becoming a totally paperless office and having a very proactive approach to recycling.
“We have implemented a successful cycle-to-work scheme and prioritise working with suppliers who are also giving back to the environment.
“Brunel Professional Risks was our first trading company some 15 years ago and were one of the first brokers to offset emissions from business activity in the UK. We are committed to working with our colleagues and other businesses towards a more sustainable future.” 
The Future Economy Network director Katherine Piper, pictured, added: “With COP26 being hosted in Glasgow, the Festival in April 2021 will be a timely opportunity to reflect on achievements and further progress.
“We were delighted when Brunel advised us that they would like to support us again and the team thanks them for their continued support. Equally, having Bristol City Council as a headline sponsor really shows the local authority’s commitment towards addressing the climate emergency, with the Festival aligning perfectly with the One City Climate Strategy.”
The Festival of Sustainable Business, which will tale place on April 29 in central Bristol, will include an indoor exhibition of up to 60 sustainability experts, a sustainable transport zone, a sustainable food zone, four seminars on leading sustainability topics, four plenary sessions and finally a sustainably-sourced gala dinner.
