The Next Big Thing: Sustainability and Consultancy Event at University of Leeds

Who knew you could get a Geisha coffee bean? Or that it grows at high altitude? Or that coffee plants in Malawi are planted with partner crops to improve the farming process?

Who knew that the same berry can produce a whole range of colours from blue to red? Or that “designing out” harmful chemicals in cosmetics requires whole systems change to the chemical mix?

We learned all about this at the latest Sustainability and Consultancy Event at the University of Leeds this week. We were there to give a presentation to the latest cohort of Sustainability and Consultancy MSc students on our Circular Economy business model. We also shared our commitment to social value and our long-term efforts to quantify this using the UN Sustainable Development Goals Framework.

Sustainability metrics have come a long way from when we first began working with the Sustainability Research Institute at Leeds in 2018. So too has our engagement with sustainable business practices. When we first made the connection, we had just read a book called Waste to Wealth, which outlined the benefits of the circular economy and the different circular economy models. We were eager to share how the case study from our sector showed that circular economy was not just an ideal but a successful business model, with global trade and job creation.

Techbuyer has matured since that point, and so too has sustainable business practice. Customers are now asking us the questions we used to ask ourselves, like how we demonstrate circular economy in other areas of the business, what the carbon cost of our operations is and the carbon benefit to the world through choosing to buy refurbished and sell for reuse. We are now learning about other areas too – like sustainable procurement and modern slavery risk, how we create policies around this and how we measure success.

Techbuyer operates in a fast-changing environment. Firstly, because it works with technology products. Secondly because it has a commitment to sustainability. When we first announced our support of the UN Sustainable Development Goals in 2019, Social Value Statements were a number of years off being posted on websites. Carbon accounting was not yet part of core company reporting. The Public Procurement Act, which requires government bodies to make purchases with social benefit in mind, had not yet been finalised, let alone come into effect.

The fact that we had an interest in these areas put Techbuyer at a competitive advantage in some respects. The company had been looking at these issues internally and discussing how we could improve what we were doing. It meant that when we had to present policies, KPIs and scoring sytems, we were in a good position to know where to start. However, if these things are to be successful, we have to operate a process of continuous improvement and learning.

This is part of the reason that relationships with universities are so important. They help draw a line between theory and practice. They also help draw together a huge melding pot of new ideas. The event this week was a great example of this.

Techbuyer is highly unlikely to produce sustainable cosmetic products or create fair trade initiatives in Malawi. However, the issues that both of these companies face – supply chain engagement and effective treatment of waste – are part and parcel of most businesses’ experience. Listening to their approaches, challenges faced and solutions was a fantastic way to think creatively about our organisation.

This was doubly true because of the insightful questions posed by the students on the course. These people have invested in developing their skills and knowledge in sustainable business, spending the year exploring how to make environmentally friendly, socially responsible business profitable – and profitable businesses more environmentally and socially aware. Their range of experience, interests and backgrounds generated some great discussion points.

Thank you to the academic team for inviting us back and we’ll look forward to collaborating in the future.

Techbuyer's IEMA Sustainability Training Session

Sustainability is at the centre of many important conversations that face our business, as well as most others in the UK - understanding key sustainability terms, legislation, opportunities and risks is essential for developing an environmentally friendly business. To help you get on the right page for your business, and to help guide you into your own sustainability journey, we offer IEMA accredited sustainability training. To find out more and to register your interest, head to our training page here.