Net Zero
Yesterday, I took myself to a free event that I found on Eventbrite. It was billed as a GreenTech meet up but I didn’t know what to expect. I was hoping to put my new networking skills to the test but there were, sadly, few opportunities.
It turned out to be aimed at small businesses and young entrepreneurs and their startups and was essentially an event to spread the word about an accelerator programme designed to help them achieve Net Zero operations and supply chain.
It had a focus on Scotland and I learnt some fascinating facts about the number of SMEs in such a small country - around 350k - and that they are responsible for roughly 40% of Scotland’s carbon emissions.
So why did the presenter think it was important for businesses to focus on Net Zero when they’re already dealing with inflation, Brexit, the post-Covid era and the cost-of-living crisis? The answer was that it is essential to survival.
Not only does Net Zero certification give you a competitive edge, but it is also increasingly going to be a key requirement when it comes to purchasing decisions.
There were two key learnings from this event for me. Firstly, don’t refrain from attending events where you are not the primary target. You will get a lot from talking to people who are not like-minded and learning about things outside of your normal scope. This could lead to new ideas and opportunities.
Secondly, the concept of vertical (coming together of representatives from the same industry) and horizontal events (bringing together unrelated businesses). There is a lot of value in horizontal events - one example was the curling stone manufacturer who was spending money throwing waste stone in landfill. A farmer on the same table said he would take the stone away from them for free and use it to repair his paths.
So don’t be afraid to step outside your comfort zone.
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