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Never before has the case for ethical capitalism been more stark. 

The world has been shaken by the combined forces of the pandemic, climate change and supply chain collapse. Closer to home, the Great Resignation is causing a talent shortage like never seen before. Employees and consumers alike are leaving companies to join forces with organisations that embody their values and, increasingly, stock prices are linked to ESG (environmental, social, and governance) performance. For SMEs bidding for work, procurement is looking to award contracts to suppliers with green credentials. Sustainability is no longer a “nice to have” – it’s also an essential business case. 

Jake Third, Managing Director of digital marketing agency, Hallam, says: “The case for businesses to balance purpose with profit is clear – it’s sustainable, it builds employee satisfaction and it helps attract the right kind of clients. But it’s not easy: tough decisions are required with real-world trade offs. Anyone who tells you that it’s easy to stick to your values when your back is up against the wall has never been there”. 

It’s from this shared acknowledgement of the difficulties in leading a purpose-driven organisation that Hallam and the Nottingham Contemporary are teaming up for an honest debate, without any bells and whistles, for the local business community who is looking to become more purpose-driven but is struggling to make a start. 

Taking place on Friday 8th April from 4-6pm, this free event looks set to explore the opportunities and pitfalls about the purpose-led journey, with humility, honesty and the real challenges of getting it right. 

In the opening talk, Julie Reid, Head of Strategy at Hallam, provides a language and framework for organisational sustainability; unpacking the frameworks of the ‘triple bottom line’ approach and the realities of a BCorp application.

Julie explains: “It isn’t a new idea that businesses have a positive role to play in society – beyond the goal of making money. The founding dean of Harvard Business School in 1908 said the point of business was to ‘make a decent profit, decently’. But with all the pressures businesses face, it’s not always easy. And that’s what this event wants to explore – what does it look like for businesses to do right by shareholders, their people and the wider community and even the planet? We may not have all the answers, but we think it’s worth asking the question!”

Dr Elena Frâncu from the University of Nottingham will then explore social purpose: how can you, as an organisation, adopt a meaningful purpose that will make a difference and, perhaps most importantly, how you can justify the energy it requires in terms of ROI.

Joining Julie and Elena, further panel members include Andy Batson, Head of Audiences and Partnerships at Nottingham Contemporary and Adam Pickering, Environment Editor at LeftLion and Founder of Hockley Hustle / Green Hustle. 

Featuring explorative presentations, a panel discussion, a tour of Nottingham Contemporary’s current exhibition, ‘Our Silver City, 2094’ and networking drinks, join other members from the East Midlands’ business community on Friday 8th April, 4-6pm at the Nottingham Contemporary.

Sign up to the free event here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/better-business-for-a-better-nottingham-tickets-277419438007