CorpComms Magazine

IT systems consultancy IBM will kick off a nine-day summit on sustainability tomorrow, with a day exploring how to create a sustainable city in the current economic climate, aiming to encourage collaboration between city leaders and business and industry.

Over the following eight days, the summit will analyse methods to generate more sustainable energy, transport, skills and labour, supply chains and finance, finishing up with a day reviewing 'Smarter Business for a Sustainable Future' - echoing the company's own sustainability slogan.

Developing a strong business model for sustainability lies at the heart of the IBM summit. Stephen Leonard, chief executive of IBM UK & Ireland, struck the keynote yesterday, when he said: 'Progress will come when sustainability outcomes produce tangible business benefits.'

But Leonard also insisted: 'It's not just business and the way we go about business that we need to discuss. We also need to look at where business fits within society, our cities and the systems which provide water, food, energy, public safety, health and transportation.'

Opening up dialogue between stakeholders from business, government and research is vital to tackling the issue of sustainable living and the dedicated IBM summit site lauds this as an 'exclusive opportunity for leaders in business and government, academics and subject matter experts to gather behind closed doors to work towards a set of actionable recommendations for business in the UK.'

IBM is running the summit in partnership with Start, an initiative spearheaded by The Prince of Wales examining how to create a more energy efficient, cleaner and healthier future.

The Prince has meanwhile embarked on a Trotsky-esque tour of the UK aboard the Royal Train - powered by sustainable bio-fuel - to promote the Start initiative. As part of a showcase of the best sustainability projects in Britain, the Prince will see the world's first hybrid car in Birmingham, visit the 'Incredible Edible Todmorden' a town-wide 'grow your own' project in West Yorkshire, and have 'a cup of tea with a pensioner who has benefited from solar panels in her roof' in Nottingham.

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