Festival of Sustainability - June 2025

Izzy Hoggmascall and Laura Giles welcome attendees to the Festival of Sustainability, 26 Jun 2025

[All photos on this page: Jodie Bawden]

In 2025, the Pentland Centre for Sustainability in Business turned 10 years old. To mark the anniversary, members, partners and friends of the centre attended a Festival of Sustainability.

We celebrated our successful collaborations across Lancaster University and with external partners, discussed the work we are undertaking on issues such modern slavery, biodiversity, and the blue economy, and examined the impact the Centre and our members have.

The Festival also looked to the future, exploring ways forward for the Pentland Centre, and how we can take work from members that encapsulates coral reefs, solar parks, farming, accounting and reporting, and many more areas and give it greater practical impact.

This page shares images and recordings from the day.

Our guests

[All video by Andy Copplestone and Paul Turner.]

We were joined by a wonderful group of guests who delivered talks, participated in panels or generally contributed throughout the day. Here they share their thoughts on key aspects of their relationship with sustainability.

Passions!

Participants at the Festival of Sustainability tell us about their sustainability passions.

Sustainability enablers

Guests at our Festival of Sustainability told us what they think the key enablers for sustainability in business are.

Sustainability leadership

Leadership in sustainability is a key theme of the Centre's work. We asked guests and contributors to our Festival of Sustainability what they think sustainability leadership looks like.

Reasons to pursue sustainability

Our expert guests and contributors tell us why business should pursue sustainability.

Throughout the Day

Opening

Professor James Faulconbridge, Deputy Dean of the Lancaster University Management School opened the day.

Professor Jan Bebbington, Pentland Centre Director welcomed everyone to the event.

Jane Davidson, ex-Welsh Government minister, spoke about the introduction of the Welsh Well-being of Future Generations Act (2015).

Panel 1: Nature, biodiversity & business

This panel looked at the range of work taking place across the Centre linked to nature and biodiversity, their links to net zero and just transition, as well as a glimpse of the future research and impact agenda for business, nature and biodiversity.

Chair: Duncan Pollard

Find out more about the work carried out on this theme by our Knowledge and Action Hub on Business and Biodiversity.

Dr Tim Lamont, Dr Laura Giles, Duncan Pollard, Professor Alona Armstrong and Dr Neytullah Ciftci
Dr Tim Lamont, Dr Laura Giles, Duncan Pollard, Professor Alona Armstrong and Dr Neytullah Ciftci

Parallel Sessions

In the afternoon there were three very different interactive sessions, with a common interest in questions of values, evaluation, and justice in the pursuit of sustainability.

Find out more about the work carried out on some of these themes by our Knowledge and Action Hubs on Modern Slavery, Justice and Complex Supply Chains, and People and the Ocean.

Professor Christina Hicks, in the middle of speaking.
Professor Christina Hicks talks about her work during the parallel session on Justice in the ocean economy post the UN Ocean Conference 2025.

Panel 2: Future agenda in sustainability in business

The panel explored what lies ahead for sustainability in business, as it relates to panel members' areas of expertise.

Chair: Professor Jan Bebbington

Jon Fitzmaurice, Richard Spencer, Professor Jan Bebbington, Jane Davidson and Professor Nick Barter
Jon Fitzmaurice, Richard Spencer, Professor Jan Bebbington, Jane Davidson and Professor Nick Barter

Sustainability at Lancaster University

Lancaster University Head of Sustainability, Dr Georgiana Allison, rounded off the day by talking about the university's sustainability journey and ambitions.

Dr Georgiana Allison
Dr Georgiana Allison

Thank you

Thank you to everyone who came and made the day so memorable. Below are the brave people who made it outside in the chilly wind and drizzle for a group photo!

A group photograph of approximately 50 participants at the Pentland Centre Festival of Sustainability 26 Jun 2025, standing outside Lancaster University Management School.

A group photograph of around 50 of the participants on the day.

Photos from the day

Izzy Hoggmascall and Laura Giles sitting behind a table with registration paperwork on it.

Registration

Izzy Hoggmascall and Laura Giles register participants to the Festival of Sustainability.

6 people sitting in a lecture theatre talking, waiting for an event to begin.

Gathering in the lecture theatre

Early arrivals have a chance to catch up before the opening of the event.

Professor James Faulconbridge, speaking in a lecture theatre.

The event gets under way

Professor James Faulconbridge, Deputy Dean of LUMS and Chair of the LUMS Sustainability Working Group, opens the day.

Professor Jan Bebbington speaking in a lecture theatre.

A warm welcome from the Centre Director

Professor Jan Bebbington welcomes everyone to the event, thanks them for celebrating our anniversary with us, and gives an overview of the day,

Keynote address

Jane Davidson introduced the legislation that became the Welsh Well-being of Future Generations Act (2015), and as our keynote speaker told us about the process that led to this, and why the principles that drove it are still important now.

Duncan Pollard seated in chair, in the middle of speaking to an audience.

Nature, biodiversity and business

Duncan Pollard chairs the first panel, and asks panellists some quick fire questions!

Dr Neytullah Ciftci sitting in a grey armchair, speaking.

Nature, biodiversity and business

Dr Neytullah Ciftci explains his work on early adopters of the Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures, and insights gained from that work.

Close shot of Dr Tim Lamont speaking, in a lecture theatre.

Nature, biodiversity and business

Dr Tim Lamont explains what corporate led ecosystem restoration involves.

Professor Alona Armstrong sitting in a grey armchair in front of a desk and monitors, speaking

Nature, biodiversity and business

Professor Alona Armstrong talks about the win-win for biodiversity and solar park design.

Dr Laura Giles smiling and talking, sitting in front of a grey desk in a lecture theatre.

Nature, biodiversity and business

Dr Laura Giles talking about learning emerging from the Knowledge Transfer Partnership with Lake District Farmers about the carbon impact of meat farming.

People standing / sitting in groups, in conversation. Centre is Jane Davidson, speaking animatedly

Conversations over lunch

Some enlightening and lively conversations took place during the lunch break!

Composite image of Dr Celine Germond-Duret and Professor Christina Hicks.

Post UN Ocean Conference reflection

Dr Celine Germond-Duret and Professor Christina Hicks deliver their session on Justice in the ocean economy post the UN Ocean Conference 2025.

Composite image of Dr Matt Pawelski and Dr Elisavet Christou

Evaluating sustainability

Drs Matt Pawelski and Elisavet Christou lead a session on how to measure/evaluate sustainability.

A group of people sitting around a table having a conversation.

Discussing sustainability evaluation

Session participants have an opportunity to discuss how they would put principles into practice.

Professor Jan Bebbington chairing a panel of speakers.

Future agenda in sustainability in business

Professor Jan Bebbington chairs this panel, which examines how we can continue to create possibilities for sustainability in business.

Richard Spencer.

Future agenda in sustainability in business

Richard Spencer of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW) and Pentland Centre Advisory Board shares his insights into corporate governance and sustainability, and how professions can contribute to sustainability in business.

Jon Fitzmaurice

Future agenda in sustainability in business

Jon Fitzmaurice of the Work Foundation talks about the links between decent work and sustainability in business, and challenges for work and wellbeing in the future.

Jane Davidson using her hands to emphasise a point, when speaking.

Future agenda in sustainability in business

Jane Davidson talks about 'just transitions', and what principles of the concept are useful for businesses to work with.

Professor Nick Barter emphasising a point with a hand gesture.

Future agenda of sustainability in business

Professor Nick Barter talks through the principles of generational governance.

Dr Georgiana Allison speaking at the front of a lecture theatre

Making sustainability our business

Dr Georgiana Allison, Head of Sustainability at Lancaster University, talks through the University's approach to sustainability, and its importance for future generations.

More about our 10th anniversary

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