We don’t want to be preachy or boring but this blog is where we share our values and experiences and write about the issues shaping the future of our businesses and our society. Catch a glimpse into our lives and find out what’s new in our world...

Friday 8 August 2014

The Complex Links Between Climate Change and Migration


Tuvalu
Source: Flickr
Climate migration may not be a very mainstream environmental topic, yet is an important, albeit complex, issue that must be addressed.  The latest Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report acknowledges that climate change will impact migration flows.

Tuesday 15 July 2014

Bioeconomy, Horizon 2020 And The Holy Grail Of Market Access



Source: European Commission
“How do we scale up, enter the market and become a big hit?” is the big question all innovation faces.  Niche industries, such as biotech, are looking for the funding to kick-start commercial scale production.  Could Horizon 2020 be the answer to their prayers?

Thursday 3 July 2014

Five More Green Spaces in Brussels

Parc de Woluwe
Source: Wikimedia Commons
The sun is shining in Brussels, so it’s a good opportunity to present a follow-up to our Five Green Spaces in Brussels blog post from last year.

Friday 20 June 2014

5 Sustainable Food Apps

Apps to pick apples by
 It’s getting ever easier to check just how sustainably we’re eating day-to-day.  With so many online tools promising to help make our diets more ethical, we thought we’d list five of the best.

Friday 6 June 2014

My First Month In Brussels

Grand Place at night
It’s hard to believe that it was over a month ago that I arrived in Brussels and started working at Sustainability Consult.  My placement is part of the EU’s Leonardo Mobility Programme, administered by Change Agents UK.  The last month has been both busy and educational, as I have taken up the position of Personal Assistant and Community Manager.

Thursday 5 June 2014

How Does Climate Change Affect Jobs?


Traditionally, trade unions have not been the biggest climate policy supporters and climate change impacts on the labour market are not always obvious.  However, global warming affects poor people in both urban and rural areas disproportionately, increasing inequality.  This is just one finding from the European Trade Union Institute’s (ETUI) new report ‘Climate Change: Implications For Employment’, created with the European Climate Foundation (ECF). 

Tuesday 3 June 2014

This Is Big: US To Cut Carbon From Coal Plants. Uptake In Nuclear Likely

Source: Wikimedia
In what it calls a “commonsense plan”, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in the US has proposed legislation to reduce carbon from existing coal-fired power plants.  Driven by President Obama, the Clean Power Plan, part of the June 2013 Climate Action Plan, may be the single most significant climate policy proposal to come out of the United States government to date.  

Monday 2 June 2014

7 Steps To Make Your Presentation More Engaging

Image by Frits Ahlefeldt-Laurvig - hikingartist.com
A successful presentation demands that people sit up and take notice.  Yet, when was the last time you found yourself drifting off during a monotonous slideshow?  It’s probably not that long ago.

It never fails to amaze me how often smart people continue to make the same mistakes and give bad presentations.  These seven steps will save that big presentation from becoming naptime for the audience.

Wednesday 28 May 2014

Challenges and Opportunities of Communicating Climate Change



Sustainability Communications Lunch with Tim Nuthall
At this month’s Sustainability Communications Lunch we were joined by Tim Nuthall, Media Manager of the Energy Strategy Centre at the European Climate Foundation.

Friday 23 May 2014

Green Drinks Brussels Celebrates Its One Year Anniversary


Naomi, Bárbara and Richard at Green Drinks Brussels
Last week, Sustainability Consult celebrated the one year anniversary of Green Drinks Brussels.  Green Drinks is a non-profit international organisation promoting informal drinks for people who work on or are interested in the environment.  In May 2013, Sustainability Consult took the initiative to organise the first Green Drinks Brussels which saw a successful turnout of fifty people (and a dog)! 

Monday 19 May 2014

Five More Cafés To Work From In Brussels

Last year, we wrote about Five Cafés To Work From in Brussels.  It seems to have struck a chord with those looking for a decent cup, comfy seats and – crucially – a good internet connection.  It has become our most popular blog post.

So here are five more cafés that we like to work from in Brussels when we get the opportunity.

Monday 12 May 2014

Five Top Bioeconomy Tweeters

Source: Wikipedia
At Sustainability Consult, we are proud to have a number of clients in the bioeconomy space, who are helping decarbonise our economy through innovative fossil-free products.  We’ll be exhibiting once again at the World Congress on Industrial Biotechnology from 12-15 May in Philadelphia, the world’s largest industrial biotechnology event.

Thursday 8 May 2014

Five Twitter Don’ts

Following on from my Five Tips For Live-Tweeting blog, I wanted to share some things I don’t like to see organisations doing on Twitter.


Not all of my tips will guarantee a successful Twitter account – in fact, many of the world’s most popular accounts are frequently guilty of these transgressions. Nevertheless, you’re definitely not Miley Cyrus, so take a glance at my Twitter etiquette don’ts!

Wednesday 30 April 2014

Subsidies to the Power Sector: Europe’s Best Kept Secret?

Sustainability Consult’s CEO, Kathryn Sheridan, moderated a heated debate at EWEA yesterday. The event ‘Subsidies to the power sector: Europe’s best kept secret?’ brought together speakers from the renewable and fossil fuel sectors with economists from the European Commission and OECD. Fossil fuel subsidies is a pressing issue since the G20 made a pledge to phase out market distorting subsidies. We supported the Global Subsidies Initiative on this issue some years ago.

Kathryn moderated speakers from the renewable and fossil fuel sectors

Tuesday 25 March 2014

Wednesday 19 March 2014

Innovation and Energy: Big Questions Facing The EU 2030 Package

The panel at ‘Putting Innovation 
At The Heart Of 2030’
Earlier this week, I attended a conference hosted by Energy Post. The event ‘Putting Innovation At The Heart Of 2030’, moderated by energy journalist Sonja van Renssen, brought together guest speakers for a timely debate on the European 2030 Climate and Energy proposals.

Saturday 8 March 2014

Inspiring Change: Why Women Can Thrive In The New Economy


Kathryn Sheridan is CEO of Sustainability Consult
As a female CEO, it seemed natural for me to blog on International Women’s Day. But when I sat down to write the post, I hit a wall. I simply don’t define myself as a “woman entrepreneur”. I’m just an entrepreneur who happens to be a woman. I was lucky enough to be born in a democracy and raised to believe that I could do whatever I set my mind to, as long as I worked hard. Thanks Mum!

Tuesday 25 February 2014

Tweet Meaningfully: Sustainability Consult’s Social Media Tips

January’s interactive Sustainability Communications Lunch made clear that many Brussels-based sustainability communications professionals were keen to discuss social media in more depth. At this month’s Lunch, I gave some tips on how to tweet with a purpose, before inviting attendees to engage in a more wide-ranging debate.


Thursday 20 February 2014

Five Tips For Framing Captivating Communications

Framing your communications is important if you want to engage your
Value Groups – Source: Common Cause 
audience.  This is even more vital when communicating on issues rather than marketing products or brands.

Here are five tips for framing communications successfully:

Friday 14 February 2014

Why The Sharing Economy Offers A Bright Future

The sharing economy in action at The Big Swap
Charity shops and flea markets have long offered opportunities for sharing and recycling. Recently, though, an exciting new trend has crept into the mainstream. Called ‘The Sharing Economy’, new marketplaces, most of them online, encourage people to share rather than consume. 

The Sustainability Consult ‘Big Swap’ and ‘The Good Library’ are both examples of the sharing economy in action.


Thursday 6 February 2014

Energy Is The Missing Link At Sochi

No end of Facebook and Twitter posts have been denouncing the gay rights situation in Russia, linking it to the Winter Olympics in Sochi. Stray dogs have been rounded up and destroyed, leading to further dismay online. Journalists have made us laugh with their tweets on the awful hotel accommodation in Sochi.

Wednesday 5 February 2014

My First Month With Sustainability Consult

After a busy and exciting first month with Sustainability Consult, I’d like to share
A light show at the City Hall
my first experiences of living and working in the Belgian capital.

Thursday 30 January 2014

Europe and Green Politics: “When you are motivated, you can deliver a good job”


Image courtesy of Maria Nitzsch Hastrup
Last week, I attended a Q&A session with Bas Eickhout MEP on ‘A Career in European Environmental Politics’.  Hosted by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the Brussels Environmental Interns Network, the event felt timely, given that the European Commission announced its 2030 climate and energy package the next day.

Wednesday 29 January 2014

Sustainability Communications Lunch: Top Tips for Success


This month’s Sustainability Communications Lunch was a hotbed of discussion and advice.  The first Lunch of 2014 focused on communications challenges and what could be learned from them.  A lively group of communications professionals were keen to share their tips for success. 

Another lively Sustainability Communications Lunch
Here are just a few of them

Tuesday 21 January 2014

Five Tips For Live-Tweeting

Many people are not aware of the power of live-tweeting.  It is an easy way to
How to tweet engaging
live updates
promote an organisation’s online presence and – if done well – generate meaningful content for your Twitter account.  When hosting or attending an event, it is well worth taking a fully-charged smartphone, tablet or laptop along and post some updates.

Below are five things you should keep in mind when planning to live-tweet at an event.

Friday 17 January 2014

Hello Brussels: My First Week at Sustainability Consult

My first day
I had never been to Brussels before last week.  So some of my friends quietly questioned my decision to move here and join the Team at Sustainability Consult.  I began work on Monday.  Did I know what I was getting myself into?  Would Brussels and the role match my expectations?