Westminster brings together local businesses to explore sustainable solutions together

Held at the Hallam Conference Centre, London, on 1 October, the event featured local experts and community leaders who discussed regional opportunities and challenges, further solidifying the University’s leadership in the green economy movement.  

The event was opened with a welcome from Dr Pooja Basnett, Senior Lecturer and Co-Lead of the Cavendish Living Lab. This was followed by a keynote speech from Professor Peter Bonfield, Vice-Chancellor and President of the University of Westminster, who emphasised the University’s commitment to sustainability and innovation, setting the stage for a thought-provoking afternoon.

Dan Johnson from The Fitzrovia Partnership followed and showcased real-world examples of sustainable initiatives in action in the Fitzrovia area. He outlined The Fitzrovia Partnership’s aim to embed sustainability at the heart of the organisation and highlighted how collaboration was the biggest driver of success and positive change when it came to sustainability across a community.

This was followed by Anastasia Lydaki, Sustainable Development Advisor from the University, who spotlighted several impactful sustainability projects within the University, such as immersive and authentic learning projects like the Cavendish Living Lab and the University’s plans to embed sustainability into the curriculum.

One initiative featured at the event was Westminster's partnership with Hazaar, a circular economy platform that enables Westminster students and colleagues to buy and sell pre-loved and homemade items, making buying the essentials and non-essentials more affordable, stress-free and kind to the planet. CEO Harriet Noy spoke about Hazaar’s mission to reduce waste and combat the climate crisis, making sustainable consumption more accessible.

Dr Linda Percy, Senior Lecturer and Co-Lead of the Cavendish Living Lab, followed and shared the Lab's achievements, including growing vegetables for local food banks, converting waste coffee into compost, taking part at national conferences and engaging students in outreach programmes aimed at promoting sustainable living within the University and the local community.

The afternoon continued with a dynamic panel discussion titled Farms, Food, Fashion in the Green Economy, featuring experts from diverse fields such as agriculture, urban farming and environmental management. The panel included Dr Gabriella Manfredi, Agricultural Attaché at the Italian Embassy in London, Grace Corn, Principal Engagement Officer from Westminster City Council, Dr Luca Cacciolatti, Reader in Innovation and Marketing at Westminster, Peter Dore-Smith, Founder and Director of Kaffeine, Rachel Butler, Area ECO Manager at Veolia, and James Campbell, Comedian and Regenerative Farmer. Their diverse perspectives provided a rich discussion on how people can help support a greener future.

Dr Basnett also announced the launch of two community-focused projects, the Quintin Hogg Trust-funded Food and Community Project and the Greener Futures Fund: Urban Farms for Young Minds. Both projects are designed to empower local communities through sustainable practices.  

Towards the end of the event, students involved with the Cavendish Living Lab were awarded certificates in recognition of their contributions as Sustainability Outreach Leaders over the past academic year.

As the evening wound down, there was a networking reception, providing an opportunity to build connections and discuss the key takeaways from the afternoon.

The event was organised by Dr Basnett, Dr Percy, Dr Dipankar Sengupta and The Fitzrovia Partnership.  

Pooja Basnett said: "It was great to witness our Fitzrovia community come together in the spirit of collaboration and knowledge exchange. Local businesses, community organisations and universities united to discuss sustainability. I hope this event inspires many more gatherings in the future. I would like to extend my gratitude to everyone who attended, and, most importantly, to the Quintin Hogg Trust and Westminster Centre for Education and Teaching Innovation (CETI) for their support in making events like these possible."

This event directly contributes to all 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). Since 2019, the University of Westminster has used the SDGs holistically to frame strategic decisions to help students and colleagues fulfil their potential and contribute to a more sustainable, equitable and healthier society.  

Find out more about Sustainable Development at the University of Westminster.