Green Tech Conference 2025

Steve is co-founder and CEO of Creative Concern. An experienced strategist, writer and communications consultant, Steve specialises in ethical and sustainability issues, integrated campaigns, city strategies, brand development and creating strange installations out of trees, lights and beautiful type.

Recent projects include work with C40 cities, World Green Building Council, World Resources Institute, Aberdeen Chamber of Commerce, Newcastle City Council, Plymouth City Council and the Greater Manchester Combined Authority.

Steve’s spent the last few years also helping to create a European network of partner agencies, called Do Not Smile – www.donotsmile.com

He is currently a board member of the Greater Manchester LEP, and was recently the interim chair of the Community Forest Trust and has previously chaired Manchester’s Climate Change Partnership. A long time ago he was Communications Director at Sustainability Northwest and Head of Campaigns at the Vegetarian Society of the UK.

Specialties: Particular areas of expertise include climate change, place making, city strategies, culture, sustainable transport, food issues and the natural environment.

Mark joined the Association of Greater Manchester Authorities (AGMA) in May 2012 as Director of Environment for Greater Manchester and transferred to GMCA in May 2017. In this role, Mark provides strategic support to the Greater Manchester Low Carbon Hub by leading the development and delivery of strategies, policies, research and demonstration projects for environment and low carbon work areas.

Current projects include the a smart energy demonstration project on aggregation of heat using Air Source Heat Pumps, domestic energy efficiency programmes, community energy promotion, natural capital investment planning, climate change adaptation research plus developing joint work programmes between GM and several government departments, including the Urban Pioneer for the UK’s 25 Year Environment Plan.

Prior to his current appointment, Mark joined the Northwest Regional Development Agency in 2002, culminating in the role of Director of Energy and Environment. In this role, Mark managed a project investment portfolio of circa £30m/annum, providing innovative and strategic leadership to the Agency’s work on energy & environmental technologies sector development; climate change and carbon reduction; sustainable consumption & production and environment quality.

Mark holds a science degree in Organic Chemistry and Industrial Ecology; postgraduate qualifications in Leadership and Hydrobiology and several management qualifications.

Hannah is Director of sustainable impact agency betternotstop.  A Sustainable Impact Agency planning to change the world. We help other purpose-driven businesses create clear sustainability strategies to increase both their revenue and communicate their values to their customer base. We received an outstanding score on our B Corp Certification of 101.5. We are a member of 1% for the planet, Business Declares and B1G1.

Using B Corp certification and Global Reporting Standards to create Impact Strategies and research projects. We created the Carbon Literacy for Professionals course for the Carbon Literacy Project. We are a CPD Accredited organisation creating courses and workshops in positive impact. betternotstop certified Veo.World at a score of 130.6, putting them in the top 5% of global B Corporations worldwide as well as &Sisters, a femcare brand that achieved B Corp ‘Best For the World’ Status for Community in 2022.

I authored Industry Report ‘More than Music’ in which we laid out frameworks to increase sustainability at Music Festivals. Our award winning Impact work at Kendal Calling has made it one of the most sustainable music festivals in the U.K. A proud Member of the Association of Festival Organisers and part of the VISION 2025 Steering Committee for the next ‘Show Must Go On’ Report.

She also founded the Better Business Network, a nationwide membership organisation for hundreds of purpose-led business leaders and thousands of employees, helping them increase their social and environmental impact through community, collective action and courses.

Alex joined Bruntwood from Salford University in 2006 having recently completed a BSc Building Surveying degree from University of Salford. Alex initially worked as a Building Surveyor in Bruntwood’s Manchester City Centre portfolio. In 2009 Alex became Chartered and then in 2012 moved to head up the Birmingham portfolio.

Alex always had a keen interest in building services and in 2010 began a part-time masters in Building Services Engineering at Brunel University, graduating with Distinction in 2016. In 2017 Alex moved to a central role within Bruntwood and is currently Head of Infrastructure & Energy, playing a key role in Bruntwood’s Net Zero Strategy and roll out of solar PV installations.

Sarah is a Principal Consultant with sustainability consultancy Anthesis, specialising in supporting financial services to understand, assess and respond to climate risk. She has over 10 years’ experience in climate science and the finance sector and has been recognised for her contributions through awards including “Best Use of Risk Analytics to Promote Resilience” at the London Cat Modelling Awards in 2020. She is passionate about climate, sustainability, and communication, and thoroughly enjoys exploring technical solutions for the complex challenges posed by climate change. Her focus areas include quantifying the impact of climate risk and opportunity and helping firms respond to regulatory requirements. Outside of work, Sarah is a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society. She enjoys running and wild swimming through the Yorkshire Dales, where she is currently based, with her partner and two (very active and lively!) dogs.

With a 25+ career spanning a range of industries tackling energy, water, waste and resource issues, addressing compliance, reducing emissions and encouraging innovation at both corporate and SME scales, I have expertise in the field and broad appreciation of the challenges and opportunities we face. My early career spanned a number of roles in United Utilities latterly addressing biosolids recycling and carbon management. The last 10 years have been spent exploring roles in recycling, waste management, resource efficiency and eco-innovation.

Currently I deliver support services as a Senior Innovation & Growth Specialist for Innovate UK Business Growth, it’s my role to encourage and facilitate responsible innovation and growth, addressing current and future needs and capabilities of the UK’s ambitious SME’s.  Greentech has a role to fulfil, however the biggest challenges exist in the appropriate deployment of these solutions, limited by awareness, short-sighted opportunities, financing and legislation among many other non-technical barriers.

Mark is founder and managing director at NetZero.co.uk, a Manchester based Climate technology business. Following a twenty-year career in the digital automotive sector, Mark returned to university and was awarded an MBA from Manchester business school before launching the business in 2019.

Proud to be a B Corp, the business uses a hybrid model of carbon consulting and technology to streamline carbon reporting, analysis and reduction whilst engaging employees and customers with the Engage Carbon Portal within Net Zero’s proprietary software NetScope.  The NetZero.co.uk team, work with local SME’s and corporates such as Santander, VW and QBE in addition to sports partners such as MCC Lords, SRO Motorsport and World Netball where technology is used to leverage engagement and awareness amongst fans.