The Better Business Summit 2025 My Experience.
Joining the Better Business Network (BNN) last year was one of the best decisions we’ve made as a company.
Shout out to our former Business Development Manager, Tom Molyneux, for the recommendation.
The BBN has proven to be the most valuable network we’ve ever been a part of in my opinion! The network has provided us with some great connections, opportunities and workshops which have helped us meet like-minded people who also want to do good for our planet. With the help from BBN, we also managed to get some of our staff certified carbon-literate trained too!
So, when the Better Business Summit was announced, we thought it was the perfect opportunity to connect with others who care about sustainability, equality and creating change. And it didn’t disappoint! Here are my highlights and takeaways from a jam-packed day in Manchester.
Key Takeaways - Simple Lessons but BIG Impact!
Shared Values Matter - Showing up to Conferences/Summits/Networking events where people share the same values as you such as sustainability and equality isn’t just inspiring it’s comforting. It creates a real, authentic human connection.
Upgrade Your Networking Questions - Instead of asking “Where are you from” ask, “What brought you to this event/here today?” It leads to deeper conversations and a more people-focused approach.
Hope In Action - The world is in a sad state, we are killing the planet - but people and organisations are working SO hard to make real meaningful changes and impacts. There is hope and there are inspirational people who are having to think of new and revolutionary ways to change fundamental problems.
Rethink Overconsumption - Before buying something new, first ask yourself, “Can I repair this?”, or “Do I really need this?” Small choices count. Instead take the dopamine hit knowing you’re actually helping to save the planet, rather than the short-lived reward of a new thing. If you can afford to - buy quality that will last.
Energy Management - Don’t over-invest in your calendar! Nine speakers in one day is probably not going to allow space for actual networking. Choose two to three must-see speakers and leave some whitespace to recharge for intentional networking.
Before the Event:
As there were two stages with multiple talks running concurrently (Futures stage hosted by the relaxed, funny and engaging Ngunan Adamu, and the Horizons stage hosted by the brilliantly personable Sophie Lee), I spent some time the week before the Summit planning out the speakers and topics that grabbed my attention, so that I knew where to be and when. I am after all a project manager at heart, and planning is what I enjoy the most!
On the Day:
I was nervous but excited for a full-packed day, so off I went to Manchester for the summit. Having turned up after the slight detour thanks to Google Maps, (I booked to arrive into Piccadilly rather than Oxford Road) which took me on a lovely tour through residential Manchester and the ring road! But, I made it on time & the staff were lovely at check-in and made me feel very welcome.
I headed to the opening stage, where lots of people were already sat and played that game of seat Bingo where you look at people and think “who seems the least terrifying and least likely to invade my personal space”. Cue Maria Soleil who I sidled up next to and who was incredibly welcoming and kind. We chatted a little while waiting for the opening speech, about our work, B Corp, the Summit and within 5 minutes she had already given me a list of organisations/people I might be interested in following or connecting with. Maria was a veteran of BBN and attended the previous year's summits, but most importantly, she put me at ease that I was most definitely surrounded by like-minded and kind people.
Now onto the talks!
Talk One: “Changing the System - A Bold Vision for the Future” with Simon Blackler hosted by Mark Shayler
Simon Blackler of Krystal, an ethical web hosting and cloud services company (he’s planted over four million trees) shared his bold plan to disrupt parasitic capitalism through employee ownership. His idea? Use one business to buy another, and another, spreading equity and accountability along the way. Mind blown.
I enjoyed listening to his talk, his approach and philosophy to problem-solving and his drive to make a difference - all whilst still being incredibly relatable and easygoing.
He talked about how the system is broken, that the few profit from the many, and that to enact real change we have to change the ‘Parasitic Capitalist’ system - recognising that businesses can move faster than governments - but that a single business alone cannot do that. And so he presented his newly incorporated organisation Union of Steward Employee Owners (USEO). At Hive, we’ve begun to think about Employee Ownership - but this takes it a step further. The USEO plans to change the entire system by taking a business, moving 51% of it into Employee Ownership and using the remaining 49% to buy another business in which to do the same - and so on and so on, until employee ownership is the norm. I think it's more complicated than that - and surely more legal - but yeah - really interesting concept.
Mark Shayler was a great host, too. He was really engaging, though he has a lot of practice. He carefully guided the speaker, letting him shine.
During one of the breaks, I had a chance to speak with Ben Robinson the founder of Kendall Calling music festival, amongst many other things. He taught me the great networking opening line of “So what’s brought you here today” (rather than “Where are you from”) which I shall use forever more - thank you! He told me this amazing story of how they reduced the amount of waste at festivals, from over 4,000 abandoned tents in one year down to 300. His approach to human behaviour and waste reduction left me feeling inspired - and ready to reframe how I think about large events.
Talk 2: Why is Land Recovery so Important” with Megan Kelsall and Alex Hubbersley from the Lancashire Wildlife Trust.
They shared a beautiful film all about how important the West Pennine Moors are to different people and for different reasons, and how by working with United Utilities, farmers and others they're restoring the ecosystem. This is pretty inspirational stuff and I loved the film!
Talk 3: “Is Everything Turning to Shit” with Harry Brook and Lisa Douglas from Patagonia.
What an amazing story and philosophy that Patagonia has - that I had zero awareness of. It really opened my eyes as far as their philosophy was concerned. I didn’t realise how much they prioritised quality, sustainability and grassroots activism. They were quite humble, saying they were not perfect but trying their best. Their “Worn Wear” initiative, which focuses on repairing and fixing outdoor gear along with the emotional connection that people have with their clothes got me thinking about my own consumption. What resonated with me was how durable, quality purchases-like my 12-year-old GHDS or Doc Martens are way more satisfying than buying things new all the time. Patagonia also shared the difficulty in recycling clothes, which requires a designed intention right from the beginning. One question lingered in my mind, “How to make quality more accessible to those who need it most?”.
*LUNCH BREAK*
Lunch led to another serendipitous connection - enter the lovely Ruth Davis and together we went on the hunt to find food to fuel us up for the rest of the day. Our shared survival instincts looking for food allowed us to strike up a conversation, quickly sharing our passion for B Corp values and digital sustainability. We missed a talk while chatting (and marvelling at the cake!) but the insights we exchanged were well worth it.
I really wish I had taken a picture of the Cake! But - for Eagle Eyed viewers following the BBS25 feed - I did spot myself in a BBN photo, seemingly caught mid-joy as I marvelled at the cake:
Talk 4: Last Stand for Nature with Jannine Barron
Jannine was electric! 20 minutes was not enough. I LOVED her and so did Ruth! Her passion shone through - she gave hope, she wanted to talk about 10,000 things and really could have done. Showing how the growing focus on “nature” (once dismissed as “hippy talk”) has become mainstream in business. Her passion was contagious - I’m officially a fan for life! I am literally going to be stalking this powerhouse so that I can see her talk more. Not that it makes a difference, but she’s an Aussie who moved to the UK and was shocked by the lack of biodiversity, nature and wildlife that we have.
Talk 5: What's the Hype with Hydrogen? with Amer Gaffar
Interesting but complex. He supports green hydrogen; however, that’s tough to scale in its production. He also had a lot to get through and seemed to be doing some really innovative research and supporting/championing that research.
Talk 6: What's the footprint of a Hug? With Phil Korbul
I found Phil Korbul's talk on the topic of carbon footprint both impactful and thought-provoking. He emphasised the importance of giving future generations a world to thrive in rather than leaving them an apology. Members of Hive IT, who completed their Carbon Literacy training through Phil's organisation, praised the session.
While his message resonated, it also left me feeling a bit deflated. Despite living in an era of unprecedented comfort and healthcare, we continue to harm the planet. Phil referred to us as the term, “sad magpies”, drawn to shiny new things while carrying “infinite desires on a finite planet.” I aligned with his views but was left unclear about how the “Footprint Filter” he mentioned could aid us. Perhaps my brain just hit a wall!
Talk 7: Male Allyship with Lee Chambers
I found this session really insightful as a woman. Lee talked about his work with young boys in schools across the UK to encourage gender equality - he used the term “togetherness in division” but he’s also working to help them find connection.
He shared stats showing how online worlds are becoming more engaging for youth than the real world - a worrying trend. Stating that 50% of young people in a study said that they found their online world more engaging than their real world.
This was a troubling and sad statistic - we need to help kids connect with the planet and not just their phones and computer screens.
Final Thoughts
The day ended with the screening of The Shitthropocene, a satirical take on humanity’s consumption habits. It was hilarious but also a real eye-opener, reinforcing the ideas from Patagonia’s talk earlier.
BUT Before the screening, I met another lovely person, Lynda Harvey. We both felt familiar with each other’s organisations. Our conversation flowed despite our fried brains from a whole day of talks and networking. I shared my thoughts on Lee’s talk, which prompted Lynda to share her experience of a transformative 8-week course she went on about Women Leading Change and Shaping our Future. Interestingly, she also works in the digital sphere but was pursuing her passion for Gender Equality. We also discussed how website emissions are comparable to those of the aviation industry, and how framing it that way can emphasise the urgency of investing in sustainability.
And that was it!
From thought-provoking talks to meaningful conversations, the Better Business Summit reminded me why I love being part of this network. Sure I left brain-fried (and skipped the bar networking) but I also left hopeful.
Maybe next time I’ll stay for that drink. But for now, I’m ready to put these lessons into action.
