Go green or go under, Humber firms warned

BUSINESSES in the Humber region should “go green” or risk going under, a conference has heard.

Charlie Spencer, chief executive of the Spencer Group, told delegates at the Dawn of a New Humber conference that adopting sustainable business practices was not just “the right thing to do”, but a smart business move to respond to growing pressure from consumers, government and public bodies.

“The case for greening your business is overwhelming,” he said. “Businesses will either adapt or be replaced.”

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Mr Spencer said his company plans to cut its greenhouse gas emissions by 15 per cent over a five-year period, and told the conference: “Sustainability is working for us. It is a strategy that will pay dividends for your business too. If you don’t want to do it for your conscience, and you don’t believe your customers will force you to do it, then do it for your bottom line. Change is coming and it’s coming fast.”

The specialist engineering firm, whose green energy operations include the development of Energy Works, a £100m-plus renewable energy power plant in Hull, also works on nationwide projects involving the handling and storage of biomass.

The conference, part of Humber Expo Week at Hull’s Freedom Centre, heard from a range of speakers on plans to make Hull one of the greenest cities in Europe.

They included keynote speaker Lord Prescott, an architect of the Kyoto climate change treaty.

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The Humber is positioning itself to be at the centre of the UK’s renewable energy industry, with more than £1bn of investment planned in the sector.

However, Hull MP Alan Johnson last week warned Energy Minister John Hayes that his outspoken attacks on wind power were in danger of threatening investment in a £210m plant in the city by Siemens, which is seen as vital to attracting other projects.

A final decision on the scheme is expected in the new year.

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