The Bakery has made waves connecting big businesses, startups and entrepreneurs in the name of problem-solving. Now, the organisation is turning its head to the pressing problem of climate disaster – and applying its expertise in building solutions at speed in search of a solution.
However, the focus at The Bakery remains firmly on growth rather than risk – with its brand-new Sustainability Lab set up to facilitate environmentally-friendly opportunities for corporate growth. According to HSBC’s 2020 Resilience Report, ‘86% of companies expect their revenue to grow over the next year from a greater focus on sustainability’.
The Sustainability Lab has been launched in partnership with Earthwatch Europe – an Independent Research Organisation (IRO) and environmental charity, which also unites different interests in pursuit of change. Earthwatch works with scientists, businesses, and policy-makers towards climate justice.
Via the Lab, companies will be given a chance to work side-by-side. The Bakery and Earthwatch will help them identify relevant internal sustainability challenges; find, test, and implement solutions from the startup world; and thus drive genuine change. Focus areas range from supply chains and energy efficiency to behavioural change and dematerialisation.
According to Andrew Humphries, cofounder at The Bakery,
“The combination of Earthwatch’s unrivalled experience of engaging citizens and corporations in science-led environmental projects, together with our proven model of corporate-startup collaboration, will together enable us to deliver truly meaningful innovation.”
Chris Ballard, Head of Innovation at Earthwatch, said:
"The Bakery are pioneers in innovation and Earthwatch are pioneers in sustainability science. Our combined capabilities create a unique service in the Sustainability Lab, the first initiative of its kind in Europe, that will enable pioneering corporates to accelerate their sustainability innovation journey."
