Positive Planet – Reducing your carbon impact

As part of our commitment to environmental responsibility, we are working with Positive Planet to assess and reduce Music Mark’s carbon emissions, and to provide a discount for our members on their services. Positive Planet will also be attending our annual conference to run a session on preparing your business for climate change and to run our ‘Sustainability Stand’ where you can come and chat with them for bespoke advice. We spoke to Alex Nunn, Senior Sustainability Consultant, to learn more about what Positive Planet do, and how they can help those working in music education.

Who are Positive Planet and what do you do?

Positive Planet provides solutions for businesses and organisations looking to take responsible action to reduce their climate impact. We offer a suite of business solutions designed to simplify the pathways to Net Zero, from carbon footprint measurement, emissions reduction planning, employee training, stakeholder engagement and programme delivery.

As a Senior Sustainability Consultant at Positive Planet, I support a diverse range of clients throughout their Net Zero journey. From calculating carbon footprints to guiding clients through detailed Carbon Reduction and Net Zero strategies. A key aspect of my role is setting realistic Net Zero targets and being readily available to address any technical questions, ensuring my clients stay on track toward their sustainability goals.

Why is the work that you do on carbon emission reporting important?

We are all aware of the potential impacts of a warmer planet from frequent messaging on the news and social media, indeed we are already seeing the effects of human led climate change at global scale with extreme weather events being documented ever increasingly. It is therefore evident that in order to protect our planets and ourselves from the worst effects of climate change a rapid and global effort must be made to reduce the concentration of global Greenhouse Gases.

At Positive Planet we facilitate the reduction of emissions with the end goal of limiting and even reversing the impacts of climate change. The first step on this journey is helping our clients quantify current and past emissions, allowing our clients to report current emissions to all stakeholders. With this information, we work with clients to create an organisation and sector-specific reduction strategy which aligns with the levels of reduction needed to limit global temperature rises to 1.5°C above pre-industrial scales.

Why is this relevant to those working in music education, and how can you help them?

Integrating sustainability into our culture is vital to achieving international goals of Net Zero by 2050. Music has always played a pivotal role in delivering and communicating important messages, as educators you are perfectly placed to ‘walk the talk’ and engage with students who are increasingly aware of the threats posed by climate change.

Through increasing topic awareness and by demonstrating a commitment to sustainability you will be well placed to support the next generation of sustainably conscious musicians develop their skills, all while placing yourself above competition by offering a quality service with sustainability in mind.

You’re joining us at this year’s annual conference to deliver a session and run the Sustainability Stand. What can people expect from these?

We will be running a workshop titled ‘Survive or Thrive Climate Change’, ran by one of our expert trainers, PK Whalen. This workshop aims to equip participants with a foundational understanding of the business impacts of climate change and provide practical tools to assess their organisation’s readiness. Join us at the workshop on Tuesday at 9:40am to get involved.

At our stand, I will be joined by Cam Harris, Sustainability Engagement Manager we will be happy to answer any questions you have about sustainability. This includes insights on future regulations and funding landscapes, jargon clarification, avoiding greenwashing, and the important role educators play in sustainability.

We’re excited to be working with you to track Music Mark’s emissions. What will this partnership involve?

Positive Planet will collaborate closely with Music Mark to gain a deep understanding of their operations. This will enable us to create a comprehensive overview of their activities and establish a baseline of carbon emissions, which will serve as the foundation for setting reduction targets and developing initiatives to achieve long-term Net Zero goals.

In addition, we will provide tailored training for the Senior Leadership Team and Board of Trustees, equipping them with a solid understanding of the science behind climate change, the associated challenges, and the opportunities it presents for Music Mark.

As part of this partnership, Positive Planet is pleased to offer a 10% discount on all our services to Music Mark members.

Alex Nunn, Senior Sustainability Consultant, Positive Planet

If you’re interested in learning more from Positive Planet about what you can do to make your work more environmentally sustainable, book your conference ticket now to join their session or chat with them at the Sustainability Stand. Music Mark Members can make the most of a 10% discount on all of Positive Planet’s services – click here to find out how to receive the discount. Not a member? Join us today!