Pupils get the green business message

A group of sixth-form students from The Leys had the rare opportunity of joining adults studying Sustainability in Business for a lecture and discussion by Lord Browne of Madingley.

Lord Browne, who was CEO of BP for 12 years, was the architect of the rebranding of BP into “Beyond Petroleum”. He champions the case for finding alternatives to fossil fuels to meet society’s burgeoning energy needs.

Speaking at Peterhouse, Lord Browne argued that pursuit of sustainability in business is not only sensible from an ethical and conservation point of view, but should be considered at least as vital as R&D to the future profitability of any business.

The evening was run by the University of Cambridge’s Programme for Sustainability Leadership. It formed part of a three-day event for a diverse range of adults studying for their Master of Studies in Sustainability Leadership. It was therefore a very special privilege for the students to be exposed to a level of rigorous debate and discussion well above anything they have met in school to date.

Sixth-former Ellie Gray said: “Lord Browne’s talk gave a true insight into the importance of sustainability, not only for the environment but for the success of a business. He also gave a lot of valuable advice for someone hoping to study management at university with guidance on how to be a great leader: always stand by your organisation.”

The trip was organised by Head of Physics, Andrew Harmsworth, who chairs the School’s Sustainability Committee. To find out more about Sustainability at The Leys, go to http://www.theleys.net/green