Empowering Sustainable Innovation at Exeter College’s Eco-Enterprise Event

On Friday, 16th May 2025, our Regional Sales Manager, Emma, had the honour of representing Optimising IT as a guest speaker at the Exeter College Eco-Enterprise Event, themed ‘Circular Solutions for a Sustainable Future’.

The event brought together sustainability leaders, local businesses, educators and students to explore how enterprise and education can work hand-in-hand to tackle environmental challenges.

As a B Corp certified IT and cyber security provider, Optimising IT is passionate about helping organisations embed sustainable practices that not only protect the environment but also drive long-term business value. Emma’s talk at the event focused on the importance of having a values-first approach and how organisations and people can align with this to support circular economy models and a more ethical world.

Bridging Business and Education

Hosted at Exeter College, the Eco-Enterprise Event served as a catalyst for meaningful dialogue around circular business solutions, which garnered plenty of engagement and curiosity from the students in attendance. Their commitment to future-focused thinking aligns perfectly with our mission at Optimising IT: to help organisations build resilient, ethical and digitally secure futures.

We believe that education plays a vital role in shaping a more sustainable and secure digital world. That’s why we champion partnerships between businesses and educational institutions, supporting the next generation of leaders through mentoring, talks and career opportunities.

Cyber security and Sustainability: A Modern Business Imperative

We’ve seen how businesses that align security, IT strategy and sustainability are more agile, more trusted and better prepared for the future. Events like the Eco-Enterprise conference help spark these crucial conversations.

Why Optimising IT Supports Events Like This

At Optimising IT, we don’t just provide expert IT and cyber security services, we lead with purpose. As one of the few B Corp certified IT companies in the Southwest of England, we’re committed to responsible tech, meaningful partnerships and real social impact.

• Supporting and guest speaking at the Exeter College Eco-Enterprise Event allowed us to:
• Inspire future change-makers through real-world examples of ethical business.
• Engage with local organisations to empower sustainability.
• Advocate for ethical strategies that support both people and the planet.

Looking Ahead

The energy, ideas and collaborations sparked at the Eco-Enterprise Event reaffirmed our belief in the power of community-driven sustainability. We’re proud to be part of this growing movement and look forward to supporting more initiatives that bring technology, education and sustainability together.

We’ve been proud and honoured to sponsor and speak at other events like the Eco-Enterprise, from Cheltenham Science Festival to the Bristol Life Awards – explore some of the ways we’ve helped as a B Corp-certified company. You can also contact us regarding any sponsorships or other ways we can make your event a success.

Emma’s Thoughts on the Eco-Enterprise Event

Hear all about the Eco-Enterprise Event from our Regional Sales Manager herself. Here are Emma’s thoughts and key takeaways from the event.

What inspired you to speak at this event?

I am passionate about sustainability and empowering young people to bridge the gap between young people and businesses, and working together for a more sustainable, equitable and ethical world. To be able to share what I’ve learned so far in my career with the young people and businesses of Exeter was a great opportunity, and I also got to share the word about B Corp in our local area.

Which of the event’s themes were you most excited to explore?

I was really excited to explore the theme of ethics and how it correlates with the journey of building a more sustainable and equitable world. I shared how it’s important to have values-first thinking and how this can help people stay aligned to their mission and ethics.

What messaging are you hoping attendees take away from the event?

I’m hoping that the business leaders from the event will take away new ideas and inspiration to implement into their businesses. I am hoping the students have more of an understanding of the possibilities of careers within aligned businesses that value sustainability and ethics.

What are your key takeaways from the event?

My key takeaways are that the Exeter business community are making huge steps forward in terms of progress in their actions and plans for running operations in a more sustainable way, but also in a way that challenges current ways of working and ethics. For example, Russ from Two Drifters Distillery, a B Corp based in Exeter Quay, stated that if you’re going to start a business, you need to have, one: a good product to begin with, and two: build the ethics of the business from the beginning, asking questions to find out things like where your supply chain is across the world.

What was your favourite part/moment at the Eco-Enterprise Event?

My favourite part was during lunch when I was sat with some of the other speakers. They were all so inspiring, and it felt like after even just a few minutes, we were all sharing ideas and stories to apply to our own business and missions.

Were there any standout speakers, workshops or student initiatives that inspired you?

The students! I was so genuinely taken aback by the students and what they created. The event was so well run, it felt like it had been run by event professionals, and this was super impressive. They are proving exactly what Gen Z and younger generations are capable of – driving forward to a more sustainable world. It was also great to see so many of the students genuinely curious about B Corp.

How did the event help strengthen connections between business and education?

The students were able to ask questions and learn more about what is happening in Exeter. I have also connected with the students, so it will be great to build on these relationships and help them on their journeys.

Why is it important for businesses to align with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)?

It is so important for business leaders to understand how their business missions and values align with the UN SDGs and how they can lead a business which stays aligned to these. This is how businesses can shape the future to be a more sustainable and equitable world.

How can local businesses lead global change through ethical practices?

Start small. As I discussed in my talk, the first step is the most important, and it doesn’t matter what it is; it’s making that momentum to move forward, which is the catalyst. If every business did this, then it wouldn’t be such a small thing.

How do you plan to implement or share what you learned with your team or community?

I am looking forward to supporting the students further in their journeys by connecting them with businesses, opportunities and the NextGen community in Exeter. I am also excited to implement some of the learnings into my own work and share these ideas within the B Corp community.

What advice would you give to other professionals looking to champion sustainability in their roles?

Just have a go! It can be very easy to overthink or worry about stepping forward as a champion for sustainability, however, it is the first step that matters. It could be implementing a recycling system in your office or looking at developing a lift-sharing culture in your company. It all makes a difference, and the culture will build itself over time.

What circular economy solutions did you see that could be applied in your own work?

We heard from Paul Winyard, from Watercress Research and a Professor at the University of Exeter. He shared insights into the circular economy of discovering the pharmaceutical and nutraceutical efforts of the watercress plant. We discussed how the by-products of the process can actually be valuable and a game-changing product in themselves. This made me question, what are the by-products of my own work? How can I best utilise everything I do in the workplace?

What would you like to see and/or discuss next time?

I would love to see more B Corp companies there next year in the audience and also speaking. I 100% know this would be a great event for our local B Corp community!