Sustainability at the Core: 2024 Impact Stories
This article is part of a series, you can find other stories about our community’s impact here
Across Europe, innovation ecosystems are shaping a future where sustainability is fundamental to every stage of business development. Driving towards long-term success, European Business and Innovation Centres (EU|BICs) embed core social and environmental principles into their daily entrepreneurial support operations and their innovation ecosystems as a whole.
Engaging Communities and Promoting Inclusivity
Community involvement is a critical component in achieving a sustainable future. Engaging local communities, and fostering collaboration, all create shared ownership, and the development of solutions tailored to specific regional needs – local actors contribute to sustainable projects that reflect the region’s unique resources, challenges, and opportunities. When community-driven solutions are fostered, local actors are more invested and likely to champion sustainability efforts, leading to more resilient communities.
EU|BICs also work actively to develop the necessary skills among entrepreneurs that ensure sustainability is integrated into the core of their business strategies. Whether it is through access to funding, mentoring, or business development, EU|BICs provide essential resources to help companies grow while staying committed to social and environmental goals
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By: Robert de Jong,
Director at Royal Docks Centre for Sustainability (University East London)
EU|BIC Royal Docks Centre for Sustainability’s Vision for East London
In the heart of East London, the Royal Docks Centre for Sustainability (RDCS) stands as a beacon of innovation, enterprise, and sustainability. Launched by the University of East London (UEL), the RDCS emerges as a critical response to the burgeoning demands of the next industrial revolution. This pioneering initiative marks a significant stride toward fostering a sustainable future for the Royal Docks and the wider East London area.
Building Skills and Mentorship for Sustainability
A sustainable future requires a workforce equipped with the right skill set. EU|BICs recognize that developing skills in sustainability is essential for the transition to a greener economy. Through mentoring, access to resources, and fostering interdisciplinary collaboration, EU|BICs help entrepreneurs and businesses integrate sustainability into their business models from the start.
Upskilling is crucial for equipping professionals with the knowledge to implement sustainable practices. Circular economy models require a new generation of professionals capable of navigating complex regulatory environments, a new understanding of value chains, and a new way to interpret business success. EU|BICs are actively involved in capacity-building initiatives that align skills with industry demands, ensuring that SMEs are well-prepared to adopt sustainable practices and thrive in a competitive market. Through these efforts, EU|BICs are nurturing the next generation of entrepreneurs who understand that sustainability is not just an ethical choice, but a business imperative. Their role in upskilling entrepreneurs, offering mentorship, and creating networks that support sustainable innovation is vital to Europe’s ongoing transition to a circular economy.
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By: Joelle El Hajjar,
Programmes Manager, Berytech Foundation
EU|BIC Berytech – The Circular Transition: EMBRACE toolkit
In a circular economy, growth is decoupled from the consumption of scarce resources, and products are kept in productive use for as long as possible. Joelle El Hajjar programme manager from Berytech Foundation an organisation that actively supports entrepreneurs by providing a dynamic environment and ecosystem fostering innovation, technology and entrepreneurship in the region across the green, knowledge, social and blue economies, emphasises that this approach is consistent with the objectives of a green economy, which focuses on creating an innovation-driven national economy, promoting closed-loop systems, and reducing the consumption of non-renewable resources.
As Europe moves towards its ambitious environmental goals, the efforts of EU|BICs will continue to play a crucial role in shaping a future where business growth and sustainability are two sides of the same coin. Together, we are building a more equitable, sustainable, and innovative Europe, where everyone has the opportunity to contribute and benefit.
Our mission commitment to quality business support, regional development, and sustainable innovation is enhancing the competitiveness of European enterprises and contributing to the overall cohesion of European regions and the well-being of their societies.
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