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| Centrica is the largest energy supplier in the UK trading under its brand names, British Gas and Scottish Gas. It secures and supplies gas and electricity for millions of homes and businesses and offers a range of home energy and low carbon products and services. With operations in North America and Europe, Centrica’s vision is to become the leading supplier of energy and related services in its chosen markets. British Gas is the largest provider of energy efficiency products in the UK and is developing and installing a range of low carbon microgeneration technologies in households and businesses, an area poised for major growth. Over 2 million households have completed a British Gas Energy Savers Report, helping them to reduce their energy carbon footprint. Its Green Streets and |
Generation Green programmes are aimed at improving awareness of energy conservation amongst British householders and schoolchildren. Centrica supports its retail businesses by owning gas production and power generation assets. The carbon footprint of its power generation fleet is the lowest of any major UK energy supplier. To ensure it maintains this leadership position, Centrica has set a target to reduce its UK power generation carbon intensity to 380gCO2/kWh by 2012 and 350gCO2/kWh by 2020. It is also a leader in offshore wind energy where its investments are contributing significantly towards meeting the Government's targets for renewable generation. |
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| The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) is a Government Department in the UK. The overarching challenge for Defra is to secure a healthy environment in which we and future generations can prosper. As we build a low carbon, resource efficient economy, Defra helps people to adapt to changes, deals with environmental risks and |
makes the most of the opportunity we now have to secure a sustainable society and a healthy environment. This will help see us through the difficult economic times, volatile food and energy prices and a changing climate which all make us more aware that we can’t take our environment for granted. Defra champions the Ecosystem Approach across government. |
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| Natural England is here to conserve and enhance the natural environment for its intrinsic value, the wellbeing and enjoyment of people and the economic prosperity that it brings. Natural England is working towards the delivery of four strategic outcomes, which together deliver on our purpose to conserve, enhance and manage the natural environment for the benefit of current and future generations: 1. A healthy natural environment - England's |
natural environment will be conserved and enhanced 2. People are inspired to value and conserve the natural environment - more people inspired to enjoy, understand and act for the natural environment. 3. Sustainable use of the natural environment - the use and management of the environment is more sustainable. 4. A secure environmental future - decisions which collectively secure the future of the natural environment. |
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| NERC funds world-class science in universities and our own research centres that increases knowledge and understanding of the natural world. We are tackling the 21st century's major environmental issues such | as climate change, biodiversity and natural hazards. We lead in providing independent research and training in the environmental sciences. |
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| The RSPB is the UK charity working to secure a healthy environment for birds and other wildlife, helping to create a better world for us all. The RSPB speaks out for birds and wildlife, tackling the problems that threaten our environment. We are the largest wildlife conservation organisation in Europe with over one million members. Wildlife and the environment face |
many threats. Our work is focussed on the species and habitats that are in the greatest danger. We have more than one million members, over 13,500 volunteers, 1,300 staff, more than 200 nature reserves, 10 regional offices, four country offices... and one vision - to work for a better environment rich in birds and wildlife. |
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Foresight
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| Foresight’s role is to help government think systematically about the future. It does this by combining the latest scientific and other evidence with futures analysis to help policy makers tackle complex issues. While the future is inherently uncertain, our work can help to identify potential risks and opportunities. Foresight brings different government departments together to stimulate and inform the development of | strategies, policies and priorities which are more resilient and robust across a range of possible futures. Foresight is in the Government Office for Science, headed by Professor John Beddington, the Government Chief Scientific Adviser within the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills (DIUS). |
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| The Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) funds research into the major social and economic questions facing us today. We also develop and train the UK’s future social | scientists. Our research informs businesses, voluntary bodies and other organisations more effectively and most importantly, it makes a real difference to all our lives. |
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| The Science Council was established in 2003 with the object to advance science and its applications for public benefit. It brings together learned societies and professional bodies across science and its applications and there are currently 31 Member Bodies. The Science Council is able to explore issues across the range of disciplines and professions in science, fostering collaboration towards solutions for some of the key issues facing society today, such as climate change, food security, energy diversification, health and an ageing population. The Science | Council promotes the profession of science through the Chartered Scientist designation and the development of codes of practice; it promotes awareness of the contribution of professional scientists to science and society and advances science education and increased understanding of the benefits of science. Current and future demand for STEM skills in the UK workforce is central to the Science Council's work and a current priority area of interest. |
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| Youngs is a London based pub company. We pride ourselves in delighting our customers with high service standards, superb food, a market leading choice of drinks and stylish pubs. Our pubs are positioned at the heart of the communities that they serve and we therefore instinctively understand the importance of balancing the needs of our business with the responsibilities we have to all our stakeholders. Some examples include: our commitment to maintaining the heritage of our pubs, many of which are historic local landmarks; local sourcing of the vast majority of our ingredients to reduce food miles and support local producers; energy conservation and recycling schemes to reduce the carbon footprint of each of our managed premises. Through our joint ownership of Wells and Young's Brewing Company, the UK's largest |
privately owned brewery and one of the UK’s leading cask ale producers, we are also focused on the use of natural, domestically produced agriculture products. Young’s Bitter was the first ale brand to carry the Red Tractor logo, a marque which guarantees that the Maris Otter barley used is of the highest quality and grown on assured farms in the UK. The brewery strives to recycle wherever possible and has implemented processes designed to minimise the traditionally large volumes of water that are normally used within the brewing process. Wells & Young’s also designed and operates an award winning distribution centre that includes a number of environmental features including solar panels for lighting, a water retention system to capture and store rainwater and a method of producing and storing ‘green’ power that can be sold back to the electricity grid when excess power is produced. |
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| Sir John Bennet Lawes, with Sir Joseph Henry Gilbert, established Rothamsted Experimental Station in 1843. In 1889, with one third of the proceeds of the sale of his fertiliser business, Sir John established and endowed The Lawes Agricultural Trust which operated the Station, now Rothamsted Research (RRes), from 1889 to 1990. The charitable objects of the Lawes Agricultural Trust are to further agricultural science for public benefit which it does primarily by providing a variety of types of support to assist RRes in its work. RRes is the largest institute in the UK conducting scientific research into agriculture and the environment. Its portfolio embraces arable | and grassland production systems. Its primary objectives are to advance scientific knowledge and understanding to provide new opportunities for removing constraints on food production by enhancing resource use efficiency (land, water, nutrients, non-renewable energy, labour etc.). Its research integrates mathematics, physics, chemistry, ecology and the crop sciences (including: genetics, pathology, entomology and soil science) to contribute predictive understanding and scientifically-sound options for the maintenance of economically and environmentally sustainable systems of food production. |
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