Event Details
When: 15 September 2025
Where: Warwick Conferences
Your Journey to Us
You can view travel options for the beam & MIA ESG Summit using our travel app:
Event Agenda
09:30 am – Arrival and Registration with refreshments
10:30 am – Welcome
10:45 am – Opening Keynote – Growth on Purpose
An inspiring journey of intentional growth, where purpose drives progress. This keynote shares the compelling story of building a B Corp from the ground up—demonstrating how staying true to core values and keeping things human led can lead a business to thrive without compromise. Discover the power of leading with integrity, fostering authentic connections, and creating lasting impact while growing sustainably and successfully.
Jonny White – Founder and CEO, Ticket Tailor
Founder and CEO of independent B Corp ticketing platform Ticket Tailor. Jonny is passionate about business as a force for good, bootstrapping, and designing a stress-free company that can punch way above its weight.
Today Jonny is a father of two and works 4 days a week alongside the most awesome team of people delivering Ticket Tailor to the masses.
11:15 am – 12:00 pm – Panel Session – ESG as a Business Strategy – Profitability, Resilience & Brand Value
Embedding ESG is no longer optional, it’s a strategic imperative. When done right, it can unlock profitability, strengthen resilience, and elevate brand value.
But the big question: Is ESG a strategy for winning business, a pledge to prioritise people and planet over profit – or the key to achieving both?
This thought-provoking discussion will tackle questions such as:
- Why is ESG a boardroom priority, and how do you define success?
- Can ESG truly balance purpose and profit?
- How can ESG become a driver of growth, innovation, and competitive advantage?
- What’s the ROI of ESG, both financially and beyond?
- How can leaders ensure ESG is embedded in culture, decision-making, and the value chain?
Moderator: Sam Cande –Consultancy Director, Greengage
Sam is the Consultancy Director at Greengage, leading all sustainability consulting and training. After more than 20 years as an Event and Commercial Director managing large-scale international B2B conferences and exhibitions, Sam made a purpose-driven career change five years ago to focus on sustainability. Her passion for sustainability and CSR began over a decade ago as Director of Sustain Magazine. She spent 8 years in the Business Travel Industry, including as Country Manager for a corporate online booking tool at Expedia, and served as Chair of the Business Travel Association’s Sustainable Committee. Today, Sam sits on the beam Advisory Group and uses her extensive experience to help organisations embed meaningful ESG practices. Dedicated to educating and inspiring others, she also hosts the Sustain Talks podcast, featuring conversations with thought leaders and innovators driving sustainable change in business and society.
Steve Jones
CEO, Wyboston Venue Management
With over 30 years of experience in the hospitality and meetings industry, Steve Jones is a respected leader known for driving strategic transformation, building award-winning cultures, and unlocking the full potential of diverse business assets. He is past Chair of the Meetings Industry Association and has led Wyboston Venue Management as CEO for the past nine years.
Steve’s leadership philosophy is grounded in authenticity, purpose, and long-term impact. Under his guidance, Wyboston Lakes Resort has not only grown commercially but has also become widely recognised for its commitment to sustainability, wellbeing, and social responsibility. For Steve, ESG is not a tick-box exercise — it’s a lens through which all key decisions are made
Focused on building organisations that balance profit with purpose, at the core of Steve’s leadership is a belief that great businesses are those that leave things better than they found them — for people, communities, and the planet.
Patrick McDonagh
CEO, Clarity
Pat is CEO of Clarity, a leading UK TMC handling in excess of 3 million trips per year with clients from a wide variety of industries including Infrastructure, Professional Services, Retail, Public Sector, Elite Sports, Higher Education, Charity & NGO, Marine and Media & Entertainment. He’s led the business for over 12 years having previously held senior roles at Thomas Cook, MyTravel and The Co-operative Group. A long-serving board member and officer of the BTA, he also sits on IATA’s Global Travel Management Executive Council (GTEC) and Chairs OneGlobal, a global community of TMCs serving multinational clients in over 100 countries.
Stephanie Maurel
CEO, Corporation of the Church House
Since assuming her role as CEO of the Corporation of the Church House and Secretary of the Queen Victoria Clergy Fund in 2020, Stephanie Maurel has implemented several strategic initiatives that have greatly contributed to the development of Church House, notably linked to sustainability and achieving carbon net zero. Following a spell in national government, Stephanie has held several leadership positions in the charity sector: including CEO of the international volunteering charity Concordia. Stephanie has also been a trustee and Chair for various charities; Stephanie was, until recently, Chair of the National Childbirth Trust.
Julie Shorrock
MD, Hotel & Travel Solutions
Julie is a people-focused, entrepreneurial business leader with over 30 years of experience in the hotel, events, and travel sector. She launched HTS (Hotel and Travel Solutions) in 2010, having previously set up her first hotel and venue booking agency in 1999. Julie’s early career was shaped by roles with leading hotel chains such as Forte and Hilton, where she built a strong foundation in hospitality and client service.
Julie served as the 2024 Chair of the industry association beam, having been appointed as a board director in 2020 after forming and leading beam’s Agency Engagement Committee. She currently leads beam’s Agency Engagement and Finance Action groups. As Chair, Julie championed collaboration, advocacy, and industry-wide engagement and has been named as a finalist for Personality of the Year in the M&IT Awards 2025 in recognition of her contribution.
Julie believes in nurturing talent through honest conversations, strategic thinking, and support that helps individuals and businesses reach their full potential.
Jonny White
Founder and CEO, Ticket Tailor
Founder and CEO of independent B Corp ticketing platform Ticket Tailor. Jonny is passionate about business as a force for good, bootstrapping, and designing a stress-free company that can punch way above its weight.
Today Jonny is a father of two and works 4 days a week alongside the most awesome team of people delivering Ticket Tailor to the masses.
12:00 pm – 12:30 pm – Presentation: Temperature Check Report
isla’s European Temperature Check 2025 report highlights the urgency for the event sector to adapt to climate pressures, provides insights from nearly 1,000 TRACE-measured events, and emphasizes the importance of measurement in driving evidence-based change and sustainable practices.
Anna Abdelnoor: CEO and Founder, isla
Anna is the driving force behind isla and articulates the sustainability vision with support from members, the board and specialist consultants. Having worked on large scale events for global clients, Anna knows just how capable the industry is in delivering huge projects under pressure and believes the same collaborative attitude is integral to addressing the climate crisis within the events sector.
12:30 pm – 12:40 pm – Spotlight – The Rainbow Trust
12:40 pm – 1:30 pm – Lunch
1:30 pm – 2:00 pm – Reset & Recharge: Boost Energy, Focus & Joy in Minutes
Feeling the post-lunch slump? This uplifting and interactive wellness session is the ultimate energy reboot. Led by wellness expert Sarah, the experience blends chair yoga, breathwork, movement, music, and mindset tools to instantly reduce stress, enhance focus, and elevate mood. With 15 years of experience distilled into simple, powerful techniques, attendees will not only feel recharged on the spot but leave with practical tools to boost long-term wellbeing – both at work and in life. Perfect for re-energising minds and bodies during a busy day!
Sarah Hunt: Corporate Wellness Specialist
Sarah has revolutionised the way conferences and large events integrate wellness into their programmes. With 15 years of experience delivering keynote talks, yoga classes and mindfulness sessions to a variety of global brands, Sarah brings a fresh approach to wellness.
Sarah is also an author, holistic nutritionist and founder of the widely popular Disco Yoga®. Her refreshing, lighthearted approach keeps audiences inspired and engaged, making events more impactful and enjoyable. By seamlessly weaving wellness into the conference experience, Sarah is celebrated for setting a new standard of how organisations foster peak performance and lasting success.
2:05 pm – 2:55 pm – Breakout – Workshop / Roundtable sessions:
- How to make sustainable choices without breaking the bank This workshop tackles one of the most common challenges in event planning: how to make sustainable choices without breaking the bank. Through open discussion and fresh thinking around ROI, participants will explore where savings can be found and how to communicate the broader value of sustainability, beyond just cost. Expect a practical, solutions-focused session designed to shift mindsets from barriers to opportunities, no matter the budget.
Emily Shephard- Insights Lead, isla
- Embedding ESG in Governance and Policy In an era where sustainability and social responsibility are no longer optional, integrating ESG principles into the core of your organisation is paramount. This session provides a comprehensive guide to embedding ESG into governance and policy frameworks. We will delve into the practicalities of developing and implementing robust policies, navigating the complexities of reporting, and preparing for the evolving regulatory landscape.
- What Policies Should Be Included: (Environmental, Climate Change and Carbon Emissions, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, Labor Practices and Human Rights, Health & Safety & Governance)
- Overcoming Reporting Challenges: (e.g., Managing reporting costs and complexity, overcoming resource limitations, ensuring data accuracy and integrity
- Navigating the Evolving Legal Landscape: An overview of key regulatory changes and their implications, including: The UK’s Corporate Sustainability Disclosure requirements, the latest on the Net Zero strategy and its impact on business
- Preparing for Formal ESG Reporting: Practical steps and best practices for preparing for mandatory reporting frameworks and voluntary disclosures such as EcoVadis, SBTi, ECOsm
Sam Cande – Consultancy Director, Greengage
Sam is the Consultancy Director at Greengage, leading all sustainability consulting and training. After more than 20 years as an Event and Commercial Director managing large-scale international B2B conferences and exhibitions, Sam made a purpose-driven career change five years ago to focus on sustainability. Her passion for sustainability and CSR began over a decade ago as Director of Sustain Magazine. She spent 8 years in the Business Travel Industry, including as Country Manager for a corporate online booking tool at Expedia, and served as Chair of the Business Travel Association’s Sustainable Committee. Today, Sam sits on the beam Advisory Group and uses her extensive experience to help organisations embed meaningful ESG practices. Dedicated to educating and inspiring others, she also hosts the Sustain Talks podcast, featuring conversations with thought leaders and innovators driving sustainable change in business and society.
- Getting Buy-in – Shifting Mindsets Internally & Externally This breakout session is designed to empower you to effectively influence decision-makers and clients. Through a facilitated group talk enriched with practical storytelling, we’ll dive into common culture clashes between venues and clients and equip you with strategies to navigate these differences seamlessly. You’ll discover how to articulate your ESG goals using the compelling “language of business,” focusing on the crucial interplay of profit, people, and planet. This session will provide you with practical tools to educate your teams, clients, and event attendees, and you’ll leave with actionable strategies for building robust cross-functional support across your organization
Briony Pete: Founder, The Circular Life
Founder of The Circular Life, Briony Pete is passionate about helping organisations to design – and live – the change they want to see. Formerly a consultant in sustainable development, she trained in Executive Coaching and the Neuroscience of Change to help clients to deliver lasting impact for themselves. So it’s “built-in”, rather than “bolted on”. Briony specialises in green and social impact, climate and health, leadership development, meaningful collaboration, culture change and being human in the workplace.
2:55 pm – 3:15 pm – Drive Thru Coffee Station
3:15 pm – 3:45 pm – Keynote
Complementing the summit theme of championing responsible business in events, Goldsmith’s unique blend of sharp wit and powerful insight will address one of the most pressing issues of our time – the climate crisis.
Well known for his intelligent and thought-provoking stand-up, Goldsmith has performed climate comedy on the BBC’s Live at the Apollo, Conan in Los Angeles, and at leading global festivals. His 2023 solo show Spoilers won Best Show at Leicester Comedy Festival 2023, received five-star reviews at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, and was widely praised for its ability to confront sustainability with humour and hope.
Stuart Goldsmith, Climate Comedian
Stuart Goldsmith is an internationally award-winning comedian and speaker, who specialises in performing stand up relating to the climate crisis.
His TV credits include performing his climate comedy on BBC institution Live at the Apollo and he also performed stand up on Conan in LA, hosted by comedy icon Conan O’Brien.
His climate comedy has been featured widely across press and media outlets including: BBC Radio, BBC News, Radio Times, News UK and many more.
Stuart’s 2023 solo stand up show Spoilers won the prestigious Best Show 2023 at Leicester Comedy Festival and was one of the best-reviewed shows at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival 2023, where he played to sellout audiences and received wide critical acclaim. The Times praised Stuart’s “excellence” and his “intelligent, well-crafted act” whilst The List said: “he’s especially, piercingly funny on the hypocrisies we all indulge in.” Broadway World lauded the show for being “cathartic and well crafted to nudge anyone, wherever they are on their own sustainability journey, that little bit more in a hopeful direction.”
Stuart performs his climate comedy at eco festivals and also at corporate events, to organisations across the UK and internationally. The purpose is to engage attendees in the important issue of sustainability and climate change; to send out a call to action and alleviate our collective dread by using comedy to tackle a very serious subject. He has appeared at high profile climate festivals and events including Net Zero Festival, Blue Earth Summit and Edie 25 in the UK and multiple appearances at GreenBiz in the US; hosted sustainability awards events including Green Energy, Global Sustainability and ESG, Real Deal ESG, and Business Green, and recharged messaging for corporate clients include Santander, Britvic, Lloyds Banking Group, UKTV, Bryt, Oaklin, and London Bridge Net Zero Heroes.Stuart is also a talented interviewer and host of the internationally renowned “Comedian’s Comedian” podcast. He has interviewed many of the comedy world’s household names, including Jimmy Carr, James Acaster, Bo Burnham, Sarah Millican, Ronny Chieng and Bill Burr. The podcast has had over 25 million downloads to date.
3:50 pm – 4:35 pm – Panel – Best Practice ESG Wins – What’s Working Now
This panel session is designed to showcase successful ESG initiatives from peer venues and suppliers through four short case studies, each lasting 5 to 7 minutes, followed by a moderated Q&A. Topics will include waste and food reduction, supplier engagement and green procurement success, client carbon footprint reporting, and social value measurement.
Ed Perryman
CEO & Co-Founder, Replacer.com
Simon McMahon
Operations Director, Wyboston Lakes Resort
Jo Austin
Sales Director, Lime Venues Portfolio
Ellen Mutimer
ESG Executive, Inntel
Moderator Matt Grey: CEO, event:decision
With 25 years of experience in the events industry, Matt has a deep understanding of the global events landscape. He spent most of his career on the agency side, delivering a wide range of events worldwide. In 2021, Matt’s passion for a more sustainable future for events led him to found event:decision, quickly becoming a leader in event sustainability audit and advisory, helping the industry make better, more environmentally conscious choices.
4:35 pm – 5:00 pm – Key Takeaways & Balloon Debate
Jo Kotas & Tin Brown: Co-Founders of USED Creative
Jo and Tin are the co-founders of USED Creative a circular marketplace for the creative industries — think Vinted for sets, props and furniture from TV, film, retail, fashion, advertising, experiences and events. Jo brings 20+ years of expertise in purpose driven creative, experiential, Film & TV, while Tin contributes three decades of global creative experience in branding, design and fashion. As business partners and life partners they share a passion for reimagining how creativity and sustainability can work hand in hand and become a force for good.
Gareth Dinnage, Managing Director, Seacourt Ltd.
Gareth is Managing Director of Seacourt Ltd., the UK’s sustainable printing company and Highest scoring B Corp printing company on the planet – a sustainability company that happens to print things!
Their mission is to create a printing company which gives back more to the environment and society than it consumes. They are not there yet but are closer than they have ever been…
They call this Planet Positive Printing
5:00 pm – Drinks and networking sponsored by Warwick Conferences
Registration & Costs
Ticket Pricing:
| Ticket Type | Price (excluding VAT) |
| beam & MIA Members | £105 plus bring an additional ESG colleague from your organisation for half price, £52.50, when you register them at the same time. |
| Affiliate Partner | £115 |
| Non-Member | £130 |
You can find more information about upcoming MIA events on their Events Calendar website.
We look forward to welcoming you!
