Marcus Brew, managing director of UNTHA UK and panellist at the upcoming “Resourcing the Future 2016” conference, talks to CIWM about what he’s got in store for the event’s closing debate on the EU referendum…
CIWM: Can you provide a brief overview of the session you’ll be speaking in at the conference and some of the key points you’ll be looking to raise?
Marcus: “The Closing Debate: The EU, the UK and the Environment”, will be the final session at the two-day Resourcing the Future 2016 event. Chaired by Joan Walley from Aldersgate Group, this panel-style discussion will see me and a number of fellow industry spokespeople share our views about one of the UK’s most talked-about topics – Brexit.
I’ll be encouraging the panel – and the audience – to think about what impact Brexit will have on European manufacturers selling in to the UK. It’s unsurprising this is a key area of interest for me, given UNTHA UK is part of an Austrian-owned global brand. But I will also be exploring how membership of the EU has improved business prospects in the UK, before focusing in specifically on the impact of European legislation and regulation on the environmental sector. What progress have EU laws achieved and would we have got this far without them?
Why is this conference such an important event to attend as both a speaker and a delegate? What are you hoping to get out of it?
CIWM has always been a leader in provoking honest, realistic and meaningful debate within the industry. The conference is a fantastic opportunity for both delegates and speakers to engage and exchange knowledge with their peers in a structured and lively forum. After that, it’s up to us all to instigate change, but events such as this provide us with the initial platforms to move forward.
What insight will delegates leave with and how do you think it will help them in their roles?
The conference will help delegates to gain insight into how current – and potentially evolving – environmental issues and legislation will affect their organisations. Armed with information and different viewpoints, we can all plan for the future and make better-informed decisions. Yes there is a lot of uncertainty in the economy at present, but a degree of preparation is required.
In a sentence, why do you feel EU membership is important for environmental policy and legislation in the UK?
The EU has helped to drive Environmental Policy – and therefore positive change – in the UK, in a way that that the previous and current UK governments have not.