association comment The importance of sustainability
Sustainability was the underlying theme of the day for the Cultivating Retail Conference held on 19 November in Nottingham
Key messages from the conference were: • The garden industry is well placed to offer solutions that help mitigate the impact of climate change and shape the implementation of the Government’s 25- year environment plan
• The actions of individuals and businesses can make a real difference
• Sustainability is no longer just a ‘nice to have’, but an essential and integral component of modern business
• The industry needs to provide a unified approach to address the positive challenges and opportunities that sustainability presents.
The conference, supported by gold partner Evergreen Garden Care, brought together 200 representatives from across the industry. With movements such as Extinction Rebellion rising to the fore and each political party vying for the green vote, these changing times show environmental concerns have become mainstream. Consumers expect more from businesses and expect them to operate in a sustainable manner.
Addressing the audience, HTA chairman James Barnes, commented: “It has never been so important to come together as an industry to present a unified approach to demonstrate how we can provide solutions to help mitigate the impact of climate change. “The HTA has an opportunity and
responsibility to help further the industry’s commitment to develop in an environmentally sustainable manner. Our planned environmental sustainability roadmap will enable us to be the central point of policy information for the industry on key topics including water, growing media, plastics and energy.”
Following the conference, the Cultivating Retail dinner saw the presentation of the HTA Pearson Memorial Medal to industry pioneer
Time to ‘get on with it’
Will Jones, chief operating officer at BHETA, approaches the Brexit conundrum, and what happens next
If you take all the officially published statistics at face value, it’s as if the overall economy is standing still, while we all wait for something to happen, whether that’s elections here and across the pond, Brexit, or the weather. The inability to plan effectively is a serious concern, and its effects are evident in this prolonged period when suppliers, retailers and consumers are ‘hedging their bets’. Ironically, the very worst thing we can do is allow this ‘paralysis’ to continue.
On a positive note most BHETA members I talk to – and their trading partners – are doing
their level best to ‘get on with it’, regardless of the politics. By which I mean nurture relationships, take account of trends and seasonal opportunities and back innovations in product, retail method and routes to market. They are also unafraid of making tough decisions in terms of operations, back office, logistics and recruitment. The probability is we will not know the full
impact of Brexit in terms of its effects on labour, costs, tariffs, legislation and so on for several years, so no-one in the garden industry can afford to wait for things to be clearer, notwithstanding the possible changes ahead. It’s also just conceivable that if we do see a clearer picture in 2020, there may be a positive bounce in consumer confidence, and if that is the case, the industry needs to be ready to take advantage. Meanwhile, BHETA is busy providing all the
information it can to members about possible impacts and mitigating actions that could be considered in the meantime. At the most recent BHETA forum, BHETA business service providers set out some clear assessments of likely legislative implications over the next few years, such as currency fluctuations, changes in recruitment and
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employment law, packaging waste and the impact of counterfeiting. Several speakers made the point that many of the suggested actions needed to be taken by both suppliers and retailers, regardless of any Brexit outcome. So, there is plenty to be done. With that in mind, BHETA has also planned a series of supplier/retailer networking events for the first quarter, targeting home, garden and housewares. January sees a networking forum with TK Maxx, and this will be followed by similar opportunities with online home and garden retailers, home furnishings and home improvement retailer, Leekes. There will also be a ‘Meet The Buyer’ event with Fenwick, whose director of buying for furniture, home and food, Kieran McBride, headlined a BHETA forum in November, outlining among other things the store chain’s garden and outdoor lifestyle offer. So, one thing is clear – if the politicians are holding their collective breath, suppliers and retailers need to remain focussed and active – both in response to the opportunities and threats, but also to the general need for action, not lethargy. We need a ‘business as usual’ attitude and the impetus to get on with it.
GCU December/January 2020
John Ravenscroft in recognition of his outstanding services to horticulture. Commenting on the award, HTA vice-
president Boyd Douglas-Davies said: “A horticultural legend, it is a real privilege to present the Pearson Medal to John Ravenscroft – founder of Bridgemere Nurseries. A true plantsperson, a pioneer in nursery production and garden retailing John has made a huge contribution to the garden industry.” Boyd added: “The development of young people was a key area of focus for John and he was always very generous in sharing his knowledge and expertise with horticultural students. As a result, today there are many ex- employees of Bridgemere in the industry who have gone on to enjoy success in other nurseries and garden centres.”
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