Fast forwarding sustainability and materiality with stakeholder engagement

In the episode we're joined by Bright Blu Dot client Vicky Evans, head of sustainability at Cambridge University Press & Assessment.  

Vicky shares insights from her experience of our work together: we partnered to envision, design, deliver and report on the first ever external stakeholder consultation on sustainability materiality undertaken by Cambridge.  

Building on desk research and internal focus groups, 80 internal and external stakeholders including key clients, suppliers and interest groups gathered in person over two half-days dedicated to exploring material environmental and social sustainability issues.

Founded in 1534, Cambridge University Press & Assessment is a world leader in assessment, education, research, and academic publishing.  In figures: £1bn turnover in 2022 - 2023 / 100 million learners worldwide / 6,500 employees / 80 offices worldwide / 85% of revenue outside the UK.

Vicky says: "This has far and away been the most successful piece of work that we've done to help build that sense of ‘being in it together’, and build the types of networks and contacts that we need to start having the influence that we want to have across our sector, across our supply chain and our partnerships. 

So, even though the exercise is a lot of work and can be quite daunting, the opportunity that we now have to pick up the phone and talk to a whole range of experts working in different fields across our supply chain, partnerships and networks has moved on light years since before the consultation. 

I would advise anybody who's thinking about what comes next for their strategy to get a really good sense of who they are working with, what are their ambitions, and how can we come together to achieve them collectively."