More than 130 senior decision-makers from across Hampshire attended a conference on sustainability and clean growth.

The event, Unlocking Hampshire’s Green Potential 2024 (UHGP 2024), brought together representatives from the business community, the third sector and local government at Basingstoke's Apollo Hotel.

Organised by Hampshire Chamber of Commerce and Destination Basingstoke, this free-to-attend showcase is now in its second year.

It is recognised as one of the south's largest business-to-business events dedicated to green growth.

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Adrian Fisher, a lecturer in the construction department of Basingstoke College of Technology (Image: Hampshire Chamber) The focus this year was on practical actions that can be taken to enhance green skills in the workplace as businesses strive to reduce their carbon footprints.

In his welcome address, Ross McNally, Hampshire Chamber’s chief executive and executive chairman, said: "This is all about helping those interested in achieving green solutions.

"We’re bringing people together so they can learn from each other and meet experts to discuss skills issues, strategies, accreditation, green finance and other kinds of support."

UHGP 2024 started with a presentation by Dr Wendy Buckley, director and co-founder of Carbon Footprint Ltd and chair of the North Hampshire Sustainability Business Network.

She introduced a new free-to-use ‘products and materials’ database complementing the wider CaDI (Carbon Database Initiative) platform.

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Sustainability in textiles is a priority for Southampton-based interior design consultancy Yellow, founder Alison John, right, and designer Jo Bowler  (Image: Hampshire Chamber) Dr Buckley said: "A central tenet of CaDI is that carbon data should never be hidden behind a paywall.

"These tools are essential for organisations aiming to measure, disclose and manage their carbon footprint accurately, fostering a more sustainable future and supporting net zero goals."

Joint headline sponsors of UHGP 2024 were environmental solutions provider Suez and Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council.

The sponsors of the speaker sessions were TrustMark, the government-endorsed quality scheme for trades with a focus on energy efficiency and sustainability.

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Exhibitor Idac Solutions, represented by Scott Johnson, business development manager, left, and sales manager Craig Kingshott, is a Chandler’s Ford-based cabling distributor (Image: Hampshire Chamber) Among the presenters were Cllr Paul Harvey, leader of Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council, and George Pearce, regional head of sales at Suez.

A skills panel, headed by Mr McNally, tackled questions about the challenges in re-skilling mid-career individuals and how to motivate young people to learn green skills.

The event also featured a ‘green expo’ with 25 exhibitors showcasing innovative products and services.

Barry Smith, relationship consultant at Hampshire Chamber and chair of its Basingstoke strategy group, said: "We want each attendee to take away at least one do-able idea for action so that collectively we can make a difference."