Green GEM

Climate Change is the greatest challenge facing leaders, individuals, policy makers, decision takers and organisations across the globe. Our responses to the challenge will vary with our levels of influence, different capacities for change and our levels of awareness. It is imperative that we maximise the potential for change at every level.

GEM can provide:

• Assistance to local authorities and Local Strategic Partnerships in setting up structures to mainstream and deliver the cross-cutting sustainable development agenda
• Consultancy on effective partnership working to achieve real outcomes
• Help with engaging a wide range of stakeholders to contribute to policy development and delivery of the agenda
• Organisation of large scale events to engage public in the sustainable development agenda
• Project management of environmental initiatives and campaigns
• Environmental impact assessment of a range of initiatives

GEM’s Director of Sustainable Development, Penny Gane, established the CREATE centre of sustainable development, a multi-million pound conversion of a tobacco warehouse on Bristol’s dockside She also led the city’s Local Agenda 21 with 64 organisations and some 3000 citizens. She set up and administered a £1m fund for sustainable communities. Bristol received a national award for these initiatives.

Recent work includes:

• Advising on environmental aspects of Bristol’s Digital challenge bid and bringing together stakeholders to take Digital/Environmental agenda forward. The city is now leading DC10 in Sustainable Development projects.
• Advising a Local Strategic Partnership on priorities for a Sustainable Community Strategy
• Corporate management of Chooseday, a city-wide initiative engaging all sectors in traffic reduction

Penny has brought an enormous strength to the first crucial phases of our Chooseday initiative. At ease with corporate leaders, Penny offers a wisdom borne out of years of working at a senior level. It is primarily through her efforts that Chooseday seems to be taking root in the corporate life of this city. Chris Sunderland, Coordinator, Agora

“Gem developed innovative environmental proposals for inclusion in Bristol's Digital Challenge bid. This meant successfully balancing community, government and industry interests - and building and sustaining momentum by creating a compelling, shared vision" Stephen Hilton, Director ConnectingBristol