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s Delivering responsible businessBusiness magazine interviews Dr Martin Blake,Head of Sustainability at Royal Mail, as part of thenotable alumni series.

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Waste not, want notAcademics getinvolved with thebusiness of recycling.

Red lorry, greenlorry?Practical advice ongreening the supplychain.

Working together forgreener businessPhD studentKathyryn Knowles’research into makingbusinesses moreenvironmentallyfriendly.

Contents

Delivering responsible business...........................................................................Business magazine discusses sustainable business with Dr MartinBlake, Head of Sustainability at Royal Mail, as part of the notablealumni series.

03 Welcome

04 Delivering responsiblebusiness

06 Waste not, want not

07 Shipping industryleader lecture

08 Red lorry, green lorry?

09 Working together forgreener business

10 Connected Thinking

11 News in brief

School engages withworld of work

12 Events diary

06 08 09

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04

Sustainability is much more than a buzz word – it is fast beingrecognised as the only way for businesses and organisationsto operate.

At the school, we are bringing together our expertise toencourage a holistic approach to issues of sustainability fororganisations. Our Logistics Institute has a great deal ofexperience in helping businesses to decrease their carbonfootprint and maximise their green potential through in-houseprogrammes and consultancy.

In addition, Professor Andrew Abbott and Dr Chee Wong areundertaking research into different aspects of recycling (p6–7)– from the socio-economic factors which motivate the public,to the supply chain function of the plastics industry.

The University is also taking practical steps to further itscommitment to socially responsible policies. For example,joining together with other academic institutions andYorkshire Forward to create the Centre for Low CarbonFutures, a £50 million research programme designed toaccelerate the roll-out of innovative low carbon technologies.The centre is split into different areas of research, includingthe investigation of low carbon shipping and green supplychains in which the school’s logistics team are alreadyinvolved.

As the subject of our alumni interview Martin Blake, Head ofSustainability for Royal Mail Group (p4), states, the oppositeof sustainable is, by its very definition, unsustainable – aposition we all agree can never be adopted by any industry orsector again.

Professor Mike JacksonDean of School

Welcome

If you have any news for the nextissue, or require further informationon any of the items featured, pleasecontact

Kate TysonHull University Business SchoolT +44 (0)1482 463335k.tyson@hull.ac.uk

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Business magazine (BM): What does ‘sustainability’mean to your business?

Martin Blake (MB): If you look at the definition of‘sustainable’ in business terms it means to ‘survive intothe future’, something which is important to allbusinesses irrespective of size or sector. If you choosenot to be sustainable then the opposite, by definition, isunsustainable. And adopting unsustainable businesspractices does not make good commercial sense asultimately you will not survive.

In this climate you have to pose the question – whywould any business advocate unsustainable andirresponsible behaviour? If an organisation consciouslydecides to pursue a strategy based on unsustainablepractices then they will not thrive in the long-term.

BM: CSR is a hot topic at the moment. How do you makesure that your plans are meaningful for you and yourcustomers?

Many organisations spend millions on advertising andcommunications to reinforce their commitment tosustainability – effectively applying a ‘green wash’ totheir activities. However, customers, whether corporateor private, recognise sincerity. Being socially andenvironmentally responsible is part of the license tooperate and should be ‘business as usual’ rather thansomething which needs to be advertised. Organisationssuch as Marks & Spencer and The Co-operative placeCSR at the heart of their corporate value systems. Theircustomers recognise this and I believe respond withloyalty.

Each week we serve over 24 million customers throughour Post Office network and each year our parcelsbusinesses handle some 404 million parcels. For us,CSR and sustainability have to sit at the heart of theorganisation.

Through our holistic Carbon Management Programmewe have been working tirelessly to reduce our carbonfootprint. We’ve introduced over 300 new double-deckertrailers, increasing trailer capacity by more than 50%.This means more mail can be transported around thecountry in these vehicles allowing us to reduce our totalmileage by an amazing 7.6 million miles a year. Thissaves 7,000 tonnes of CO2, enough to fill more than35,000 hot air balloons. The objective is for Royal Mail tobecome a sustainable business and we are working onthe way we achieve this. Doing the right thing makesgood business sense – leading the way in CSR enablesus to distinguish ourselves in a competitivemarketplace, as well as enabling us to reduce ourbottom-line costs, and recruit and retain the best talent.

BM: You studied both the Hull MBA and DBAprogrammes. How has what you have learnt from thoseprogrammes assisted you in your current role?

My time at Hull has completely changed the way I work.Hull takes a different approach to management and theMBA introduced me to the concept of systems thinking.Once I had been given a flavour of this new approach, Iwas inspired to go on to study a DBA. The world is acomplex and dynamic place and systems thinkingteaches you to take a broader perspective, rather thanfocusing on specific events, and enables you to identifythe real causes of organisational issues and how toaddress them. I am a committed advocate of Hull.

BM: Do you have any words of wisdom for studentsgraduating in the current climate?

My advice would be to think about your personal valuesand work for a company that mirrors them. If youbelieve in CSR then only apply to those organisationsthat are true to this cause.

Delivering responsible businessIn light of recent corporate scandal, economic turmoil and increased awareness of environmentalissues, Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) continues to rise up the business agenda. With somany organisations jumping on the green bandwagon, Business magazine was keen to hearfrom Dr Martin Blake, Head of Sustainability for Royal Mail Group, to find out how one of the UK’smost recognisable brands is putting itself at the forefront of responsible thinking.

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Martin Blake – Curriculum Vitae

1981–1982 Community Public HealthOfficer for North Devon DistrictCouncil

1982–1988 Chief of Preventative Medicinefor the Ministry of Health, AbuDhabi, UAE

1988–2000 National Director of CommunityInfrastructure Development,Saudi Arabian Oil Company,KSA, Saudi Arabia

1995–1998 Hull University BusinessSchool – MBA (part-time)

1998–2004 Hull University BusinessSchool – DBA (part-time)

2000–2001 Managing Director (interim),The InterVest Group (BVI)Limited, Bahrain

2001–2004 Director of Change,Performance and RiskManagement, Suffolk CoastalDistrict Council, Suffolk, UK

2004 Head of Sustainability for theto present Royal Mail Group

2010 Appointed as AssociateProfessor of SustainableBusiness Development andDean’s Distinguished Visitor,University of SouthernQueensland, Australia.

If you would like to put yourselfforward to be interviewed as part ofour prominent alumni series,please contact Sarah Fewster,alumni communications manager,on +44 (0)1482 463409 ors.fewster@hull.ac.uk.

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Recycling is an easily accessible measure ofsustainability and environmental awareness – the moreof a product that can be recycled, the greener it is. Withworld summits tackling climate change and lowering theglobal carbon footprint, the effectiveness and impact ofrecycling has never been more significant.

Business school academics, Dr Chee Wong and Professor AndrewAbbott, are currently researching two different areas of recycling, eachwith the aim of improving efficiencies in the process.

Professor Abbott, in collaboration with colleagues at the University ofBath, is currently working on an ESRC funded project, exploring thesocio-economic and policy factors that determine recycling ratesacross local authorities in the UK.

The research will look at factors such as convenience, sourcing ofwaste management services and income. It is anticipated that thisresearch will help inform future work done by UK councils regardingthe shape of their recycling management.

Professor Abbott said: ‘There are a number of reasons that influencewhy people do or do not recycle. For some it could be the altruistic,‘warm glow’ feeling of helping the environment. For others, a simplelack of time overrules their desire to do good.

‘It could be that levels of recycling have more to do with how muchwaste a household produces, which may be linked to income – higherincome families are more likely to consume more and have less time torecycle.

‘For example in 2007 the London region recycled just 24% of its waste,compared with 36% in the South-West region. This is an unexpectedstatistic due to the high urban density of London and good access torecycling facilities. We may see many more surprising results along theway.’

Waste not, want not

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This is the first study of its kind to be undertaken in this area, andProfessor Abbot believes that his research could have a real impact onthe recycling processes of local authorities.

He concluded: ‘As public sector budgets are slashed in the comingyears, local authorities will be looking for ways to become moreeffective and reduce their carbon footprint. We are at the preliminarystages of the investigation, however, by researching the factors thatinfluence recycling, it may be possible to improve recycling rates in thelong term.’

Revolutionising plastic recyclingUnder a separate research grant, Dr Chee Wong, senior lecturer inlogistics and supply chain management, is working alongside councilsand businesses in the Humber region. Through his research, Dr Wongis hoping to revolutionise the plastic recycling supply chain andbelieves that this will result in a tangible benefit to organisations.

Since the project began in July 2009 Dr Wong has been researching thecurrent state of plastic recycling in the UK and has been surprised bysome of the results.

‘All types of plastic can be recycled but whether they are recycleddepends on both economic and logistic factors,’ stated Dr Wong.

‘I now have a new understanding of the industry. For example,discovering that government targets on recycling are based on thetonnage collected explains why heavy materials, such as wood andmetal, are high on a council’s recycling agenda. As plastic is so light itwould take much more time, resource and money to collect the sameweight of recycling material.

‘When there is a global market for plastic, and other countries areprepared to pay more for the waste, there is no wonder that much ofour recycling is being sold abroad.

‘Although it may on the surface appear to be a good idea for UK plasticto be recycled elsewhere in the world, we can’t be sure that the carbonfootprint created by this exportation is actually less than the positivebenefits of the recycling process. This is just one of the areas I amcurrently investigating.’

Overall, Dr Wong discovered that the lack of plastic recycling facilitiesin the UK and limited budgets are the main reasons why many councilsuse the cheapest waste collection scheme, which ultimately makesrecycling plastic locally an inefficient process.

He continued: ‘There are UK facilities which can recycle pure plastic,but other mixed plastics are more difficult to process. There is nofacility to deal with this type of material in the Yorkshire and Humberregion so transporting waste will incur a cost, in addition toconsuming energy and producing carbon emissions. In many cases,this waste is not recycled in the UK but sent abroad or simply dumpedin landfill sites.’

Dr Wong concluded: ‘There are many aspects to this very complexissue, and to solve it will require input from a range of businesses,councils and researchers. We look forward to bringing all thisinformation together to decide what the next steps will be for theplastics supply chain evolution.’

As part of his research Dr Wong has held several workshops andconsultations with councils and businesses. If you would like to takepart in the research, please contact Dr Wong at c.wong@hull.ac.uk.

Shipping industryleader lectures atbusiness school

Dr Helmut Sohmen, chairmanof shipping industryheavyweight BW Group Ltd,will be delivering the annualPeter Thompson guest lectureat the business school onThursday October 28 2010.

Dr Sohmen will share his vastexperience in the maritime industryas the head of one of the world’sleading maritime groups in thetanker, gas and offshore segments,operating a fleet of 119 vessels.

Among many other corporate roles,Dr Sohmen was previously chairmanof the International MaritimeIndustries Forum and of theInternational Tanker OwnersPollution Federation, chairman of theHong Kong Shipowners Association,and international chairman of thePacific Basin Economic Council.

In its fourth consecutive year, thelecture is held in recognition of thegenerosity of Dr Thompson OBE, LLD,JP in endowing a chair in thebusiness school, which is currentlyheld by Professor David Menachof.

To reserve your place at this uniqueevent, please contact Ian Calvert on+44 (0)1482 463183 or emaili.calvert@hull.ac.uk.

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From the coffee shop to the multinational, most businesses are feelingthe pressures of rising fuel costs and an increasingly competitivemarket, aligning the need to save money with the requirement to bemore environmentally friendly.

For those businesses that rely on land-based logistics, the haulage fleetis the backbone of the supply chain. Here, professional drivers are theonly reliable way to improve fuel economy and lower the carbonfootprint.

Training can have a huge impact. A government-led survey in 2007showed that training for 6,375 drivers had resulted in the industrysaving approximately £10.5m in fuel costs over the year – a massiveshift towards a reduced carbon footprint for the logistics industry.

As well as training drivers, it is important that managers optimisesupply chain effectiveness. In order to be more efficient, organisationsmust decrease the number of vehicles which make empty journeys andincrease the percentage fill of loaded vehicles. By understanding howto map more expedient and ‘green’ routes, by increasing backloadingand taking into account vehicle utilisation when designing packaging,supply chain managers can increase the amount of goods carried andmake the most of miles travelled.

For organisations of all sizes, measurement is vital. The use oftechnology, such as in-cab telematics to monitor fuel usage and routingsoftware to create the most efficient routes, can assist with the processof improving efficiencies by analysing performance.

Ian Carmichael, MD of Carmichael Training Ltd, is working with theLogistics Institute to deliver driver training. He believes that reducingthe carbon footprint of a haulage fleet is down to people, not machines.Through consistent driving and efficient route planning, fewer mileswill mean fewer emissions. With training at driver and managementlevel, a supply chain in any industry can improve its green credentials.

For more information about training and consultancy from theLogistics Institute at Hull University Business School, please visitwww.hull.ac.uk/hubs/logistics/.

Red lorry, green lorry?

Commercial manager of theLogistics Institute, RichardFaint, explains howappropriate training can helphaulage fleets go green.

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Working togetherfor greener businessSocial networks within a business can be the most effectiveform of communication and self-organisation, but are oftenstifled by management hierarchies.

According to current research from PhD student Kathryn Knowles, based atour Scarborough Campus, these social networks are vital to enactingenvironmental change within a business and must be supported at all levels.

Kathryn said: ‘Following the global recession, organisations have focusedon developing strategies to ensure their long-term viability. However, this isoften a top-down rather than a holistic approach to environmentalmanagement, which causes real problems in implementation. To effectlong-term change, it is necessary to look at the base values of theorganisation, its stakeholders and the surrounding environment.

‘Businesses are part of the wider community. If a particular environmentalissue is important to the community, it will be much easier to embed in theorganisation, and vice versa.’

Although there are no specific requirements for businesses within the UK toadopt an environmental management system, it is important thatorganisations create innovative strategies that focus on environmentalindicators. Not only are there financial advantages, but there will also beintangible benefits, such as the ‘feel good’ factor which is often promptedby green issues.

As part of a three-year study into a specific organisation, Kathryn engagedwith both the employee group and local community, undertaking a culturalanalysis and holding workshops to gauge opinions and values.

‘As a result of the study, changes were not only made internally butexternally,’ said Kathryn. ‘Strategies were adopted and changed to ensurethat everyone, from management to shop floor, was fully engaged.’

She concluded: ‘Businesses often take the responsibility for change awayfrom employees by simply telling them what to do. By working morecohesively and learning along the way, it is possible to create bespokestrategies that are innovative and, with constant review, deliver long-termimprovements for the organisation.’

Kathryn was awarded an NLA Doctoral Fellowship for her work in 2009 andis due to submit her thesis, An holistic framework for environmental change,in June. She is hoping to remain in academia while conducting businessconsultancy based on this research.

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As part of a long-term brand-building process, the business school hashad the opportunity to take a step back and think about how its vision,mission and values can be articulated in an exciting and engaging way.The outcome of this has been the development of key messages andsupporting visual representation for ‘Connected Thinking’ – thedistinctive approach of Hull University Business School.

The concept of ‘Connected Thinking’ is at the heart of the school’s goalto promote responsible leadership in a complex world, permeates allactivity and sums up the unique experience for all those who comeinto contact with the school.

It encapsulates the aim of the school to enable individuals andorganisations to understand the complexities in the global businessenvironment. By engaging with the school they will then develop thecapacity to recognise the connections that make a difference and thinkcreatively to lead change in a responsible way.

The striking new imagery and bold messages have created a strongvisual language, based on an all-encompassing form of a circle torepresent the holistic approach of ‘Connected Thinking’.

The design’s flexibility extends to a family of motifs to reflect the mainareas of the school’s activity and reinforce how its approach isdelivered at every level – from undergraduate to research andcommercial activity.

This new visual language is a concise and vibrant communication ofthe school’s unique offering and is an extension of the University’srecent rebranding. They will be appearing in print, online and acrossthe school and are sure to have a dramatic impact, helping people to‘change the way they think’ about Hull, the University and thebusiness school.

ConnectedThinking

Maritime expertise

Risto Talas has been appointed asManagement and BusinessDevelopment Fellow, one of only17 awarded this year across theUK by the Economic and SocialResearch Council (ESRC). Thescholarship is specifically forresearch into Europeantransportation and logistics.

Risto’s previous roles includeunderwriting marine war andterrorism in the City and asecondment at UK Trade andInvestment (UKTI) where he wasinternational business specialistfor ports and port security.

Summer schools 20102010 sees the biggest cohort todate of business school studentstravelling across the globe to takepart in international summerschools.

In addition to once again offeringplacements at institutions in theNetherlands, South Korea andDenmark, students are now ableto travel to strategic partner LosAndes University in Columbia foran executive educationprogramme. Summer schoolreports from students will beavailable on our website fromSeptember.

Works for YouThe school’s latest mentoringproject, Works for You, has so farseen great success, with businessprofessionals helping theirmentees to take the next step incareers from accountancy tographic design.

The scheme, aimed atunemployed people with higherlevel skills, has been rolled outacross the region thanks to aseries of roadshow events fromWhitby to Scunthorpe. Thescheme is funded untilSeptember 2010. If you areinterested in becoming a mentoror mentee please contact GillSinclair on g.sinclair@hull.ac.ukor +44 (0)1482 463273.

Logistics InstitutemilestoneThe Logistics Institute hasreached a significant milestone inits activity by helping over 1,000individuals reach their careerpotential – with the help of aspecific funding channel fromYorkshire Forward.

As part of the institute’s vision tobecome an internationally-recognised centre of excellence, aseries of targets was set byYorkshire Forward, whichprovided part of the originalsupport for the institute. Thetarget was set to assist bothemployed and unemployedindividuals and has now beenexceeded through a suite oftraining and developmentprogrammes, which reaffirms thetangible effect the institute has onthe region.

News in brief

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From February 22–26 2010business school students atHull and Scarborough wereexposed to life after universitythrough the school’s annualworld of work week.

Bringing together a comprehensiveschedule of workshops, seminars andnetworking events, the week attractedhigh profile businesses andindividuals. Students were able tolearn from experts who offered hints,tips and guidance on findingemployment after graduation.

Businesses such as energy giantCentrica were extensively involved inthe week and provided advicesessions on assessment centres,which have long been a feature of thegraduate recruitment processes.

Students participated inpresentations, interviews and groupexercises to develop their skills andtechniques, ensuring they are wellprepared when they experience a realassessment centre.

As well as academic excellence,graduates are increasingly beingasked to demonstrate their ‘softerskills’, and the week was as muchabout developing these attributes asproviding recruitment advice.

From dressing appropriately forinterview, to networking andcommunicating effectively, this year’sworld of work week aimed to improvethe confidence and employability ofour students in this increasinglytough graduate employment market.

Feedback from both students andbusinesses involved in the week wasvery positive.

Business schoolengages withworld of work

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Open days for full-timecoursesSaturday 10 July 2010Saturday 9 October 2010

Open days offer the chance foranyone wanting to study on anundergraduate programme tovisit the business school at theHull and Scarborough campuses.

Visitors will meet members ofstaff from the business schooland interact with currentstudents, helping applicants tomake an informed decisionabout their future education.

Part-time coursesMonday 6 September 2010

Open evenings for part-timecourses enable you to find outmore about how our ExecutiveMBA and BA BusinessManagement courses canenhance your business andmanagement knowledge andskills.

To register your attendance,please visit the businessschool’s open day web page atwww.hull.ac.uk/hubs.

Lectures/WorkshopsEmployment law workshop –running a disciplinary hearingWednesday 23 June 2010

Strategic supply chainmanagementWednesday 30 June – Friday 2July 2010

Warehouse management anddesignTuesday 6 – Wednesday 7 July2010

Leadership developmentprogrammeStarts Thursday 16 September2010

To book your place, pleasecontact Sam Davy,s.davy@hull.ac.uk or+44 (0)1482 463010

Peter Thompson guest lecture,delivered by Dr Helmut SohmenThursday 28 October 2010

To reserve your place, contactIan Calvert on +44 (0)1482 463183.

For further information aboutany of the events listed above orforthcoming events, please visitthe events section of our website,www.hull.ac.uk/hubs.

Hull University Business SchoolHullHU6 7RXT +44 (0)1482 347500E businessschool@hull.ac.ukW www.hull.ac.uk/hubs

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Events diary