11 things you can do at The Good Business Festival

There’s less than a week to go to The Good Business Festival with some of the world’s smartest minds leading presentations, discussions, workshops and more to help people in the city do what they do even better.

And it’s needed now more than ever.

Mayor of Liverpool City Region, Steve Rotheram says: “We know the coronavirus pandemic has hammered people and businesses across our region and around the world.”

But he adds: “The time in lockdown also gave us an opportunity to pause and think about the kind of city region, and world, we want to build.”

Helping to support that are three days of events which will take place across Liverpool City Region from March 22-24, and whether you’re an early bird or a night owl, a corporate leader or a student, there’s loads you can do to join in.

The Only Option is Action at Liverpool Town Hall: Tuesday, March 22, 10.15am

In The Good Business Festival scene setter, the opening session looks at how society and business has been knocked sideways over the last two years – by the environmental crisis, the battle for post pandemic survival, and louder demands for a more progressive social contract.

With businesses of all sizes and sectors needing to change while they battle to stay afloat amid demands from government, staff and customers, it looks at how can we create positive progress while growing profits; and it sets out the big themes, challenges and opportunities that will be faced in the coming years.

It’s presented by Beth Thoren, environmental action & initiatives director, Patagonia (DTL); economist Grace Blakely, and Chris Turner, executive director, B Lab UK.

Find out more here.

Locked Away – Reflective Voices of Lockdown at the British Music Experience: Tuesday, March 22, 8pm

Reflective Voices of Lockdown is a multimedia opera that transforms the personal stories of lockdown into music.

The live performance features musicians from the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra and film to explore the emotional world behind the greatest challenge of our time, raising questions and generating hope for a better future.

Find out more here.

Climate Crisis Film Festival at Liverpool Town Hall: Tuesday, March 22, 6pm

Four women-directed films show the human stories behind the climate crisis and explore how its effects are impacting coastal communities from Indonesia and Colombia, to Portugal and the USA.

Isabella Martin, co-founder and director of Climate Crisis Film Festival introduces:

Voice Above Water by Dana Frankoff – a 90-year-old Balinese fisherman who can no longer fish because of plastic pollution now collects trash but hopes to, one day, fish again. 

Dive Tierra Bomba Dive by Joya Berrow and Lucy Jane – a 19 year-old woman, Yassandra Barrios, learns to dive, studies marine biology, and rallies the fishermen and young people to bring awareness and inspire people with a vision of a more secure future for their island home.  

Cova by Matilda Thompson – a short documentary explores the effects of natural and human worlds colliding.

Lowland Kids by Sandra Winther – the last two teenagers on Isle fe Jean Charles fight to stay on an island that’s been their family home for generations.

Find out more here.

The Good Market at Oh Me Oh My: Tuesday, March 22, from 8am

Shop – and support! Good Liverpool presents some of Liverpool’s finest independent businesses including:

The Fermentation Station, championing local, small-batch, gut-loving, #sustainable, waste-free vegan food; Ma Jolie with handcrafted, all natural products for your mind and body; Mary Makes Zero Waste with handmade, reusable, sustainable home products for low impact living; Murphy’s Gin with Liverpool-made, small batch, premium gin, prepared by hand, and jewellery makers, Grey Collective.

Also there will be candles, vintage fashion, art, teas, and more.

Find out more here.

Coffee, croissants and business support at The Crypt Hall, Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral: Wednesday, March 23, 8am

You can mix business with pleasure, so join Liverpool City Region Growth Company for complimentary coffee, croissants and business support from Local Growth Hub Brokers.

Small businesses can get the expert advice and practical tools they need to make a positive impact on their employees, local communities and the planet.

Local Growth Hub Brokers present will include Liverpool Chamber of Commerce, Halton Chamber of Commerce, Knowsley Chamber of Commerce, Wirral Chamber of Commerce, St Helens Chamber of Commerce, InvestSefton (Sefton Council), Liverpool City Council, and The Women’s Organisation.

Find out more here.

PoWEr Up Mentoring at The Crypt Hall, Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral: Wednesday, March 23, 12.30pm

Students and professionals can join the PoWEr Collective for an hour of live mentoring and ask questions about careers, work, sector and more! It’s the chance to network with supportive mentors and explore, discuss and learn about new industries and business realities.  

Find out more here.

SME business clinic at The Crypt Hall, Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral: Wednesday, March 23, 10am

Need some advice for your small to medium business? TGBF along with partners – University of Liverpool, Liverpool JMU, Liverpool Hope University, Edgehill University, Dave Verberg, Be Ethical Training, and Gather – will host a drop-in business support clinic daily between 10am and 12pm.

It will look at issues like how you can become Net Zero Carbon, be more sustainable and manage stress.

Find out more here.

Firestarters x TGBF – Powering Communities at Oh Me Oh My: Tuesday, March 22, 2pm

Firestarters is partnering up with The Good Business Festival to produce a special programme of events that will bring local and global partners together to ensure the impact of the festival continues beyond the main event.

The aims include bridging the gap between local and global stakeholders, creating a framework for collaboration between business clusters and the local community and third sector, and identifying opportunities for collaboration between the region’s business clusters and community/socially driven organisations.

Find out more here.

Youthquake Session at Liverpool Guild of Students: Wednesday, March 23, 2pm

It’s not just the older folks who can get involved!

Youthquake is a unique training programme for 16-24 year olds in the Liverpool City Region, delivered by The Learning Foundry in partnership with the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority and the Regenda Group. 

It gives young people the chance to take action for the common good – learning, collaborating and working towards making their social enterprise ideas a reality.

Find out more here.

L’Oreal Beauty Tech for Good Challenge at Liverpool Guild of Students: Wednesday, March 23, 10am

As part of L’Oréal For the Future – L’Oréal Group’s sustainability commitments for 2030, a panel of expert judges will hear from a group of shortlisted start-ups using technology to have a positive environmental or social impact.

You can gain expert insights from the L’Oreal team and panel of judges, including Lady Mariéme Jamme, founder of iamtheCODE initiative, and Nelly Lavielle, portfolio manager at Bethnal Green Ventures.

Find out more here.

And, last but not least!

The Official Closing Party at Content: Thursday, March 24 – 8pm

The UK’s biggest festival focused on Good Business will end on a celebratory – and a musical – note.

Bringing the curtain down on The Good Business Festival, Mersey-based acts She Drew the Gun and Zuzu headline the official closing party.

Find out more here.

Find out more info about The Good Business Festival 2022, click here.