Liverpool City Region’s festival spirit that has previously delivered unforgettable global events such as The International Festival for Business and One Magnificent City, and is showcasing the city to the world again this week at the G7 summit, will return in 2022 with The Good Business Festival.
Major brands and inspiring leaders from business, media, music and academia are leading what is the world’s largest responsible business festival, formed around six showcase events across Liverpool City Region and culminating in three days of events running from 22 – 24 March 2022.
Powerful ideas and transformational change will be on the agenda as some of the smartest and sharpest minds on the planet lead presentations, panel discussions, workshops and knowledge sessions showcasing how businesses of every size and sector have prospered by being purpose-led.
Since a digital version of the event took place in October 2020, The Good Business Festival has attracted global prominence for its imaginative blend of arts, culture and business focused on helping businesses future-proof themselves by adapting to new market realities and changing consumer and employee expectations.
The Good Business Festival’s eagerly anticipated in-person return in 2022 will see events covering a range of topics, including housing, ethical consumerism, sustainable transport and ethical investment, as well as a focus on the young trailblazers who are designing sustainable systems for the future.
The showcase events will take place in Sefton, St Helens, Halton, Wirral, Liverpool city centre and Knowsley.
Hosted across different quarters in the city centre, venues for next year’s events include Oh Me Oh My on Liverpool Waterfront, The University of Liverpool Guild of Students in the Knowledge Quarter, and CONTENT in the Baltic Triangle.
Major names taking part include Innocent, Arbonne, musician and activist Louis VI, as well as Joe Iles from The Ellen MacArthur Foundation; Kelly Beaver, CEO of Ipsos Mori; Felicia Odamtten, Founder of The Black Economists Network; Jude Kelly CBE, CEO and Founder of The WOW Foundation; Forbes 30 Under 30 and Founder of Bundlee Eve Kekeh; and Andrew Sandoz, CCO at Deloitte.
Joining them at the event to also share their insight will be a host of local businesses and speakers, including Joanne Holden, Sustainability Director at Peel L&P; Carl Beer, Chief Executive Merseyside Recycling & Waste Authority; Dorcas Seb, multi-disciplinary artist; The Regenda Group, while Liverpool City Region Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram will also be speaking.
Mayor of Liverpool City Region, Steve Rotheram said:
“The Good Business Festival has been on quite a journey since it was first launched. What was originally planned as a three-day summit has transformed into a programme of virtual and in-person events lasting more than a year.
“We know that the Coronavirus pandemic has hammered people and businesses across our region and around the world but the time in lockdown last year also gave us an opportunity to pause and think about the kind of city region, and world, we want to build.
“Throughout the last few years, we’ve delivered an unprecedented package of support to protect and grow the local economy before, during and after COVID, and have launched projects like The Good Business Festival to reimagine, revitalise and reshape the way that we do business. I’m sure we’re all looking forward to be able to meet in person and have the festival we originally hoped for!”
The Good Business Festival showcase events, collectively known as Greater Good, will bring the event even closer to regional business audiences on a tour of interesting and unusual venues across Liverpool City Region’s boroughs.
Councillor Janette Williamson, Deputy Metro Mayor, said:
“Consumer expectations are changing faster than ever before, creating opportunities for those who understand what’s happening in the marketplace and risks for anyone who does not.
“The Good Business Festival is an incredible opportunity for businesses of any size and in any sector to be inspired and see what can be achieved. We are very proud to take the festival and all that it offers around the city region and directly into every part of it.
“This is a world class programme and it’s on our doorstep, ready to excite, inspire and challenge received wisdoms.”
Greater Good will focus on local good business issues with national and international significance, highlight pioneering local sectors and good business leadership and champion a greater understanding of purposeful business practices originating from each borough.
Claire McColgan MBE, Director at Culture Liverpool, said:
“The Greater Good events are an extremely exciting addition and will allow us to build momentum ahead of March.
“Each regional event will complement a topic we’ll be tackling at the festival, taking expert thinking on important issues and translating it into relevant, practical and inspirational knowledge for local SMEs, business communities, start-ups and budding entrepreneurs.
“The events will be open to anyone to come and learn, teach and debate on the big topics of our time, whilst exploring one of the UK’s most exciting cities.”
As part of the build-up to the programme of events, renowned British photographer Rob Bremner has created In Good Company, an online exhibition showcasing local businesses that are already flying the flag for good business.
It includes a mix of homegrown talent, such as HomeBaked Bakery, CNC Robotics, Draw & Code, Agent Academy, Make CIC, Kitty’s Launderette, The Big Onion, and The Women’s Org with Kuumba Imani.
Highlights to date for The Good Business Festival include the digital festival attracting audiences of thousands from across 43 countries, and the festival successfully hosting the first post pandemic face-to-face business event in Europe in April 2021.
The event garnered worldwide attention for safely bringing the business community back together to build on the conversation about returning from the pandemic with purpose.
In November 2021, the festival continued to play its part in tackling the world’s greatest challenges, by presenting at COP26 in Glasgow on behalf of the North West region, to highlight the importance of young people taking a leading role in business in the coming decade.
Events will be curated by The Good Business Festival and run in collaboration with national and local partners.