Green firms making their mark

Oct 1 2009 by Iain Laing, The Journal

STUDENTS, businesses and business leaders are thinking hard about their green footprint to launch a national enterprise challenge.

Make your Mark Challenge is the UK’s largest one-day enterprise competition for 14 to 19-year-olds and yesterday CBI regional director Sarah Green, Newcastle-based ethical party bag production company Pure Pouches, staff at Nissan and students from Nunthorpe Secondary School in Middlesbrough, wore green socks to mark the launch.

The fancy footwear was designed to represent the low-carbon theme of this year’s challenge to consider green business ideas for the competition which runs during National Enterprise Week next month.

Sarah Green said: “This year’s ‘green’ theme fits perfectly with our Great North Revolution campaign which looks at maximising opportunities for North East businesses in new emerging sectors, such as electric vehicles, energy, digital, new materials, healthcare and life sciences.

“Young people have the energy to develop themselves, the capacity to innovate and add to the economic prosperity of the region.

“We need them, their dynamism and success to respond to the climate- change agenda and help us to be at the forefront of a new industrial revolution and start thinking about ‘green’ jobs as an exciting career option.”

A survey commissioned by Make Your Mark to launch this year’s MYM Challenge, shows more than 77% of young people in the North East believe there is a lack of inspirational green entrepreneurs for them to look up to.

The research also said the region’s youth are failing to recognise future “green” job opportunities with 34% underestimating career prospects in the “green” jobs sector.

Donna Hildrew, development director of Pure Pouches said. “We are in support. Our success shows there isn’t a better time to start thinking about low-carbon, environmentally-friendly business ideas.”

Make Your Mark spokesperson Hannah Bourne said: “It’s clear young people in North East have not yet cottoned on to what the green jobs of the future might offer. Through this year’s Make Your Mark Challenge they will be given inspirational green models to look up to.”

:: To sign up, or for information, go to www.makeyourmarkchallenge.org.uk