Combined effort required say founders of Veterinary Green Discussion Forum 

Organisers of the Veterinary Green Discussion Forum believe wider engagement with the event could have a big impact on the sector’s sustainability efforts.

Conceived by Webinar Vet founder Anthony Chadwick, the first two forums were held at Brockholes Nature Reserve near Preston, where representatives from different practices, companies and organisations from across the veterinary sector gathered for two days to share best practice, and hear what other industries are doing to protect the environment.

This year’s event was held at London Wetland Centre from 18 to 19 June and attracted 50 delegates, including representatives from the BVA, the RCVS, Harper and Keele Veterinary School, the University of Liverpool Veterinary School, the RVC, Vet Sustain, Petplan, Ceva, Royal Canin, Hill’s, Medivet, Mayne Vets, Paragon Vets, Pennards and Garston Vets.

Natural England and Kent Wildlife Trust also attended, and Webinar Vet chairman Rob Noble wants to see numbers continue to grow and for the conference to help lead efforts to consolidate and focus existing sustainability initiatives.

‘Climate crisis’

Mr Noble said: “The aim was to lead the debate on our climate crisis and bring together individuals from across the veterinary profession for important discussions.

“But while we are pleased with the year-on-year growth in attendance from some of the biggest organisations in the veterinary world, we would like to have all of them in the room. They all have ESG [environmental, social and governance] policies, and stories of success to share with everyone. We can all learn from each other’s best practice as well as ferment new initiatives.”

Plans are already in place for the fourth Veterinary Green Discussion Forum, which Mr Chadwick hopes to host overseas.

He said: “I think it’s so important that this becomes a global movement, but we are so closely connected to the continent and we can learn so much from the French and other nations.

“I loved my visits to Bordeaux and southern France. There is so much biodiversity compared with the UK. We have the lowest biodiversity of the G7 and are the least wooded nation in Europe.”