Stephen Sykes

Low Carbon Programme Manager - East Lancashire Chamber of Commerce

Stephen currently manages the Chamber Low Carbon programme, a joint venture between the two Lancashire Chambers of Commerce. A £6m programme providing advice and guidance to businesses across Lancashire to help them reduce their carbon footprint, reduce costs and improve performance, promoting the installation of on-site renewable energy generation as well as enabling them to develop and bring new low carbon technology innovations and products to market.

Stephen’s career started in the chemical manufacturing sector in quality, health, safety and environmental management functions for 16 years before joining Groundwork for 11 years as manager of local environmental business services teams delivering EU funded business support schemes and 4 years as national programme manager at Groundwork UK for their Business and Employment themes delivering the £1m Transo Green Futures Intermediate Labour Market programme as well as developing and managing the commercial trading arm, Groundwork ebs.

For the last 12 years Stephen has been a self-employed sustainability professional working with clients ranging from small and medium sized enterprises to large corporations and public bodies such as the NHS and universities implementing quality, health, safety and environmental management systems, calculation carbon footprints, developing carbon management plans and mandatory greenhouse gas reporting.

Stephen is also Co Founder and a Director of 2030hub, the world’s first United Nations recognised local entrepreneurial hub promoting the UN Sustainable Development Goals and co-developed the 2030pioneer youth activism programme.

Stephen is Chair of the Merseyside Environmental Trust, sustainability advisor to the Faiths4Change Board of Trustees, a board member of Nature Connected (Liverpool City Region Local Nature Partnership), a member of the Liverpool City Region Climate Partnership developing the city region’s climate action plan.