Transition Stroud Newsletter Editor Josephine Murray (JM) talks to Camilla Barnes (CB), recently appointed Director at Transition Stroud and B Corp consultant.
See below for three things you can do today!
JM: What prompted you to join Transition Stroud?
CB: I am Stroud born and bred; moved away for university, Masters and four years working at a sustainable development NGO in Mexico, but I returned in 2014. Since I’ve been back, I’ve wanted to get involved in a community activity locally but hadn’t found one that resonated with me until I came across this opportunity at Transition Stroud.
JM: What particular things would you like to do as a Director?
CB: I’d love to be more directly involved with local sustainable development projects that are finding real solutions. I’m particularly interested in contributing to projects that engage business with sustainability, as well as conservation, renewable energy, sustainable food and farming projects.
JM: what do you do for work?
CB: My interest in all things sustainable started when I covered Latin American sustainable development during my Masters in 2008-10, doing my dissertation on the sustainability of Neo-ruralism (communities of people from the city, moving to the countryside to try and live from the land again).
I then worked as Marketing and Communications Coordinator at the most influential sustainable development NGO in Mexico for 4 years, who support and activate true bio-regional sustainable development– Grupo Ecologico Sierra Gorda, who I came across via one of their UK-based sponsors, World Land Trust. There, I was immersed in environmental education in schools, Alan Savory’s ‘Holistic Management’, Peter Donovan’s soil carbon capture, sustainable farming, reforestation and eco-tourism issues.
On returning to the UK, I have been working in Communications, Marketing and Business Improvement at Innovate UK and now UK Research and Innovation, mostly focusing on diversity and inclusion projects, as well as supporting our presence at COP26.
Alongside this, I am a freelance B Corp consultant, supporting and advising businesses on how to make socially and environmentally responsible changes, in order to become B Corp certified.
JM: Whereabouts do you live and what do you like about that area?
CB: I live in Cainscross and I love that I have a view of the commons and am a stone throw away from the canal, which I walk along every day to get to my daughter’s school and go into town.
JM: What do you do in your spare time?
Mostly run around after my three-year-old and look after my four-month-old!
I have also recently started the ‘Gloucestershire Responsible Business Initiative’ with Katharina Child (Sustainability Lead at Invivo Health – B Corp), with the aim of engaging different groups of stakeholders in the Gloucestershire area on how to make the Gloucestershire business sector more socially and environmentally responsible.
I’m also thinking about starting a language club for kids, starting with bi-lingual families I know in the Stroud area, to help encourage my daughters to use their Spanish more easily (my husband is Mexican, so we’re bringing up our children bi-lingual).
| Three Things You Can Do Today 1. Buy from B corps! When you buy from a B Corp business, you can be sure that you are purchasing responsibly; from businesses who look after their staff, suppliers, customers, as well as the environment. B Corp businesses are the future because they are looking to grow sustainably, responsibly and fairly – always thinking about how they can make a positive impact. 2. If you run a business, consider getting B Corp certified! It’s a fantastic framework to help you consider all the ways to make your business better and have a positive impact. Read my recent blog about all the reasons why becoming B Corp is a great choice for your business. Feel free to contact me at camilla@betterbusinessbetterworld.org or connect on LinkedIn if you’d like to learn more about how it all works. 3. Switch to a renewable energy tariff and a responsible bank account and pension as soon as you can – in order to reduce your indirect support of fossil fuels. |
Find out about more local Stroud Transitioneers
If you would like to share your sustainable living story, please contact Josephine on news@transitionstroud.org