Peel Ports Group, a port operator in the UK, entered into a partnership with the University of Liverpool’s Management School to improve its newly-formed Innovation Forum. The Forum aims to answer some of the port operator’s most challenging questions in its effort to reduce carbon emissions, and as part of its commitment to becoming carbon neutral by 2040.
The University’s Management School will become a key partner in Peel Ports’ Innovation Forum, which looks to bring together a broad range of suppliers including starts-ups, entrepreneurs and consultants to explore the biggest issues in accessing and purchasing carbon-neutral solutions for the group’s seven sites across the UK and Ireland.
In what is understood to be an industry-first for any UK port operator, the Peel Ports’ team will raise questions and challenges with members of the Forum and ask them to source solutions or develop ideas to address these.
Lewis McIntyre, Managing Director - Port Services at Peel Ports Group said:
“We have invested over £1.2bn on infrastructure projects over the last 10 years, and much of the focus of this investment has been on driving down carbon emissions as part of our ESG agenda. As an industry we need greater collaboration in developing pilot projects and sharing knowledge. Our Innovation Forum is designed to address some of the biggest challenges in reducing carbon emissions. We will invest in the best innovation and deploy at scale.
“This new initiative will give us the advantage we need to stay ahead whilst providing opportunities for businesses in the Liverpool City Region and beyond.”
The collaboration will include sharing insights and input to strengthen the University curricula in professional areas, as well as opportunities for graduate and student placements and apprenticeships.
In addition, the port operator will support student employability and work skills to prepare the future workforce, as well as identifying opportunities to enhance the University’s research profile through projects to benefit businesses.