Siemens hosts Oldham school pupils during COP28 in bid to inspire the next generation of sustainability leaders

Technology company Siemens hosted 60 secondary school students for a day of learning about sustainable futures, as world leaders gathered in Dubai for COP28.

The event at Siemens’ Manchester HQ forms part of WildHeart’s Global Youth Summit – the world’s largest youth-led sustainability event.

This year’s summit has been the largest to date, with 60,000 students getting involved globally.

Participants discussed and debated global sustainability issues impacting different countries and how they can be overcome.

In partnership with Siemens, leading businesses from across the UK, including Wesleyan, Linklaters and Nestlé, delivered workshops that would encourage pupils to consider the impact that they can have in promoting sustainability.

Participants also got the opportunity to meet a range of Siemens employees – including the CEO of GB&I Carl Ennis – to discuss the vast number of sustainability careers available in the UK.

This year’s event saw Manchester selected as a Youth Summit Hub location for the first time thanks to Siemens’ support.

Attendees included Oasis Oldham (Oldham), Didsbury High school (Didsbury), Cheadle Hulme High (Stockport), St Ambrose Barlow RC High School (Salford), Oasis Media City (Salford), St Anthony's Roman Catholic School (Trafford).

Louise Harry, Director of Sustainability and EHS at Siemens GB&I, said: “What an absolute pleasure it’s been to host such an engaged and enthusiastic group of students from across our region.

"It was clear today how united we are – businesses and schoolchildren alike – in pushing for a more sustainable future.

“I want to thank Wesleyan, Linklaters and Nestlé for joining us for the first ever WildHearts event in Manchester.

"They know, as we do, that businesses across all sectors have an integral role to play in not only tackling the sustainability challenge through innovating their operations, but inspiring the change we need to see in the next generation.

"The road to a sustainable future is paved with collective action.”

Dr Mick Jackson, Founder and CEO, WildHearts Group, said: “This year's WildHearts Global Youth Summit during COP28 was our largest yet- with 60,000 young people globally taking part.

"This was made possible thanks to the collective commitment of our amazing Corporate Partners, such as Siemens.

“By partnering with WildHearts they demonstrate to our young people that they can take action and that positive change is possible when business becomes a force for good.”

Organised to coincide with the United Nations’ annual Climate Change conference, COP, The WildHearts Global Youth Summit has connected tens of thousands of young people across five continents every year since COP26, to encourage learning, collaboration and innovation for a more sustainable future.

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