Member Spotlight: Ben Duckworth

This month, we’re excited to introduce Nature’s Blueprint member Ben Duckworth.

Ben is the director of four low carbon, fuel & environmental businesses, and an expert consultant, helping businesses navigate the complexities of sustainability, identifying cost-effective solutions, and creating a roadmap to a greener future. Ben is passionate about collaboration towards a shared goal and a true believer in the concept of Givers Gain.

What inspired you to join Nature’s Blueprint?

Our business, Greenarc, focuses very much on how we can help other organisations become more sustainable. We lead on developing carbon reduction reports and responsible business consultancy. However, we also help procure the physical technology and services that lower their carbon footprint such as solar, battery, EV supply, EV charging and low carbon heating technologies. From reading about Natures Blueprint and then attending one of the in person sessions in The Lake District it felt like a natural bolt-on to help both myself and in turn my business to learn more about the natural world.

How do you integrate Nature into your everyday work or life?

Personally, I try to be in nature as much as possible. Its calming influence really seems to balance me from a mental health perspective. Professionally, at Greenarc, we are actively working through different methods to help promote nature through the work we do, be it via wilding projects, water services or other projects that benefit the environmental we all live and operate in.

What specific projects or initiatives are you currently working on that you are excited about?

We are excited to be working on a wide range of sustainable projects for clients, however, one that is particularly interesting is for a manufacturing organisation who want to win a contract with a Tier 1 manufacturing company and have come to Greenarc to guide them along their whole decarbonisation journey. This is the kind of project we love. We’re there at the beginning of their journey, they need help with understanding where they are today, developing a plan for the future and then directly helping them get there. Our carbon reduction plans don’t just suggest things they need to buy, it helps organisations make a shift in mindset, putting sustainability front and centre and not just as one person’s responsibility. It’s for everyone.

Can you share a memorable experience you’ve had in Nature that significantly influenced your career or personal life?

Many years ago, I spent just under a year in Australia. It’s widely known about the damage to The Great Barrier Reef but seeing it myself really brought it home. In all of our businesses, we’ve tried to improve our own impact on the world and within Greenarc we have the chance to help other businesses avoid the mistakes we made on the way. We’ve made a number of strategic acquisitions over the years to bring a wider element of expertise into our 50+ team. But at its heart we want to support people on their journey. Our company purpose is defined as “easing the world’s journey to clean energy”. This is what we are here for, and we live this truth every day.

From your perspective, what is the most challenging aspect of your work? How do you overcome it?

Helping businesses make the connection between being a sustainable leader and financial success. We overcome this by demonstrating how pressure from government, trade bodies, associations, tender processes and clients is increasing. Businesses that don’t act may find themselves being left behind. It is rare that we come across a business that wants to “go green” because it’s the right thing to do, fundamentally we recognise that most businesses exist to both survive and prosper. Our job is to demonstrate that lowering carbon and prospering are in many cases inextricably linked.

Are there any specific skills or expertise you’re looking for that other Nature’s Blueprint members may be able to help with?

Helping businesses make the connection between being a sustainable leader and financial success. We overcome this by demonstrating how pressure from government, trade bodies, associations, tender processes and clients is increasing. Businesses that don’t act may find themselves being left behind. It is rare that we come across a business that wants to “go green” because it’s the right thing to do, fundamentally we recognise that most businesses exist to both survive and prosper. Our job is to demonstrate that lowering carbon and prospering are in many cases inextricably linked.

Are there any specific skills or expertise you’re looking for that other Nature’s Blueprint members may be able to help with??

We’re always interested in hearing from businesses that work in the sustainability space. We run a program called the Greenarc Associate Program where we reciprocally pass opportunities to organisation that can help our clients, and receive ones that we in turn can help!

We believe that humans have an extraordinary capacity to problem solve & innovate. What gives you HOPE? 

My children. I have two young children (8 and 5) and seeing how passionate they are about nature and how they already understand about climate change and methods to tackle it. The next generation cares. Most recently my little boy took part in a school competition to draw a picture that represents “climate change and saving the world”. What he drew blew me away. It covered a mix of natural, technological and social solutions. I was immensely proud!

We hope you found this Member Spotlight interesting. Do connect with Ben if anything he has shared resonates with you and you’d like to know more – you can find Ben on LinkedIn here >