Latest:
Whether you’re a supplier or an educator, find out what it means to be Backed by BESA Read more
Sustainability Working Group
The Sustainability Working Group is task-and-finish working group, designed to support all our members in navigating the evolving demands of sustainability in the education sector.
The group aims to better understand the sustainability pressures facing suppliers in today’s education market. This is a space for all types of BESA members to collaborate, share insights, and identify common challenges and opportunities. Whether your organisation has a comprehensive sustainability strategy or you’re just beginning to explore this area, your perspective would help us understand what our members really need.
We want to hear from you about the specific sustainability challenges you’re grappling with, how your organisation is approaching sustainability initiatives, and how BESA can best support you on this topic.
Upcoming meeting dates:
- Tuesday 24 March 2026, 11am-1pm
- Thursday 1 October 2026, 11am-1pm
BESA Sustainability Working Group 2026 Mission:
To create a sustainability buying guide for BESA Members’ customers
Collectively, as a Group, we believe that we need to work together to provide information that will help BESA Members (small and large) to educate their customers on the topic of sustainability.
The Group recognises the complexity of both the topic and routes to market.
The Group believes that:
- The use of neutral, simple, consistent, “human” language is important, and that the guide should not get lost in the detail.
- The Guide should be limited to UK customers only (to limit complexity).
- The Guide should include: A glossary of terms; A glossary of independent certifications; Guides on how to buy products and services sustainably, defined by category.
Chair: Rachael Melville
National Key Account Manager, Sylvamo
Rachael Melville is an Account Manager for global paper manufacturer, Sylvamo, with over 15 years sales and marketing experience across various industries, including education. Rachael also recently became a co-opted governor for a primary school as a way of contributing to the education of local children.
Sylvamo believes that the future of paper deserves a company that is committed to the success of the entire ecosystem and its mission is therefore to transform renewable resources, in the most responsible and sustainable ways, into papers that people depend on for education, communication and entertainment.
As Chair of BESA’s Sustainability Working Group, Rachael aims to bring together members who wish to engage in discussion around this broad and evolving topic: to understand what matters to your business; to discuss challenges and successes; and to share methodologies for improvement.
How to join:
Joining the Sustainability Working Group is free and open to all BESA Members.
Step 1) Click ‘Apply to join’ and login to the Portal. If you need help navigating the portal have a look at the Portal Manual or get in touch with us at eventsteam@besa.org.uk.
Step 2) Send in your application letter stating that you want to join the group using the example application letter as a guide.
In your application you must confirm:
- that you are happy to share ideas with the rest of the group
- that you are committed to developing and taking the group forward
- that you meet the group’s Terms of Reference
Step 3) Your application will then be presented to the group for approval & you’ll be emailed if your application is successful.
Example application letter:
I am writing on behalf of (Company) to apply to join the Sustainability Working Group.
Paragraph briefly explaining your interest and experience.
Paragraph confirming that you are happy to share ideas with the rest of the group, committed to developing and taking the Group forward and that you meet the group’s terms of reference.
Yours sincerely,
- 2Simple Software Ltd
- Community Playthings
- Derventio Education Ltd
- Edding UK
- Educake
- ESPO
- Findel Education Ltd
- Hachette Learning
- Hamelin Brands Limited
- Kapow Primary
- KCS (Kent County Supplies)
- KI UK Ltd
- Red Monkey Play ltd
- RM PLC
- Spaceforme
- Sylvamo UK Limited
- TEEM Education
- The Happy Confident Company Ltd
- WF Education Group Ltd
- White Rose Education Ltd
- The group is known as the Sustainability Working Group.
- The group will operate as a task-and-finish working group for an initial 1-year period.
- The group shall have 3-4 online meetings.
- The group is open to both Full and Launchpad BESA members, and multiple people from the same company can be group members.
- The Sustainability Working Group’s purpose is to support BESA members in navigating evolving demands of sustainability in the education sector.
- Group members are expected to attend all meetings.
- Group members need to be ready to contribute to the meeting: collaborating, sharing insights, identifying common challenges and opportunities.
- Group members are required to have their camera turned on for all meetings and to ensure that they are in a suitable location without distractions.
- Group members agree to respect the views of others and engage in a civil and respectful manner.
- The working group operates under Chatham House rules.
- Members of the group consent to data sharing between BESA and the Chair of the group in line with BESA’s Privacy Policy.
Join the community
Whether you’re joining us as a Full Member or subscribing to the Launchpad programme, your business will need to meet our membership criteria and sign up to our Code of Practice. Take the next step and see what is involved in this commitment.
