By Mrs Simms (Business and Economics Teacher)

We were thrilled to be invited by the Company of Entrepreneurs to attend this year’s Raleigh Lecture, held in the opulent surroundings of Drapers’ Hall in the City of London on Monday 22nd May. The Raleigh Lecture 2023 provocatively asked “Is Enterprise Sustainable?” and offered us a chance to look in-depth at how the real world responds to the issues of sustainability that the students have been studying across the humanities.

We selected 12 students from courses in business, economics, and geography for whom this was most relevant, and excitedly made our way to London to join over 100 other Sixth Form students from eight different schools all studying similar subjects.

We arrived at Drapers’ Hall and were welcomed warmly into a beautiful building - filled with art, tapestries and sculptures on every wall. We were introduced to the event and promptly split into groups for discussion. Having been given some challenging reading materials in advance, the group-work was very interesting - with our students confidently contributing their understanding of sustainability. They explored business responsibility, market failure, and exchanged ideas about the true costs of growing business and the economy in a way that was sustainable.

During the afternoon, Mr Tim Bovy, a sustainability consultant, talked us through the new EU regulations on sustainability reporting and the impact this would have on businesses and society globally. The evening session was a question-and-answer panel, where students were given opportunities to ask their questions to a panel of business leaders and academics. We learned more about consumer attitudes towards sustainability, the issue of profitability, and the concept of social entrepreneurship.

Overall the lectures gave the students a fabulous opportunity to engage actively with a subject that really spans the humanities, in a way that both supported and challenged them. Interacting with such a wide range of other students to explore different and stimulating ideas really showcased the maturity of our Sixth Formers, and BGS’s commitment to academic enrichment.

View photos from the event here.

Images: The Company of Entrepreneurs © Jonathan Cherry