Greggs Head of Sustainability to speak at national sustainability event in Newcastle
Paul Irwin-Rhodes, Head of Sustainability and SHE at Greggs, will headline iiE 2026 – a major UK gathering focused on turning sustainability ambition into practical action.
Investors in the Environment (iiE) has announced Paul Irwin-Rhodes as the headline speaker for its flagship event, iiE 2026, taking place on Wednesday 25 November at Newcastle Civic Centre.
Representing one of the UK’s most recognisable high street brands, Paul will share how Greggs is embedding sustainability across a large, fast-paced national organisation – offering practical insight for businesses looking to turn strategy into measurable action.
iiE 2026 marks the first time the event has been held in the North of England. With a focus on sustainability learning, leadership & celebration, the event will bring together organisations from across the UK for a full day of expert speakers, panel discussions, interactive roundtables, networking and exhibitions, alongside the annual iiE Awards.
Paul Irwin-Rhodes will join a strong line-up of sustainability leaders, including:
- Sarah Mukherjee MBE, CEO of the Institute of Sustainability and Environmental Professionals (ISEP) and former BBC Environment Correspondent, who will host the iiE Awards ceremony
- Gareth Kane, sustainability expert and host of the Net Zero Business Podcast, known for helping organisations translate climate ambition into real-world action
iiE (Investors in the Environment) is a national not-for-profit sustainability accreditation scheme that supports organisations to reduce environmental impact, save costs, cut carbon and gain recognised certification for their progress.
Antony Gough, National Lead, iiE, said: “Having Paul Irwin-Rhodes as our headline speaker is an exciting addition to iiE 2026. Greggs is a household name, and we are looking forward to hearing about work happening behind the scenes to embed sustainability at scale.
“At iiE, we’re focused on helping organisations turn ambition into action. This event is about bringing people together to share what works in practice – the challenges, the lessons and the real progress being made. With speakers like Paul, Sarah and Gareth, attendees will leave with insight they can apply straight away.”
With free tickets available, iiE 2026 is expected to attract organisations at all stages of their sustainability journey, from those just starting out to those leading the way.
Tickets are now available to reserve: https://welcome.iie.uk.com/iie-2026
-Ends-
For further information, please contact:
Alexandra Szczurek, Marketing and Communications Manager, Investors in the Environment (iiE)
Notes to Editors
About Investors in the Environment (iiE)
Investors in the Environment (iiE) is a national not for profit sustainability accreditation scheme designed to help organisations save time and money, reduce their impact on the environment, and get recognition for their progress. iiE is an accessible and proven route to help organisations get started on their sustainability journey and keep going. It has been running for over 15 years, and in that time has helped hundreds of organisations from all sectors and of all sizes to improve their environmental performance. It is a self-funding green business programme of its parent organisation, environmental charity PECT.
Find out more at: www.iie.uk.com