The Sustainable Retail Debate 2014

"This house believes..." - a formal, competitive debate format featuring a sharply framed motion that is proposed by one side and opposed by another. The 'winner' will be declared by which team has swayed more audience members between the two votes. This follows a formal structure beginning with delegates casting a pre-debate vote on the motion that is either for, against or undecided. Each panelist presents a seven-minute opening statement, then each speaker can offer a two minute rebuttal to the opposition's argument. After which the chair takes questions from the audience with inter-panel challenges. Finally, each panelist delivers a two-minute closing statement, and the audience delivers their second (and final) vote for comparison against the first.

Confirmed speakers:
Sam Bowman, research director at the Adam Smith Institute, Britain’s leading libertarian thinktank

Linda Whetstone, chairman of Network for a Free Society and board member at the Institute of Economic Affairs

Fairtrade Foundation, the organisation that licenses use of the Fairtrade mark on products in the UK

Rainforest Alliance, an NGO that works to conserve biodiversity and ensure sustainable livelihoods by transforming land-use practices, business practices and consumer behavior

Blue & Green Tomorrow wants to help grow businesses that balance the needs of the planet, its people and prosperity. We aim to provide you with the knowledge you need to make informed choices without prejudice, scaremongering or Greenwash.