The Centre for Industrial Sustainability’s annual retreat, ‘From History to the Future’ took place 20 – 24 January 2025 in Coalport, Shropshire.  This event brought together over 40 industrial sustainability enthusiasts from both academia and industry. 

Typically, the cohort attracts a diverse range of people, and this year was no exception.  Besides those attendees from industry and those with sustainability-related startups, a wide range of academic institutions were also represented, including universities of Cranfield, Cambridge, York, Reading, Oxford, ARU, São Paulo and Paraíba. In addition to the UK, individuals arrived from various countries, including Portugal, Germany, Hong Kong, Brazil, and the United States.  

Another notable aspect of the ‘Cohort’, as it is informally termed, is that it fosters remarkable loyalty, with many attendees returning year after year.  Exceptionally, it has something to offer everyone, no matter what stage they are at. 

Dr Justyna Rybicka who is Technical Specialist, Lead in Sustainable Manufacturing, Digital Engineering, Modelling and Simulation at The Manufacturing Technology Centre Ltd commented, "The Sustainability Cohort was a valuable experience for me during my PhD studies and remains equally valuable, as I had the privilege of joining this year as an industrial member partner. The diversity of like-minded people from academic and industrial backgrounds created an inspiring network where key research and industrial developments for sustainable manufacturing are explored and connections made." 

The unique setting for the gathering at Coalport in Shropshire, within the Ironbridge Gorge World Heritage Site, provided inspiration with its past industrial activity and helped set the scene for discussions about Regenerative Manufacturing and how we can thrive and flourish in the future through a greater understanding of industrial consequence and potential. 

Professor Steve Evans, Director of Research for the Centre for Industrial Sustainability, who has led this annual retreat over several decades, made it clear that "Regenerative Manufacturing systematically improves the health of all stakeholders". Other topics explored during the week included leading industrial change, working for policy impact and sharing intergenerational experience in industrial sustainability.  The retreat provides a valuable sense of community amongst individuals who are similarly motivated, bringing together those from different disciplines but with common goals.

Steve Hope, Visiting Industrial Fellow at the Centre for Industrial Sustainability offered his view, underlining the variety of experience that the week provided, "It truly is a great opportunity for me as an older "industrial hand" to share my practical industrial experiences to help others but also, importantly for me, to learn about new areas of research, development and practices on an ever extending range of topics and to actively contribute to the debate. I can say from experience that the conversations only start at the cohort and continue throughout the year, some which return to the next cohort. This year for me has seen a number of exciting conversations and opportunities to both 'learn and share'."

Read highlights from the 2024 retreat here.