Beyondly co-sponsor Net Zero Week parliamentary drinks reception at the Palace of Westminster
On Tuesday 7th July 2026, Beyondly joined forces with Net Zero Week and Wera Hobhouse MP, to co-sponsor the ‘Net Zero Beyond Borders’ drinks reception at the Palace of Westminster. The event brought together industry leaders and key figures within the sector to discuss and share insights on an orbital approach to a Net Zero future.
The venue
The drinks reception was set in the prestigious and historic Palace of Westminster, where it felt fitting to be discussing the key policy pinch-points for businesses trying to achieve Net Zero and how we can influence real change, all hosted in the home of British politics and policy decision making.
The event: Looking at why cross border collaboration is crucial to achieve Net Zero outcomes
A theme that was explored throughout the evening was how climate change is a global problem, yet we often consider solutions and regulation at a national scale.
But the reality is far more complex.
As highlighted by Alex Hilton, Beyondly’s Director of Policy and Public Affairs, the products we design and use, the emissions we account for and the waste we manage, do not respect borders. Our supply chains span continents, carbon flows through global markets, and the environmental impact is exported, moved around, and often obscured.
This event provided a unique opportunity to explore how collaboration should be fundamental when considering solutions to climate change. Organisations like WRAP, CIWM, and ISEP, and the wider environmental sector play an important role in bridging the gap between policy and practice.
Wera Hobhouse, MP for Bath said following the event, “The UK has a huge opportunity to re establish itself as a global climate leader. We must seize it by taking the lead on driving international collaboration, shaping global climate standards, and championing practical, ambitious solutions”
The evening was driven by three insightful talks and provided the opportunity for meaningful networking between the organisations in the room:
Wera Hobhouse MP began proceedings with her speech, highlighting how "the climate and nature crises don’t stop at our borders, so our solutions can’t either. This to mean, we must work closely with our international partners, especially in Europe, to deliver meaningful progress. As part of this we must ensure that our policies, and those of other countries, must be aligned so businesses can embrace net zero easily, practically and confidently”
The attendees then heard from Alex Hilton, who delved deeper into why international alignment is critical to real-world impact, exploring why cross-border coordination is essential to delivering meaningful, real-world outcomes. From evolving policy frameworks to sector-specific challenges such as packaging, carbon border adjustment mechanisms (CBAM), and textiles, we then reflected on the issues shaping the current landscape in conversations throughout the evening.
Attendees gained an orbital perspective on Net Zero progress from former NASA astronaut Ron Garan, who spent 178 days in orbit witnessing our planet’s beauty and fragility first hand. In this address, Ron shared what that perspective revealed: that the challenges we face on the ground, including the race to net zero, look different from altitude. And different is exactly what we need right now.
The evening reinforced that no single country, organisation or sector can tackle climate change alone. Meaningful progress will depend on stronger international cooperation, clearer alignment between policy and practice, as well as a shared commitment to practical action across borders. By bringing together policymakers, businesses and environmental bodies, the event highlighted both the scale of the challenge and the opportunity for the UK to help shape a more coordinated, ambitious and effective global response.
Beyondly is thrilled to have played a role in bringing this Net Zero Week event to life and to be able to facilitate such important discussions, especially in our 20th year. We are grateful to the industry professionals, stakeholders, Net Zero Week and Wera Hobhouse MP who joined us at this event, making a commitment to positive change.
