Leicestershire employers learn best practice at environmental pollution event

Leicestershire industry and business leaders learnt about the increasing danger of everyday atmospheric pollution at an event involving the University of Leicester. 

Experts from the University of Leicester’s Centre for Environmental Health and Sustainability discussed how air, noise pollution and climate change can have an adverse effect on health and performance in the workplace. 

The free seminar and lunch, which was hosted by Mattioli Woods at its Leicester New Walk office, took place on Wednesday 15 November. 

Event-goers also received tips on how to minimise health risks in the workplace – from using unscented cleaning products, offering whole foods and fruit and vegetables to employees, to ensuring changing facilities are provided for cyclists. 

Centre Director, Professor of Environmental Epidemiology, Anna Hansell, and her team presented sessions covering topics such as allergies and climate change, noise and high blood pressure, and indoor air quality and ventilation. 

Other experts including Dr Jean Monro, founder of Breakspear Medical, and Dr Linda Mizun and Dr Wendy Stammers, co-founders of Hero of Health, also spoke at the event. 

In his introduction Vice-Chancellor Professor Nishan Canagarajah spoke about the importance of the University’s research centre, which was initially sponsored by Mattioli Woods founder, Bob Woods MBE, in 2018. 

He said: “Universities are the vanguard of finding solutions to problems. However, if an area of research is not particularly fashionable, it can be challenging to obtain funding to make any kind of meaningful headway. 

“This is why philanthropic support is absolutely critical. Bob’s generous donation has been a catalyst to unlocking more funding and enabling the Centre for Environmental Health and Sustainability to conduct cross-cutting and innovative research. 

“I am very grateful to Bob for his forward-thinking vision and to Anna for her superb leadership.” 

Professor Hansell, who is a leading environmental epidemiologist and works with both UK Health Security Agency and the Government, commented: 

“The vision of the centre is simple: to improve human health and the health of the environment. Our research primarily focuses on air pollution, noise pollution and low-level chemical exposures. 

“I’m proud to say that we have achieved a lot within the last year. A couple of highlights include work beginning on our environment theme within the National Institute for Health and care Research (NIHR) Biomedical Research Centre (BRC) which has expanded our work to patient focused studies, and the University agreeing to fund a new professor in Environmental Toxicology to expand the Centre’s expertise into new areas. 

“It was fascinating to hear about the varied work going on outside the centre, and I’d like to thank Mattioli Woods for hosting the event, which I hope business leaders found insightful and engaging.”