Last year, the University of Liverpool and Sizewell C signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to work together to boost sustainability, skills development, and economic growth across the region.
Since then, the partnership has continued to grow, with University colleagues joining Sizewell C to celebrate the launch of its new Manchester office.
Sizewell C’s new base forms part of the company’s wider commitment to invest £2.5bn in the North of England and tap into the North West’s substantial talent pool in the nuclear sector.
Professor Jo Meehan, Director of the University’s Centre for Sustainable Business and a specialist in responsible procurement, delivered one of the keynote speeches at the launch event.
The Centre for Sustainable Business, in collaboration with the Heseltine Institute, has undertaken research for Sizewell C that provides a comprehensive analysis of the North’s institutional landscape, skills base, employers, and supply chains.
This work sets out a place-sensitive strategy for addressing entrenched social inequalities and rethinking how future supply markets are shaped—shifting from market fixing to market creating—to ensure this nationally significant project delivers long-term social value.
Professor Meehan said: “I was delighted to be part of the Sizewell C Manchester office opening, which demonstrates their strong commitment to the region. The scale of the project creates a moral imperative to embed social justice, human rights, and sustainability into supply chains.
“Our research calls for business-not-as-usual, where government and industry work together to drive systemic change and ensure fair, sustainable futures for all.”
At the launch of its new office, Nigel Cann, joint managing director of Sizewell C, said: “By opening a new office here in Manchester, we can be part of the strong concentration of nuclear skills and experience in the North and harness talent that might not otherwise have joined our project. It’s another step in ensuring that Britain has the nuclear workforce it needs for the future. Sizewell C is a project that will benefit the whole of the UK – not just by generating energy, but by creating thousands of jobs and driving economic growth across the country.”
In addition, the University’s Department of Physics is currently working with Sizewell C on skills, workforce development plus training in nuclear safety, and the University continues to explore new opportunities for collaboration across education, research, and innovation.
Professor Laura Harkness, Pro-Vice-Chancellor and Head of the Faculty of Science & Engineering added: “I’m delighted to see our partnership with Sizewell C thriving, supporting our mission to build the future nuclear workforce and embed sustainability and innovation into the nation’s energy infrastructure.”