COP26 fired the starting pistol, and the UK Events industry is up and running. Sustainability must be part of our thinking in every aspect of our business
The associations have a part to play in ensuring our members have the support and insight that they need to work towards meeting the industry pledge.
Our Cross Association Sustainability group has welcomed an influx of members to participate in the great work they continue to carry out.
Net Zero refers to a balance between man-made greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and their removal from the atmosphere. To achieve this balance, GHG emissions must be reduced and the non-avoided ones must be compensated or “neutralized” through the use of long-term carbon capture solutions.
The events industry is a complex network of stakeholders including companies who are directly involved in delivering events, such as venues, event organisers, exhibitors and their suppliers who provide food and beverage, onsite equipment and signage, among other things. In addition, many events include the requirement for visitors and exhibitors to travel to and stay at a location. Addressing the carbon emissions across the whole value chain is complicated and challenging, and many elements of an event (such as transportation and hotel stays) are not directly under the control of those putting on an event. Therefore, quantifying impact and defining responsibilities needs to underpin any ambition for the events industry to become net zero.
In addition, many companies from the event industry have already implemented strong strategies to reduce their carbon emissions and it is clear that the solutions often rely on the reality of each local environment and size of organization. This initiative recognises these challenges and through its collaborative nature will seek to drive alignment across the different players so that a common roadmap can be developed.
