Becoming sustainable doesn’t have to be a burden
In recent years the government has been introducing various schemes to tackle climate change by getting us to reduce our carbon footprint. From households fitting energy-efficient light bulbs to large companies trading permits to pollute, everyone is now expected to do their bit, including small and medium-sized businesses in the event industry, which will be increasingly affected by sustainability requirements.
The government pledged to make the London 2012 Olympics the “most sustainable” Games ever – one implication of this will be high demand for temporary structures to be used for many of the events instead of building permanent venues. Naturally this will benefit many of our members.
Another implication is the London Organising Committee for the Olympic Games’ (LOCOG) endorsement of the British Standard for Sustainable Event Management (BS 8901). Firms seeking contracts at the Olympics will be encouraged to think about their sustainability, and those that become compliant with the standard will have a competitive advantage.
The mention of sustainability, with its connotations of new onerous responsibilities, difficult decisions and more paperwork all in the name of Mother Earth may strike fear into the heart of a small marquee contractor already facing regulatory burdens. However, BS 8901 is something to be embraced by companies aiming to survive the current storm – the standard aims to help businesses to strike a balance between economic activity, environmental responsibility and social progress to ensure their long-term success.
Seventeen Events is a company which supports other firms that want to obtain BS 8901 certification. Its managing director Andrew Williams says that the standard is not prescriptive – "it does not insist that you, for example, cut your carbon emissions by 10 per cent". Instead, companies should consider sustainability when planning for events, implement the changes they identify, then evaluate the outcomes and learn lessons for next time.
It is expected that one of the legacies of the Olympics will be a drive within the wider events industry to tackle climate change, with more organisers, including local authorities, seeking to ensure that their suppliers are environmentally sound by subscribing to BS 8901.
For marquee companies, one significant area to think about is their approach to transport. Andrew suggests that being clever about logistics and transport arrangements and reducing wasteful practices would reap economic rewards as well as environmental benefits. He adds that site management and a contractor’s relationship with the event organiser is also important to address, but believes much of this will already be covered for MUTAmarq-accredited companies by their existing health and safety commitments.
It may even be easier for SMEs to develop a sustainability strategy and meet BS 8901 requirements than it is for large companies, given their smaller workforce and less complex supply chain. Seventeen Events was the smallest member of the trial group that was used to test the requirements of BS 8901 and Andrew discovered that rather than getting left behind, he found the process more straightforward than the more established guinea pigs.
For further information on BS 8901, sustainability and the Olympics, contact the secretariat on 0207 618 9196.