Green evolution
What : The OVO Hydro Where : Scottish Exhibition Centre , Glasgow When : 31 October – 12 November ( COP26 )
Ahead of the Scottish Exhibition Centre ( SEC ) welcoming world leaders to the UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties ( COP26 ) on 31 October , the owner and operator of the 14,300-capacity arena SSE Hydro has secured a naming rights deal for the arena that encompasses a raft of environmental commitments and initiatives .
Following a partnership with energy supplier OVO Energy , which is due to run until at least September 2023 , the Glasgow arena has been rebranded OVO Hydro .
The two companies have committed to work collaboratively to achieve AGF ’ s Greener Arena Certification .
OVO said it will support the venue ’ s move to attain the certification via the funding of specific carbon-reduction and environmental initiatives recommended as part the annual accreditation process .
SEC recently launched a sustainable food strategy with 80 % of food on campus being sourced in Scotland and grown by producers using sustainable and responsible agriculture processes . It also has a long-standing partnership with Trees for Life , a conservation charity dedicated to linking up several fragments of the Caledonian Forest in the Highlands to create a corridor of native woodland . The campus has supported the growth of around 170,000 trees over the last decade .
OVO ’ s head of sponsorship and partnerships Colin Banks said , “ It ’ ll take time , but together , we want to make lower-impact live events a headline act in their own right and the Greener Arena Certification process is an incredibly positive step on that journey .
“ We ’ ll also be supporting the venue in identifying practical ways in which we can help to further reduce its environmental impact , without detracting from the OVO Hydro ’ s first-class visitor experience .”
Based by the river Clyde in Glasgow , the SEC is a conferencing , exhibitions and live entertainment events campus that has a hugely positive economic impact in Scotland . A 2019 economic impact study , conducted by EKOS , found SEC ’ s activities contributed a net additional expenditure of £ 431m to Glasgow , and £ 311m to Scotland .
08