onsite by 2030 ; and to eliminate singleuse plastic by 2025 .
In January last year , a 12-month GECOP pilot was launched in collaboration with ten National local authorities including Manchester , Bristol and Reading , to test how GECOP can be used to embed sustainability within local authority processes .
The majority of the councils involved in the pilot have expressed a desire to continue using GECOP , while some 92 % of the event operators that took part said they are more likely to implement new sustainability initiatives this year as a result of being involved in the GECOP assessment .
Lansley says the project has been a great success , with an overwhelmingly positive response from local authorities and event organisers , and the initiative has had an impact way beyond the National councils and events involved . While many local authorities , including Manchester City Council , have expressed interest in continuing with the project , the toolkit has also garnered interest from the international research community and a number of organisations , including a four-year EU funded project spanning 32 European countries .
“ The interest in the toolkit has been phenomenal and demonstrates the value it holds for an industry without progression regulation in place ,” says Lansley . “ It has already been adopted widely with OutdoorArts UK , as well as being subject to additional deployment at WOMEX in Manchester as well as Eurosonic ( ESNS ) 2025 . I am currently in talks with several global organisations about expanding the application of the toolkit , but most of our efforts are going towards preparing to deliver our EU project and , we hope , Phase II of the GECOP pilot .”
ESNS sustainability coordinator Ron van Wegan says , “ The tool gave us an opportunity to open conversations with our partner venues and create a connection between them that meant they could share information and support each other on their sustainability journeys . It also enabled us to accurately index their status on accessibility and environmental sustainability .”
Created with the aim of establishing a blueprint for legislation around environmental sustainability that works for the events , local authorities and the environment , Lansley compares GECOP to a Babel Fish , a fictional device imagined by Douglas Adams for his book The Hitchhikers Guide To The Galaxy – a small fish that once inserted into a human ear simultaneously translates from one spoken language to another .
“ I AM CURRENTLY IN TALKS WITH SEVERAL GLOBAL ORGANISATIONS .”
He explains , “ GECOP has proven to be a point of translation between civic infrastructure and commercial and cultural events organisations , enabling discussion around enhanced sustainability standards . Where most event organisers used to go into SAG or license commission meetings , and there was this sitting across the table from each other dynamic , suddenly the dialogue switched to sourcing solutions together .
“ Event organisers are very keen to be sustainable , that ’ s demanded by their audience . Meanwhile , 84 % of local authorities have declared climate emergencies . There ’ s a shared problem , and by having those conversations it became a very productive way to address climate solutions together .”
Lansley says that what first excited him about GECOP was its accessibility : “ The overwhelming majority of event organisers cannot afford expensive consultants or certification , yet they are keen and motivated to act . The Green Events Code of Practice empowers event managers to act on things themselves .
Andrew Lansley and Chris Johnson launch the Code at EPS
GECOP
That is also why councils are so excited . We found that the toolkit equipped local authorities with the facility to self-assess , and also make decisions based on scientifically led information .”
With the Events Industry Forum and Arts Council England-funded GECOP pilot now at an end , the next stage for Lansley , Vision for Sustainable Events ’ Chris Johnson and Julie ’ s Bicycle ’ s Richard Phillips is to issue a report of the findings , gauge the industry ’ s response to that , and look at ways to fund the rollout of GECOP as an ongoing initiative .
Currently there is no funding in place for GECOP ’ s continuation , but Manchester Council is among those to have expressed interest in funding its continuation , while events including ESNS have integrated it into their reporting processes .
Says Lansley , “ If we can find a way to fund the continuation of GECOP , directly from local authorities , then that will create an opportunity for them to control their own destinies in terms of how their events profiles look .”
“ We are also hoping that we ' ll gain some traction with government because a lot of this is aligned with its priorities , and I ' ve been asked to share our findings by a number or parliamentary researchers and policy analysts with the UK government .”
l Andrew Lansley will be speaking at Event Production Show main stage conference during a session titled ‘ Driving efficiencies & future proofing events businesses ’ at 12.20pm on 27 February .
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