NO TIME LIKE THE PRESENT
Andy Kelly , director of facilities management and infrastructure at Manchester Central , considers the need for government-led sustainable legislation
anchester Central and Conference News recently teamed up for a Sustainability Whitepaper titled ‘ Shaping a Sustainable Future ’.
One key finding was that government involvement ranked high on the influence list when discussing sustainable events . Approximately 87 % of those surveyed agree or strongly believe that government should introduce more legislation to ensure more sustainable practices – meaning collaboration is key and the government must do more for our industry .
But what exactly is needed from the government ? We sit down with Andy Kelly , director of facilities management and infrastructure at Manchester Central , to explore the topic further .
“ I ’ m not surprised by the findings . A lot of people in the industry are looking for uniformed guidance to drive their own sustainability agendas . At the moment , people are just making assumptions of what they need to do and how they do it ,” says Kelly .
“ But having legislation would give a framework and outline the parameters of what sustainable work eventprofs have to do . If you don ’ t stick to legislation , it could potentially impact your business – whether that ’ s financially , reputationally or operationally ,” says Kelly .
And currently – there ’ s not anything out there for businesses , even those outside of the events
sphere , meaning we can ’ t even apply external guidance .
“ The legislation that is out there contains small amounts of sustainability guidance , like waste management . But it ’ s not dedicated , it ’ s not joined up , it ’ s very fragmented .
“ We also have accreditations , which are great as they provide some form of framework to work to . But those in the industry are asking , what is it , what does that actually mean to us ? Is it transparent , is it auditable ?”, asks Kelly .
What next ?
Our whitepaper suggests that a consistent and measurable approach to delivering sustainable events is absolutely critical , whether that be government-imposed legislation or a formalised set of self-regulating standards .
After all , we might be waiting a while for the government to take charge – as there is a huge lack of recognition from the government , despite us being a £ 84bn industry .
“ Events have so often been put to one side by government bodies , but the industry is a real driver for change .
“ This ultimately makes asking for specific legislation from the government even more difficult . The key word here being difficult , not impossible ,” says Martin Fullard , editorial director , Conference News .
Instead , our whitepaper encourages that the industry should take steps in the meantime to create a more sustainable future .
Some recommendations include creating a sustainable procurement policy ; educating and training your workforce around sustainability ; implementing a sustainability champion ; choosing a sustainable venue and taking ownership as event organisers – to name a few . There is no easy solution , but these steps , together , will help create a more sustainable future . CN www . conference-news . co . uk