Roundtable
Responsibility The group were asked where responsibility lies in the exhibitions industry , including what role the media plays . Driscoll says the industry reaches millions of people every year , so there is a responsibility to create a debate around sustainability .
“ We ’ re taking a view that we should be brave and lead industries to facilitate the debate ,” she says . “ I don ’ t think it is about necessarily saying we ’ re going to fix the problem , but at least you ’ re creating the debate .”
Golden says this should be the case across the board , adding that 60 % of the scope for Net Zero is reliant on third parties being on the same trajectory . “ We can ’ t sign a pledge for Net Zero unless we ’ re confident that our organisers and suppliers are on that same route .” Golden adds that organisers should be reporting statistics on what their carbon footprint is after every event , and that the industry should be more robust in this area : “ We need to get that momentum back up and running , because it ’ s a real opportunity for teams to set their own goals .”
How to make sustainability count The general feeling around the table was that businesses simply cannot afford not to invest in sustainable action , but how hard are businesses actually looking at sustainability plans ? It has “ rocketed up the agenda ”, says Oliver Gardiner , development director at Olympia London ’ s owners Deutsche Finance International . “ For our investor base , if we ’ re not demonstrating an ESG agenda and we ’ re not delivering on that agenda then our investment credentials fall apart .”
Closerstill managing director Matthew Butler says businesses need to focus on what work is going into local communities . “ It ’ s not necessarily about what we do as an industry to reduce our carbon footprint , it ’ s about the personal interaction they have with sustainability , and how that is affected ,” he says .
Citing the example of reducing carpet use on the show floor , Siegle asks how much of a role sustainability is playing in terms of the brand of events , as well as how to find the right balance between sustainable methods and ensuring customers are given a new , exciting experience .
Nwaokolo suggests this is not something to be looked at in black or white and is instead a case of “ horses for courses ” and understanding your customer and “ where they are on that journey ”.
As for the industry-wide efforts for striving towards Net Zero , Golden says cross-industry alliance is vital to ensure everyone is heading down the same path to make such goals achievable . “ ESG needs a voice at the planning table in every organisation and show , because if that happens , then change will come ,” adds Driscoll .
Collaboration Another key theme was how the industry can effectively work together to strive towards Net Zero , with the word ‘ collaboration ’ emerging as a particular buzzword . Golden says , “ Discussions in the last 18 months have been less about individual shows and more about what the industry can do . I think there has been a real shift in how we understand how we have to collaborate with suppliers and organisers , and everybody needs to work together .”
Fredrickson says being brave is important . At Boardmasters Festival in 2017 , Gather & Gather scrapped single use cups for the first time . Driscoll says sharing case studies like this can “ inspire the bravery and decision making ” from an AEO perspective . Fredrickson adds : “ That ’ s where partnerships comes into it , and a pioneering spirit is needed to make these partnerships work .”
Following the cushy closing remarks on being collaborative and having pioneering spirit , Macdonald asks the group what Greta Thunberg would say if she was sat the table , adding that “ progress happens when you are challenged and when you ’ re uncomfortable , if the industry is not uncomfortable then it ’ s not being challenged hard enough .”
The point was then raised that a couple of CFOs chose not to turn up to the roundtable , with one apparently saying sustainability is not even a line in their P & L . It sounds as if the work is only just beginning , doesn ’ t it ? EN
Winter — 21