Sustainability
This house considers impact. On one hand we want to make a lot of it, on the other, we want to leave no trace.
Turning that into a sustainable model is a significant challenge. In an industry where bigger and better is often the brief, and where supply chains constitute up to 80% of carbon debt, we need to find ways to use and waste less.
And these considerations extend way beyond carbon emissions. Our ongoing journey towards B Corp status incorporates a range of issues across what corporate responsibility guru John Elkington terms the ‘triple bottom line’.
How do we ensure employees are treated fairly across our supply chains, for instance? What steps can we take to minimise the impact of our events on local resources and municipal infrastructure? How will we demonstrate a positive impact in local communities?
We need to shine a light on what’s working - to collaborate and celebrate activities that genuinely make a difference. That’s why we commit to complete openness on sustainability process, initiatives, and best practice.
As an industry, we need agencies, venues, and suppliers openly innovating solutions without compromising on effectiveness.
The sustainable solutions we propose must make sense for our clients, because as agencies and service providers, we can only influence. The ultimate decision is theirs.
Group Event Director Cressida Prout our Isla’s Power 50 Green Champion
The list recognises “individuals within the UK events industry who are devoting their time, passion and energy to making a positive impact on the planet”.
When Crez became our official Sustainability Champion in 2019, she saw the role as an opportunity to drive the fundamental changes she knew were needed across the industry she loves.
“You gave me a soapbox,” she says. “You’ll never get me off it!”
“Our Isla membership helps remind us of our responsibility as individuals to collaborate with clients, partners, and communities on sustainability best practice.”
Luke Brown, MD, Bray Leino Events
As a business, we’ve been benchmarking our operational emissions since 2019 as part of our Carbon Reduction Plan.
And by making changes like switching our main office to 100% renewable energy and rethinking our travel choices, we’re on track to deliver a 25% reduction by 2026. But this doesn’t include the projects we deliver for clients.
With TRACE we can now incorporate data on emissions and waste across all client projects - including supply chains. We know there are greater gains to be made through rethinking and redesigning the way we deliver, instead of simply layering recycling and reuse schemes on top of our existing processes. And TRACE allows us to carefully target and measure our efforts in this regard.
In our Carbon Reduction Plan, we’ve pledged to reduce our carbon footprint by at least 90% across all business and client operations, with the remainder offset, to help us meet net zero by 2050.
