FAVERSHAM HOUSE'S SUSTAINABLE EVENTS POLICY

As edie and Utility Week Live’s organiser, Faversham House is a progressive, independent media company with a diverse and compelling portfolio of digital platforms, exhibitions, events and printed publications. We operate in three markets: utilities; sustainability and energy; and visual communications.

We acknowledge that our day-to-day business practices and our events have an environmental and social impact, and we are fully committed to managing these accordingly. Our impacts primarily arise from three overarching areas: our offices and direct operations; running our events; and producing our print and digital publications.

Faversham House’s key purpose is to spark ideas and actions among the audiences we serve. We are ambitious, we are creative, and we care. As such, we want to lead by example when it comes to our environmental and social sustainability – and edie Live and Utility Week Live are an ideal platform for us to do this.

Before, during and after edie and Utility Week Live 2023, we will be paying close attention to our processes, our materials and our people – we seek absolute reductions in environmental impacts as well as relative improvements in our environmental and social sustainability.

FAVERSHAM HOUSE PUBLICLY PLEDGED TO:

• “Reduce our direct (Scope 1) emissions by 10% over a five- year period – relative to company turnover – with a baseline year to be established in 2018."
• "Develop and implement a new 'Sustainable Events Policy' for all Faversham House-managed events (i.e. conferences/awards/exhibitions) by May 2019."

This is our Sustainable Events Policy in line with our above commitment. We recognise that we are at the beginning of a journey and we are fully committed, as individuals and as a company, to become more sustainable; to be able to meet the needs of the present without depleting resources or harming natural cycles for future generations.

As a media organisation whose focus is helping business become more sustainable and working with utilities on digital transformation, we are in a unique position to not only talk the talk, but also to walk the walk. Of course, we have a long way to go to match up to our ambitions. However, all of the small steps we take will help us meet our obligations, now and in the future.

We look forward to working with our colleagues, visitors and audiences, commercial partners, supply chain and other stakeholders to do just that.

Amanda Barnes
Chief Executive, Faversham House

As responsible event organisers, we and our chosen contractors work within the following relevant legislation and guidance:

We work with several contractors on each exhibition and event. For Utility Week Live 2021, our main contractors have been chosen on the following three criteria:

• Their ability to fulfil our operational requirements within our price range
• How they match up to our values
• Their sustainability commitment

The venue leads the way through major investments and initiatives  – and by changing behaviours in every area of its operations (and those of its clients), it’s committed to helping organisers and exhibitors achieve their own sustainability targets.

Key facts:

• The NEC achieved zero-waste-to-landfill targets ahead of schedule, thanks in part to the development of an onsite waste pre-treatment centre. It is committed to ensuring any waste sent off-site doesn’t travel any further than 30 miles
• Food waste from the NEC is taken to a purpose build anaerobic digestion plant less than four miles away from the venue where it is converted to energy to power local homes
• In 2015, the NEC partnered with Severn Trent Water to launch a new Anaerobic Digestion plant less than four miles away from the venue. Over 120 tonnes of food waste from the NEC is delivered to the plant each year, where it is converted to energy to power local homes
• Smart meters were installed to help the NEC better understand how gas and electricity is used across the site. This enables the venue team to investigate anomalies and take necessary actions to minimise inefficient practices

View more about the NEC Group's commitments here

(venue event catering company, part of the NEC Group)

As a caterer, Amadeus not only believes in providing great food, but also holds the belief that it is accountable in providing sustainable solutions for the venues and clients it works with.

Key facts:

• SOURCING LOCAL: Amadeus aims to source produce as locally as possible – 80% of its food and beverage suppliers to venues within our portfolio can be found within a 30-mile radius
• SUPPORTING COMMUNITIES: 60% of its food and beverage suppliers are small and medium sized enterprises
• SUSTAINABLE PROCUREMENT: 98% of its disposable packaging spend is on sustainable products – be that recyclable, biodegradable or compostable
• PLASTICS: Amadaus looks to source the products which represent the best fit for the venues and clients in its portfolio. Where the organisation does use plastic, it will source responsible plastic products. Further detail on Amadeus’ approach to single-use plastic can be found here: http://www.amadeusfood.co.uk/content-hub/plastic-promise/

View more about Amadeus' sustainability approach here

Providing stand and feature build, electrics, carpet, furniture and AV 

GES seeks to provide the most environmentally friendly solutions to all the shows it services. The organisation is also dedicated to creating a culture where excellence in respect of social behaviours and economic performance are both achieved. Whilst there is a general assumption events can be wasteful, GES prides itself on challenging this and ultimately contributing positively to help the industry in becoming far less wasteful.

GES measures its progress on a show-by-show basis by considering several areas. These include a focus on the materials it uses; how it handles waste post-event, and how it helps to change the industry for the better.

Key facts: 

• In 2012, GES was the first contractor to attain the internationally recognised and independently audited ISO 20121 accreditation – a Standard that has been designed to help organisations in the events industry improve the sustainability of their activities, products and services
• The GES Smartwire cabling system is used on shell scheme electrical packages enabling reuse of cables and thus minimising wastage. GES use LED lighting on stands to achieve a significant reduction in power usage
• Post event, GES will recycle the cord carpet, preventing carpet from going to landfill
• All signage and graphics builds use a fully recyclable re-board material which is used to create new panels after the show
• All shell-scheme stock used is returned to the warehouse, cleaned, refurbished and reused with minimum wastage
• All furniture items are refurbished, cleaned and reused after the show

View more about GES' sustainability approach here