When presented with the facts, few can deny the significant contribution of the events industry to our national economy. Annually, this contribution is in the region of $17.36 billion for the business events market alone. However, as significant as the economic benefits are, so too are their impacts on the environment and in some cases on the communities in which they are held.
Due to a heightened level of community awareness around climate change, peak oil and the drought, there is a sense across the events industry that a more sustainable approach is needed. Be it offsetting carbon emissions or onsite waste separation and collection, clients and organisers are switching to greener choices.
Last year saw the world’s first standard for Sustainable Event Management (SEM) released in the United Kingdom. British Standard BS 8901 - Specification for a sustainable event management system with guidance for use came into effect in November 2007 and was designed to help events companies and support companies deliver a holistic approach to event management.
Arup led the project team developing the standard for the British Standards Institute (BSI) to ensure it reflected the true diversity of sustainability issues by considering not only environmental impact but issues such as efficient use of natural resources, economic viability and social well-being. I personally had the benefit of contributing to the development of the Standard and was able to share Australian experiences in SEM I have enjoyed over the past five years.
The focus of BS 8901 is to ensure SEM is an integral part of the event management process and that its influence extends throughout the entire supply chain. It is adaptable and can be used for both one-off and regular events. Another benefit is the fact that aside from being implemented purely by those organisations responsible for the overall management and coordination of the event it can also be adopted by suppliers.
Following the development of a draft version of BS 8901, Arup undertook a number of pilot projects aimed at trialling the Standard, including the UK concert celebrations held as part of Live Earth 2007 event and a comprehensive carbon footprint of the Concert for Diana.
Although delivering the principles of SEM is still in its infancy in Australia, Arup, in partnership with mice.net, are committed to encouraging Australia’s event industry to embrace the best practice standards contained in BS 8901 to ensure our local industry is up there with the best in the world.
This article on sustainable event management is a first in a series by Adam Beck, a sustainability associate with Arup, one of the world’s leading design and business consultancy firms who have focused on delivering sustainable projects for more than 60 years. Contact adam.beck@arup.com.au.
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