Paul ColstonAEG Europe’s 2024 London festival series has achieved certification from not-for-profit sustainability specialists A Greener Future (AGF). American Express Presents BST Hyde Park has been awarded the Greener Festival Highly Commended Certification, with All Points East accredited in the Commended category.
With line-ups featuring global performers including Stevie Nicks, Andrea Bocelli, Loyle Carner and LCD Soundsystem, AEG’s 2024 London festival series at Hyde Park and Victoria Park were the most sustainable yet, the organisers claim.
A Greener Future (AGF) is a framework that has been used to guide, assess and certify hundreds of events, festivals, and venues worldwide since 2007, and provides independent audit and external verification to organisers.
AEG Europe achieved certifications for both London festivals after onsite visits by qualified assessors who analysed areas of sustainability including transport, energy and power, waste, water usage, local environment, CO2 and food and beverages.
Sustainable initiatives implemented during this summer’s BST Hyde Park and All Points East festivals, included removing carbon emissions with Carbon Char Store and partnerships with fan travel tracking tool, Lowr, and Keep Britain Tidy. An improved waste segregation system and on-site baling of waste at BST Hyde Park also saw AEG able to improve recycling rates year-on-year.
Jim King, CEO of AEG Presents’ European Festivals division, said: “Achieving certification from A Greener Future is a commitment to our fans, our artists, and the communities we serve. Our fans have always shown us that they care deeply about sustainability, and by meeting these rigorous standards, we’re honouring not only our values, but theirs.”
Natasha Wales-Dixon, senior assessor of A Greener Future, said: “BST Hyde Park was notable this year for its efforts to reduce impact through onsite baling of waste, which in turn reduced the impact from vehicles required for transport from site. The improvements made to sorting and compacting waste locally to the site were considered very impressive… These efforts were coupled with excellent communication to the teams onsite, including contractors and volunteers, related to their understanding of why waste segregation is so important and the role they play in it.”
She added: “In addition to the waste segregation, BST Hyde Park implemented a food grading system which analyses the carbon impact of meals served onsite, and whilst in its infancy, this will undoubtedly evolve and offer further improvements in coming years.”
AEG’s BST Hyde Park and All Points East festivals have also been shortlisted for the UK Greener Festival Award, for demonstrating outstanding success in reducing their environmental impacts and changing the industry for the better.
AEG has recently announced the first headliners for BST Hyde Park 2025, with performances from Noah Kahan, Hugh Jackman, Zach Bryan and ELO. Next years All Points East will also see the reunion of The Maccabees, who will headline Victoria Park in August 2025.