Joe GallopAGF (A Greener Festival) has launched A Greener Supplier certification to provide green suppliers with independent verification and recognition of sustainability actions.
AGF said the new certification will help events, festivals and tours identify verified green suppliers more easily, reducing the time and overhead of having to undertake internal supplier assessments.
To attain the certification suppliers will demonstrate a commitment to supporting biodiversity and reducing organisations’ emissions and waste across the company’s operations, purchases and investment.
The supplier assessment will consider the organisation’s approach to key elements of environmental sustainability including energy, food and beverage, transport, waste management, water, plastics and packaging, social responsibility, as well as its policy and strategies for dealing with hazardous materials and reductions in CO2 emissions.
AGF CEO Claire O’Neill (pictured) said, “Ensuring an event, tour or venue is as green as possible can be resource heavy and confusing, and it depends significantly upon the action and engagement of the suppliers. Those who are taking action to change our industry for the better deserve recognition, and if we can help to reduce the resource burden to find and evidence greener suppliers at the same time we can effect change more quickly.”
A Greener Tour head Jamal Chalabi said, “A Greener Supplier certification celebrates the many suppliers who are already moving their business forward to a more sustainable future and acts as a road of direction for those looking for guidance on how to get there with the assurance of an industry standard.”
Wasserman agent Tom Schroeder said, “With the certification, all parts of the live music infrastructure can see suppliers and products that have real credentials, approved by those who know best. It is a perfect example of what needs to happen for us to make real change and not just talk about it.”