Access All AreasVision for Sustainable Events and Julie’s Bicycle have announced that they are running a second national program supporting local authorities to introduce environmental assessment of events using the Green Events Code of Practice (GECoP).
The GECoP, which was launched at the Event Production Show, is a nationally consistent assessment framework supported by The Local Authority Event Organiser (LAEOG), Arts Council England, and Purple Guide publisher the Event Industry Forum (EIF).
The program was trialled in 2024 with 10 local authorities, including Bristol, Reading, Liverpool, and Manchester implementing GECoP environmental standards at more than 60 events, with over 2.3 million visitors, varying from small community events to large festivals including Parklife and Reading.
Among the reported results of the program were that in addition to improving environmental policies, 83% of participating events reported improved environmental awareness, while 80% gained increased confidence in taking environmental action and reported increased conversations with stakeholders on environmental impacts. The full report on the pilot project can be downloaded here.
LAEOG chair Helen Thackeray said, “Events have a major part to play in looking after the planet for all our future audiences. GECoP offers vital support to our members to drive forward meaningful change in the sector.”
A maximum of 30 local authorities can join the next 12-month program. Participants will be part of a national roll-out of GECoP, and will receive specialist support and resources to update their sustainability policy for events and integrate environmental reporting into practices and processes.
The code’s creators said enrolled local authorities will benefit from a practice-based learning community with facilitated online peer sessions and support from the pioneering pilot program participants. They will also be granted access to new resources designed for local authorities to implement the Green Events Code of Practice and training to use the Donut Advisory Tool for Events (DATE) assessment tool, with a 12-month free licence included.
GECoP pilot project lead Richard Phillips, Music and Climate Specialist at Julie’s Bicycle said, “The GECoP pilot showed how a standardised benchmark of environmental practices at events can foster both environmental action and wider benefits for events and local authorities alike. We are looking for more local authorities to join this work and support a unified approach to environmental assessment of events to encourage action at scale, creating positive transformational change.”
Interested parties are invited to fill out the survey form here by 9 May.
Photo: Liverpool Cityscape, Liverpool City Council were one of the participating events in the GECoP pilot 2024.