Joe GallopThe International Olympic Committee (IOC) and UEFA, European football’s governing body, have announced a joint technical study to identify sustainable branding and signage solutions at events.
The guide, titled ‘Environmental impact evaluation of branding and signage solutions for events’, was made by the two organisations in an attempt to improve the sustainability and reduce the carbon footprint of its events.
The guide explores the environmental impact of over 40 branding and signage materials including banners, flags, stage dressing and information boards, and looks at ways of improving their design and procurement decisions.
The study recognises that although more reusable materials are used at modern events, there is still a need for newly printed, customised materials, which are often synthetic and can be difficult to reuse or recycle.
The report was produced by global environmental consultancy Anthesis.
The IOC has said it now aims to work with other event organisers and rights-holders on the issue of sustainable signage solutions.
IOC’s director of corporate and sustainable development, Marie Sallois, said, “Branding and signage are essential to bring colour to an event and engage participants, but can also be a major source of waste.
“A better understanding of the composition of branding and signage materials and how to optimise their lifecycles can help reduce their environmental impact.
This guide is a first attempt at improving our knowledge on this topic and encouraging more responsible production and use of such materials at events.”