Joe GallopThe Scottish Event Campus (SEC) in Glasgow, owners of the 14,300-capacity SSE Hydro is launching a sustainable food strategy ahead of it hosting the United Nations COP26 conference in November.
SEC said the strategy will result in a more sustainable and responsible approach to the sourcing and delivery of food in its venues. The new approach has been developed over the past two years with catering and hospitality partner Levy UK + I (the sports, and hospitality division of Compass Group UK and Ireland). It includes a pledge to source at least 80% of its food from Scotland, with all produce sourced from high-welfare producers that use sustainable agriculture processes.
SEC said it will champion high-quality, environmentally friendly local suppliers in areas such as fruit and vegetables, meat and bread. The food and drink offering at the Glasgow venues will offer a broader range of plant-based options alongside local animal protein sources.
SEC’s new food strategy includes a plan for packaging, with a commitment that all packaging used will be reusable or recyclable by 2023. The venue also aims to have reduced kitchen wastage to under 1% of food purchases by 2025 or sooner. Food waste will continue to be diverted from landfill to anaerobic digestion processing.
The new food strategy has been implemented ahead of SEC hosting the 26th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26), taking place 1–12 November.
SEC director of exhibition sales Dan Thurlow said, “As our industry gears up to restart, there is no better time to drive forward positive change.
“While we recognise that we can continue to do more to improve the environment we all share, we are proud to have a strong and ambitious strategy in place to help us champion the very best of sustainably sourced Scottish produce on the international stage.”
Levy UK + I business director Kevin Watson said, “The amazing new food strategy that we have created with SEC is a world class example as to how the conference and events industry can achieve greater sustainability and reduce food waste in catering and hospitality.
“We are delighted that SEC is hosting COP26 later this year and feel it is the perfect event to showcase how food strategies like ours can play an instrumental role in combatting climate change.”