Joe GallopEvents environmental sustainability initiative Vision:2025 has launched a consultation for an industry Green Code of Conduct, to provide minimum environmental standards for all UK outdoor events.
The code has been developed by Vision:2025 member associations, including the Association of Independent Festivals (AIF), the Association of Festival Organisers (AFO), the National Outdoor Events Association (NOEA) and the Events Industry Forum (EIF).
Also involved were organisations such as Festival Republic and Julie’s Bicycle, with support from live event promoters across the UK.
The code has been developed in response to recommendations made by the Select Committee on the Future of Music Festivals in May. It follows the framework set out for the wider music sector in the LIVE Green vision, launched this year.
The code is being considered as the basis on which industry best practice could be established and endorsed by Government as a new chapter of the industry’s The Purple Guide, which is overseen by the EIF.
Next year’s full-scale Event Production Show at ExCeL London will include two sustainability panel session with Vision:2025 chair Chris Johnson and LIVE Green chair John Langford.
As part of the consultation Vision: 2025 has launched an online survey that is open for comments until 14 January.
Johnson said, “Developing a code of conduct by the industry for the industry has multiple benefits: It will provide standards for sustainable practices that are credible, realistic, and crucially, workable, for all event organisers. It will bring the clarity, along with national consistency, that stakeholders across the sector are asking for, as we take steps to reduce emissions and impacts as part of the industry’s journey to net zero.”
Festival Republic MD Melvin Benn said, “Creating a Green Code of Conduct is a practical and potentially effective step that the industry can take to show leadership and improve standards.”
AFO general secretary and EIF chair Steve Heap said, “The Purple Guide is an established publication that advises how our industry manages health & safety best practice. This Green Code of Conduct could provide the blueprint for a new sustainability chapter.”
AIF CEO Paul Reed said, “The development of the Green Code of conduct will help AIF members and all outdoor events to manage their impacts and agree on some top-level shared principles. It is vital that we continue to work together as an industry and with Government to mitigate impacts and take collective action.”