Programme announced for Sustainable Event Summit 2026
The Sustainable Event Summit (SES) returns to the Showman’s Show with a dynamic programme centered on shaping the industry’s climate plan, showcasing this summer's innovations at events and taking practical action, Wednesday 21st October, 2026.
Fast-paced advances in many areas of technology and environmental protocols, incorporated into the Show Must Go On Report #3 and pivotal in the Climate Transition Plan 2030 for the UK live events industry, will drive conversations around sustainability at outdoor events, which have expanded to government level, signalling that SES26 will be a significant gathering of event professionals.
Vision for Sustainable Events Chair, Chris Johnson says: “This Summit is an important milestone in the progress of the Climate Transition Plan 2030 (CTP), bringing industry leaders, experts, event organisers, local authorities and suppliers together to shape climate action, share best practice and innovation, and drive new industry standards endorsed by government.”
SES26 will be found at a new location, sharing with, and supported by Cover Marque and Roder on stand 162 on Avenue G. The Showman’s Show continues to be a lead supporter, with SES 26 presented in association with Ticket Tailor and Festival Republic, along with headline sponsors LS Event and Instagrid, have contributed to this free-to-attend event being viable.
Invited guests will join an interactive morning session of roundtables exploring the green successes and challenges from the summer season, and what support events need to deliver the actions set out in the Climate Transition Plan 2030. (Exclusive to Vision 2030 Pledge events, AIF Step Change participants, SES speakers, sponsors and partners). Morning guests enjoy a networking lunch before doors are opened for the free-to-access, open-to-all, afternoon program.
The afternoon program begins with a keynote introduction from Feimatta Conteh, Senior Manager for Environmental Responsibility at Arts Council England, to set the context of how the transformative power of music can drive environmental action and inspire systemic change.
The opening panel: ‘Climate Transition Plan 2030: Making it real,’ led by Ross Patel (LIVE Green Impact Consultant), brings together the experts who are leading key workstreams and ‘task forces’ to provide an update on the groundbreaking work taking place across the sector with guests Sally Mills (Energy Task Force), Richard Phillips (Julie’s Bicycle and lead on the Green Events Code of Practice), Bethan Riach (Vision 2030 Festival Pledge lead) and Livvy Drake, (onboard:earth’s Project Director and lead of the Travel Task Force).
Vision for Sustainable Events’ focus on event energy for next season will be introduced by Event and Touring Sustainability Consultant, Pauline Bourdon, who is leading the production of an updated Smart Power Guide. This spotlight on energy runs through the next two panels, showcasing new initiatives in practice at 2026 events followed by a session with the power suppliers whose new products and services are supporting this shift:
The ‘Decarbonising Event Power by 2030’ panel, hosted by SES media partner Access All Areas’ editor, Chris Barrett, features guests: Stephan Edwards (Bristol Mobile Power Project), Andy Barnby (Instagrid), Mazie Reece (Boomtown Fair) who share advances in ‘Event Energy’ in action this season.
Media Partner Festival Insights’ Digital Content Manager, James Robertson will host a new SES feature: Quickfire innovation sessions, which introduces Energy Innovations from GeoPura, Power Logistics, 4Wall and Sunbelt.
Acknowledging the extreme weather outdoor events experienced this year, with heatwaves and storms becoming the norm, the ‘Adapting to a Changing Climate’ panel brings together event organisers and sustainability experts to explore practical climate adaptation strategies. Panelists include Andrew Lansley (Event Sustainability & Accessibility Consultant) and Suzanne Johnson (Senior Site Manager at LS Events) with more guests to be confirmed.
‘The Best of the Summer Panel’ returns with green success stories from 2026. John Rostron, CEO of the Association of Independent Festivals (AIF), hosts UK outdoor festival organisers who have led the charge across the 2026 season, including; Bryonie Matthews, Sustainability Coordinator at Shambala Festival & Kendal Calling, Rowan Cannon, Artistic Director & CEO, Wild Rumpus and Emma Beat, Director of The Beat Goes On Festival.
The Showman’s Show presents the annual Green Supplier Awards, showcasing innovative products and services on offer from suppliers exhibiting at the Showman’s Show, with live judging from Vision judges and Summit delegates.
View the full program and register for free afternoon tickets (available on a first-come, first-serve basis.
Event organisers who would like to work towards the environmental actions set out in the Vision 2030 Climate Action Pledge and join the morning session can take the Vision 2030 Climate Action pledge.
Government Music Plan endorses industry climate action
The Show Must Go On Report and Green Event Code of Practice - published by Vision for Sustainable Events - have been acknowledged as cornerstones of sustainable sector growth in the Government's New Music Plan.
Culture Secretary, Lisa Nandy, has officially announced the Government's bold new music plan. This landmark policy sets out a long-term vision to unleash the potential of the UK's music ecosystem, fuelling a new era of creativity, driving sustainable growth, and ensuring the UK continues to inspire the world as a global music powerhouse.
Christopher Johnson, chair of Vision for Sustainable Events, states: “This has been a very positive and collaborative process with the DCMS/government - it’s profoundly helpful that climate leadership across the live outdoor sector has been recognised. Efforts toward consistency and collaboration are being recognised with the endorsement of the Green Code of Practice, which will help momentum to achieve the aims in the Climate Transition Plan 2030.”
The ten point action plan includes social and environmental impact: Harnessing the power of music as a force for good, with a sustainability focused section: “Industry climate-action and new industry standards”. T
The report states:
"Live events and festival organisers are demonstrating significant leadership in the move towards Net Zero, serving as testing grounds for climate-positive technologies and sustainable behaviour change. To accelerate this momentum and drive nationwide consistency, the government recognises the Green Events Code of Practice as the leading industry standard.
"Industry’s latest Show Must Go On report outlines a route map to halve emissions by 2030. While operators can achieve a 37% reduction through onsite changes like renewable energy and waste reduction, a 13% gap remains. Closing this gap will require government and industry collaboration on issues such as grid connectivity and sustainable transport."
The report also acknowledges The Creative Power Pilot, a public-private partnership involving the West of England Combined Authority, Bristol City Council, and the UN-affiliated ACT 1.5 project, which is piloting a dedicated clean power hub providing renewable mobile power to 19 major festivals and various film shoots.
In the wider music sector, initiatives such as the Music Climate Pact have been recognised. UK Music and Julie’s Bicycle, along with other creative industry members of the Creative Industries Council, have also endorsed the world’s-first Creative Climate Charter designed to galvanise action on the climate and biodiversity crisis.
Key highlights from the plan include:
A £45 million Music Growth Package, delivering a £15 million boost via Arts Council England, set to champion more than 2,000 projects and empower 40,000 creatives throughout the next three years.
Music in Libraries Initiative: Utilising £12.5 million in dormant asset funding, we will reimagine our local libraries as vibrant hubs for music, featuring accessible studios and recording spaces.
Live Music Deregulation: To provide greater security for our festivals, we are streamlining licensing by extending TENs durations and introducing more robust three-to-five-year license options.
Jon Collins, CEO of LIVE, said of the plan: “The UK has one of the most vibrant live music sectors anywhere in the world. Every week, thousands of artists, venues, festivals, promoters, and crews come together to create experiences for millions of fans. This makes a significant contribution to our economy, culture, and communities.
"It’s very encouraging to see the government recognising the importance of music in the UK Music Plan. We must continue to back every part of the live music ecosystem, from grassroots venues and emerging artists through to the arenas, stadiums, and festivals that showcase British talent to the world.
"LIVE Trust is a fine example of what can be achieved when the industry comes together for the greater good. Artists, promoters, and audiences are already helping generate millions of pounds to support the grassroots sector, and we’ve received over six million pledges since LIVE Trust was introduced in January 2025. By continuing to work in partnership, government and industry can ensure the UK remains the best place in the world to discover, develop, and experience live music.”
Sustainable Events Summit 26 announced
The Sustainable Event Summit (SES) returns to the Showman’s Show, Wed 21st October, launching Vision for Sustainable Events’ focus on Energy and 30 Climate Actions for 2030.
Celebrating the successful launch of The Show Must Go On Report #3, SES 2026 will bring together outdoor event organisers, suppliers, local authorities, and experts, driving collaborative resource development, industry standards, best practice, and innovation to inspire climate action for UK events, realising the Climate Transition Plan 2030.
Chris Johnson, Vision for Sustainable Events Chair, says: “This will be our most informative edition of SES to date, engaging organisers and the supply chain in defining our sector’s actions in the context of the industry’s climate plan 2030.
“We’re delighted to announce Ticket Tailor as a headline Sponsor, with RÖDER UK and Cover Marque providing our venue for this years’ summit, along with our hosts, The Showman’s Show.”
This 10th edition of the Summit will be kicking off a four-year pathway with a focus on Energy (2026/7), and will include the launch of a new edition Smart Power Guide for Events.
SES 26 will host invited guests for a morning of roundtable workshops, with a networking lunch, before doors are opened for the open-to-all afternoon program. The roundtable sessions and networking are hosted in collaboration with the Association of Independent Festival’s (AIF) Sustainability Step Change Fund Program and is open to all events who have taken the Vision 2030 Climate Action Pledge.
The afternoon programme includes a session with key industry organisations on ‘Sector perspective - Climate Transition Plan 2030’, ‘Event Energy’ panel, quick fire talks and The Green Supplier Awards to showcase innovative products and services. Back by popular demand is the ‘Best of the Summer’ panel, presenting successes for all scales of events over the season, before the summit closes with networking drinks.
Registration is open for afternoon tickets, on a first come first serve basis.
Event organisers can take the Vision 2030 Climate Action pledge on the Vision website.
The Vision team is engaged to agree other sponsors to underpin delivery of this popular free-to-attend event. Please contact graham@visionsustainableevents.org for details on sponsorship or Quickfire presentations.
Show Must Go On report launches in House Of Commons
The Show Must Go On report, launched in the House of Commons last night (February 11), is a state-of-the-industry report and climate transition plan for the UK outdoor live events industry, the result of unprecedented industry-wide collaboration.
Vision for Sustainable Events and Julie’s Bicycle published the third edition of the Show Must Go On report, which presents a clear picture of current practices, impact benchmarks, and a Climate Transition Plan with a target of 50 per cent emissions reductions by 2030.
Chris Johnson, Vision for Sustainable Events Forum chair, said: “Organisations and sustainability experts across the outdoor live sector have come together in an unprecedented effort to create the most comprehensive impact report to date, and a blueprint for collaboration on urgent climate action.”
The Show Must Go On Report gives outdoor event professionals of all types and scales an indispensable reference for guidance and motivation to stretch climate ambition and take practical action, with climate action checklists.
The report identifies how festivals can reduce typical footprints by 37 per cent. Subject chapters provide clear actions for event organisers, supply chain, and sector organisations, as well as specific requests of government policy to overcome systemic barriers to stretch ambition and achieve 50% emissions reductions.
Key Government asks from the industry include the national adoption of the Green Events Code of Practice (GECoP), accelerating the installation of grid connections in public outdoor event sites, adopting a consistent approach to waste management, and removing barriers to public transport for audiences.
Generating £1.7 billion in annual revenue, the UK Live Outdoor Events Industry makes up a significant part of the UK’s £6.7 billion music industry.
Jon Collins, CEO, LIVE commented: “This report offers a clear, concise assessment of where we can achieve progress and where we need external support and resources to create that change, clarifying a role for the Government to accelerate and stimulate positive change in matters such as power infrastructure, integrated transport, and reskilling and educating our workforce.
Melvin Benn, managing director of Festival Republic, commented: “As event organisers, we are uniquely placed to help influence positive change. Our industry brings millions of people together every year, and with that comes both a responsibility and an opportunity. This report is not just a snapshot of where we are, it’s a call to action. The road ahead won’t be without challenges, but we’re no strangers to those. The show must go on, but it must go on sustainably”.
To download the report, click here.
Pictured left to right: Chris Johnson, Cathy Runciman, director of EarthPercent UK, Richard Phillips, Patrick Hurley MP, and Jon Collins.
Purple Guide Grants celebrate 10 years
The Purple Guide Grants Scheme celebrates a decade supporting 24 diverse outdoor event projects with £318,000 of funding, April 2025.
The Purple Guide Grants scheme is managed by The Events Industry Forum (EIF), which brings together 32 trade associations involved in the outdoor event sector, committed to supporting, development and wellbeing.
The Forum operates as a not-for-profit organisation, allocating money raised from Purple Guide subscriptions into the Grants programme, to promote and fund projects that help to improve good practice and advancement across the outdoor events industry.
E.I.F. Chair, Steve Heap, states:
“We’re very proud that the Purple Guide Grants have enabled a hugely diverse range of projects to help develop the industry over the past decade. It’s been a pleasure to be part of the team with the (E.I.F.) board, which has been diligent in selecting recipients that reflect a breadth of activities encompassing socio-economic impact practices, research projects, sustainability, welfare and accessibility.
“We hope to continue to help organisations navigate future opportunities and challenges for the betterment of the outdoor events sector.”
The positive impact of 10 years of Purple Guide grants is best seen through comments from some of the recipient projects.
Alex Covell, Interim Head of Live Events Access, Attitude is Everything, states:
“We’re incredibly grateful to EIF for their invaluable support. Thanks to their Purple Guide Grant funding, we’ve made real strides in improving access to festivals and community events.
“We have delivered training to 165 event organisers, contributed new accessibility guidance for the Purple Guide, and built stronger connections across the industry. We were proud to provide our Disability Equality training to 41 community event organisers, around 25% of attendees, empowering them in their roles.
“We also worked with three major festival organisers, allowing us to showcase the importance of our work in the live music sector. I authored the new Purple Guide chapter to set access standards across the industry, covering five key areas including policies, marketing and communication, and production.
“With The Purple Guide Grant investment, we have given confidence to event organisers to create more inclusive experiences for disabled audiences, artists, and workers. We’re excited to keep building on this momentum and look forward to the lasting impact of this work. Thank you for being part of it!”
Emanuela Pagliei, Artistic Director, NEON Performing Arts, says:
"The Purple Guide Grant was instrumental in bringing our vision to life. It gave young people—many facing systemic barriers—the tools, confidence and real-world experience to lead a major public event. It has established NEON as a recognised leader in EDI, demonstrating that inclusive, youth-led outdoor events can be powerful agents for change."
The Power Of Events and Northampton University are the most recent Grant recipients, launching an industry research project, (April 2025), to gather data and feedback about the economic and social impact of the outdoor events industry. Rick Stainton comments:
“The Purple Guide Grant is a vital supporter of so many initiatives and projects across the Outdoor Events and Festival sector that align with our own mission and values - to help them with this essential research project using the Events Industry Insight app is a privilege and our team look forward to working with the EIF board over the coming months.’
The next round of Purple Guide Grants funding applications will close on 1st October 2025.
Former AFO secretary, EIF and Live publish UK festivals data map
A new UK Festivals Data Map has been launched, mapping more than 850 festivals that took place in England, Wales and Scotland in 2024, where music was a key part of the entertainment.
The free, publicly available, UK Music Festival Resource, is designed to be updated and help the industry count festivals, artist plan tours and fans discover new events in their area.
Commissioned by retiring Association of Festival Organisers (AFO) general secretary Steve Heap in partnership with Events Industry Forum and LIVE, this UK Festival Data tool has been created by Chris Carey of FastForward Events, with funding from the Events Industry Forum (principal funder) and LIVE (supporter).
The content will be monitored and updated by the FastForward Events team for the first three months, then its upkeep will transfer to the Association of Independent Festivals (AIF) for ongoing maintenance.
Heap said: “As I retire, after 38 years from managing AFO, I wanted to leave behind the answer to the question that was so often asked by local and national government, by media, artists, agents and managers alike: How many music festivals are there?
“This is the answer in the first instance, and it is the foundation for ongoing data collection in the festival industry.”
Since there is not a comparable data set for 2023, this should not be mistaken for an improvement in the volatile and fragile UK festival ecosystem, nor should it distract from the concerning closures of festivals seen in 2024 and already being reported for 2025.
The research captures a range of small and regional events as well as multi-arts events that might not have been captured in other research more specifically aimed at music festivals.
The intention is to build as comprehensive a view as possible of all festivals in the UK, where music is a key part of the event. Festival definitions can be hard to pin down and vary by sector. To qualify for inclusion in this research an event must have four or more acts playing over a day or more than one day.
Chris Carey, founder of FastForward Events, said: “As well as accounting for the wide array of music festivals in the UK, we hope this work can help artists discover places to play and plan tours. For fans we hope they can discover festivals in their favourite areas of the country and get to new events in 2025.”
The online platform includes correction and addition forms where festivals are invited to register their dates for 2025, and offer any corrections and cancellations, allowing for the most complete data set of festivals across England, Wales and Scotland for the 2025 season-and beyond.
Jon Collins, CEO of LIVE, said: “Live music in the UK is often short of robust data when it comes to setting out our value, size and make up. That can limit our ability to represent the sector effectively to policymakers and the media. One fundamental question for which we have long since sought an answer is finally addressed in this research. Having access to comprehensive and up to date information on the size and nature of the UK festival sector will fill a significant gap in our messaging. Thanks to Steve and Chris for putting that information together and out into the public domain."
John Rostron, CEO of AIF, said: “It’s great to see the work from Steve and Chris come online, giving visibility to many festivals across the UK. I’m also relieved that they are going to handle the tweaks and changes that will come in for the next three months before the map passes over to us at Association of Independent Festivals where we will then ensure it’s available free to access for all.
“This will be an enormously valuable tool that researchers, audiences, suppliers and others can use to understand the festival sector and a great legacy gift from Steve to the sector he adores so much."
The show will go on
The £100k funding campaign, launched by Vision:2025, for 2030 Outdoor Event Sector’s Climate Transition Plan hits 75%. Wide support from across the sector secures production of the Show Must Go On Sector Transition Plan, which will set ambitious climate plans for 2030 for the festival and live outdoor events industry.
Chris Johnson, Vision:2025 chair, states:
“The working group is delighted by the widespread support from an industry struggling against the economic backdrop in 2024. This is an acknowledgment that now is the time to show leadership and ambition in taking action, meeting the urgent challenge of climate breakdown, and coming together as an industry to chart a clear path.”
Vision:2025 is working with the AIF and other industry organisations to raise the final 25% to reach the £100k target. The remaining funds will underpin the promotion and distribution of the Show Must Go On Transition Plan, and engagement with the government to secure support for the sector.
The £75k was a minimum viable budget to enable cross-industry working groups including A Greener Future, Association for Independent Festivals, Betternotstop, Cheltenham Festivals, Festival Republic, Hope Solutions, Julie’s Bicycle, chaired by LIVE CEO Jon Collins, to work with the industry through consultation, significant research, data analysis and with experts, to build a clear and bold 2030 climate vision for the sector, creating an evidence base for action, and advocacy for Government support on policy and funding.
The funds will also support the development of clear industry approaches, standards and alignment on carbon reporting and best practices, benefiting everyone to prepare for future regulatory changes.
Vision:2025 has secured £50k in grants from Earth Percent, Events Industry Forum, and Arts Council England, with the aim to match this from the industry. Promoters supporting the project so far include Festival Republic, AEG Presents, Boomtown, Kilimanjaro Live, Shambala, From the Fields (Kendal Calling), DHP Family. In addition, industry bodies such as NCASS and suppliers across the chain are contributing.
There is a range of options for suppliers and festivals and events to support this work. Find more details on sponsorship packages and fund the report.
Sustainable Events Summit 9th edition programme announced
Vision: 2025 has announced the content for the Sustainable Events Summit (SES) 9th edition, held at The Showman’s Show, on Wednesday 23rd October 2024.
This is a pivotal year for Vision: 2025 as work begins on establishing benchmarks and shaping sector strategy and Climate Transition Plan to 2030.
The summit is free to attend, bringing together outdoor event organisers, suppliers, local authorities, and experts to drive collaborative resource development, industry standards, best practice, and innovation to shape the UK Events Industry’s response to the climate emergency. The Summit opens with a member’s only roundtable bringing together experts in key sustainability topics and Vision: 2025 festival members, the session forms a stepping stone in the Climate Transition Plan journey.
Panellist Hannah Cox, Founder of Better Not Stop, says:
"What I found about this event that really stands out from others, is it’s for the people wanting to help each other collaborate and actually share so that we can create action within the industry."
This year's keynote Jon Davies (CEO, Levy) offers a supplier perspective on driving change. He will draw on Levy's experience of developing sustainability strategy and working across clients and supply chain to achieve change, bringing examples such as food policy for Billie Eilish @ The O2, and working with Peppermint Bars.
Jon Collins, CEO of Live Music UK hosts ‘Shaping the future: A Climate Transition Plan for 2030’ exploring how the industry can thrive while reducing environmental impacts and working with the Government to accelerate change.
Chris Johnson (CEO, onboard:earth) hosts, “In the Headlights: Collecting Travel emissions data” shines a light on how events can collect event travel data for footprinting. John Rostron (CEO, Association Independent Festivals) presents ‘Best of the Summer” with guests sharing their green festival success stories from the 2024 season.
The Showman’s Show Green Supplier and Innovation Award sees three shortlisted suppliers present innovations to help events reduce environmental impacts from the supply chain with SES 24 delegates casting their votes live to decide the winner.
Download the full programme with panel guests and speakers, find out who’s in the room, and register for your free place.
All Showman’s Show delegates are welcome to the afternoon session, we encourage you to register for the Summit for updates and key information.
Vision 2025 launches campaign to fund and shape 2030 climate transition plan
Vision:2025 has assembled a cross-industry working group, chaired by LIVE CEO Jon Collins, to produce the third edition of The Show Must Go On report. To be published in March 2025, it will focus on creating a climate transition plan for the festival and live outdoor events industry, and making the case to the Government for support to unlock potential for a more sustainable festival and outdoor events future.
The funding target of £50,000 from industry sources will match funds raised from Arts Council England, EarthPercent, Dixon Foundation and Festival Republic.
Specialists in their fields are collaborating with Vision: 2025 to review data and information, establish benchmarks, consider trends and opportunities, engage with industry, and shape a vision for 2030. An important element of the work is to develop strong and evidenced requests to the Government for policy change and sector funding to unlock potential.
An industry working group has been formed with A Greener Future, Attitude is Everything, Association for Independent Festivals, Betternotstop, Cheltenham Festivals, Festival Republic, Hope Solutions, Julie’s Bicycle, LIVE, and Norfolk and Norwich Festival, with many other organisations to be involved in the journey through consultation and focus groups.
The Show Must Go On state of the industry reports (2015 and 2020) provided indicative benchmarks and a roadmap – the backbone for a cohesive industry narrative and action on climate for the past decade, and a framework for hundreds of events to take action.
Now it is time for edition three to bring a clear and bold 2030 climate vision for the sector, one which shows leadership and ambition in meeting our immediate and global challenges, aligns with government climate targets and the 1.5 degree global ambition.
The work will build on important recent research in the sector such as The Super Low Carbon Music Report by ACT 1.5 and the Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research (supported by Massive Attack), the More Than Music Report, produced by Betternotstop, assessment data from A Greener Future, and new data collected this summer.
“The climate crisis is no longer something in the future – it’s happening now, and we must act before it’s too late," said Melvin Benn, managing director of Festival Republic. "Each event business has its own unique challenges in taking climate action but we can pull together in the same direction as an industry to make the journey easier and more impactful.”
Chris Johnson, chair of Vision:2025, said: “There are many reasons that we should develop a transition plan as an industry: A collective approach to ‘what good looks like’ and the actions we take, is more effective for event businesses, climate and nature; collective campaigns lead to results, such as securing five per cent VAT during the pandemic, and; regulation and standards are inevitable – by acting collectively and being on the front foot, we can create an evidence base for investment and policy.”
Collins said: “I am proud to chair this cross-industry working group and bring together LIVE’s network and resources in support of this critical work. Clarity of thinking and defined asks of Government will support our sector’s efforts to go further faster in tackling the climate crisis. Joining together to establish a clear road map can only improve our chances of delivering a truly sustainable UK live music sector”.
To support the development of the work CLICK HERE.
Vision: 2025 reveals speakers, topics and agenda of Sustainable Events Summit 2024
Vision: 2025 has confirmed the panel topics and first speakers for the Sustainable Events Summit (SES), which returns to the Showman’s Show on October 23, 2024.
Supported by title sponsor Festival Republic and hosted by The Showman’s Show, the action-focused summit will present the latest research, tools and knowledge, and bring together leading outdoor event organisers, local authorities, suppliers, and sustainability experts, to shape the future of climate action in the industry. This summit will include roundtables on sector strategy for 2030.
Programme highlights
The morning of SES 2024 takes the format of an invitation-only industry roundtable session, where green leaders will focus on national policy priorities and sector strategy. A sustainable lunch is being supplied by Eat to The Beat, which will frame later conversations around food impacts.
Registration is now open for the free-to-attend afternoon panels and sessions, which include:
● Shaping the Future: A Vision for 2030
● Tackling Travel Impacts (sponsored by You.Smart.Thing)
● The Green Supplier and Innovations Awards Live!
● A new Quick Fire session on this season's hot topics and new ideas
● Best of the Summer – festivals present behind-the-scenes insight on sustainability innovation.
The Sustainable Events Summit will again be hosted by Graham Brown, member of the Vision: 2025 steering group. He said: “We’re all really excited by this year’s program. With significant developments in play on several fronts across outdoor events sustainability, 2024 is a pivotal year for SES, as work begins on establishing benchmarks and shaping the sector strategy to 2030. I sense an enthusiasm to share and inspire action that will shape the industry response to the climate emergency for UK events.”
Speakers confirmed so far include:
● Jon Collins, chief executive of LIVE
● Hannah Cox, director of betternotstop
● Andrew Lansley, sustainability consultant at Cheltenham Festivals
● Feimatta Conteh, senior environmental responsibility manager at Arts Council England
● Vikki Chapman, head of sustainability (UK&I) at Live Nation, Festival Republic
● Bonnie May, CEO of Eat to the Beat
● Chris Thompson, CEO of You.Smart.Thing
● Suzanne Bull MBE, CEO of Attitude is Everything
● Bethan Riach, communications manager at ecolibrium
● Anna Johnson, environment and sustainability officer at Anjuna Beats (Involved Group)
● John Rostrum, CEO of Association of Independent Festivals
SES 2024 will be hosted in a new-look venue, supplied by Evolution Domes, with AV supplied by Production AV (part of the D&B Group). SES 2024 remains free to attend thanks to their support, along with headline sponsors LS Events, Instagrid, MTD Pure Water and Sunbelt.
Attendees are asked to consider making a donation to cover the cost of producing this non-profit event. Spaces are limited, so early registration is recommended.
To register, click here.
National GECoP pilot prioritises sustainability for festivals and events
Sixty festivals are taking part in a pioneering project to establish a Green Events Code of Practice (GECoP) across England.
Julie’s Bicycle and Vision: 2025 are collaborating with ten local authorities and more than 60 festivals to test how a Green Events Code of Practice (GECoP) can be adopted nationally.
Vision: 2025 chair and Shamabla festival director Chris Johnson states: “I’m very proud that our industry is making the environment a key priority to deliver more sustainable festivals in the future. I’m surprised that we’ve heard so little about environmental issues during this election campaign so far, given the scale of the climate emergency we’re in. I hope our pioneering sector can continue to highlight and inspire positive actions to make a significant difference for future generations.
“The Green Events Code of Practice has been developed to avoid a lottery of expectations across England and establish consistent standards. Everyone is asking 'what good looks like' and how to understand and measure it. This project will help to answer that question.”
As a summer of exciting arts, music and sporting events get underway, event organisers and attendees watch keenly as the effects of climate change - from floods to heatwaves - continue to be impossible to ignore. In the face of these challenges and with a desire to significantly lessen their environmental impact, the outdoor events industry has come together to take action.
GECoP, developed by the UK outdoor events industry as a working draft, sets out minimum voluntary standards for events. The GECoP project aims to establish clear, consistent, affordable, and workable minimum standards for sustainability in events nationally. The project is testing the practical use of the code as a framework for local policy, standards, and assessment of event sustainability, providing support and advice to events. It hopes to establish the feasibility of the code being implemented as a nationally adopted best practice.
GECoP focuses on seven key areas where positive environmental change can be achieved. Its overall aim is a minimum of 50 per cent reduction of Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions by 2030 through reductions in fossil fuel consumption, reducing meat and dairy consumption, eliminating single-use plastic, and many other measures.
The Local Authority Event Organisers Group, LAEOG, supports the approach to standardise assessment and best practices. Participating cities include Manchester, Liverpool, and Reading, with events taking part including WOMEX Worldwide Music Expo, Bristol’s Harbour Festival, Parklife Festival, Reading Festival, The Davis Cup, Shambala Festival, Leicester Mela, National Athletics Championships, Chinese New Year celebrations, the Euro 2024 Fan Village, and several Pride festivals.
Cllr John Hacking, Executive Member for Skills, Employment and Leisure, Manchester City Council, said: "Manchester is already very much a leader in the area of sustainable events as we recognise the part they have to play in our wider drive towards becoming a zero carbon city by 2038.
"We've been supporting local events for some time now through knowledge sharing, guidance, and practical support to embed sustainable practice throughout their operations, but we also recognise there are still some challenges to be addressed.
"We're therefore going to be working with event organisers on several very different diverse events in Manchester over the coming months to trial this important new code of practice, which has a vital part to play in ensuring the future of the events industry nationally is a sustainable one.
"As well as helping standardise the expectations placed upon event organisers across the country, the trial will also help us formulate any additional further actions for events within the city as part of the city council's next five-year Climate Change Action Plan."
Andrew Lansley, innovation lead at Cheltenham Festivals, states: “With many frameworks, voluntary certifications, approaches to sustainability, and a lack of legislation, it is important that everyone understands what is good and bad in terms of environmental performance. The Donut Advisory Tool for Events (DATE) is the assessment method, developed in line with GECoP to help these organisations collaborate, with the sole aim of producing something for the benefit of the industry, without a commercial agenda. This free-to-use toolkit will make a genuine difference across our whole industry.”
John Rostron, chair of Association of Independent Festivals (AIF) says: “The event industry is driving innovation, and event organisers are ready to take action on the climate, but they need guardrails, consistency and support to progress. Smaller grassroots and community events particularly need advice, support, and the solutions for change.”
In December 2024, the project will report on the variety of ways the code has been put into practice, and outline a pathway to national adoption.
The project is co-funded by Arts Council England and participating local authorities.
Support the "Show Must Go On" report
Fund the update of the pivotal state of industry Show Must Go On Report, to shape festival and outdoor events sustainability.
Vision: 2025 has launched crowdfunding to create the third edition of the Show Must Go On report and shape a new climate strategy and practices towards 2030. Research and authouring by an inclusive industry-wide collaboration are underway to collate a comprehensive free-to-access resource. Click HERE to support.
The Initiative supported by Festival Republic, The Association of Independent Festivals (AIF), Arts Council England, and Earth Percent, aims to raise £50,000 from organisations working in the festival and outdoor events space to be matched with grant funds. This collaborative project is being hosted by Julie’s Bicycle, chaired by Jon Collins, (LIVE), and convenes a working group of organisations and specialists from across the sector. The Show Must Go On state of the industry reports (editions #1 & #2) provided early benchmarks and a ten-year roadmap, which has been widely adopted across the outdoor event sector as the guide for good sustainability practice. The free-to-access report has provided the backbone for a cohesive industry narrative and action on climate for events. edition #3 will bring a clear and bold 2030 climate vision for the sector, one which shows leadership and ambition in meeting our immediate and global challenges, recognising financial and other challenges. The fund allows for an ambitious report to create benchmarks, future strategies, actions, and new content for inclusivity, diversity, biodiversity, and climate adaptation.
Melvin Benn, Managing Director of Festival Republic comments: “The climate crisis is no longer something in the future - it's happening now, and we must act before it's too late. Each event business has its own unique challenges in taking climate action but we can pull together in the same direction as an industry to make the journey easier and more impactful.” Vision: 2025 is once again galvanising the live festival and outdoor events industry to bring knowledge, data, and information together to establish benchmarks and best practices, understand challenges and solutions, shape a vision for 2030, and develop strong and evidenced policy requests for Government. This work will build on the much-anticipated More Than Music report due to be published late May 24, published by Better Not Stop, which surveys festival practices from 100 events, providing a foundational understanding of practices.
Chris Johnson, Vision: 2025 Chair and Shambala co-founder comments: “What we need is national consistency and a clear and common understanding of ‘what good looks like’, where we are going, and how to get there - we can only do this together - vision:2025 exists as the industry's collective voice, convener and action-taker, and this report and vision will help to answer these fundamental questions and support events to take action.”
John Rostron, CEO of the Association of Independent Festivals comments: “The Show Must Go On report will build an essential evidence base to ask the Government to support our sector's actions on climate.”
To get involved and support this work, contribute to the Industry Crowdfunder target of £50,000. Vision:2025 aims to match contributions with grant funding. All funds will be used for coordination, research, collaborator organisations, design, and communication. A range of cost-effective sponsorship packages offers value for suppliers a once in a decade opportunity to get involved in one of the highest profile sustainability projects in the industry.
Vision: 2025 launches Sustainable Materials and Waste Management Toolkit for festivals
Vision: 2025 and Julie’s Bicycle launched a Sustainable Materials and Waste Management Toolkit for festivals at AIF Congress, Bristol.
This new resource condenses years of research around industry practices to give organisers a wealth of practical, easy-to-implement waste management processes, to help improve practices, and encourage the re-use of materials and reduce waste.
Chris Johnson, chair of Vision: 2025, unveiled the new, free-to-access toolkit, followed by an in-depth presentation by Julie’s Bicycle Project lead, Richard Phillips, and Vision: 2025’s comms manager Bethan Riach.
The toolkit is part of an ongoing industry project, Towards Zero Waste Festivals, which is focused on improving waste management practices in the festival sector.
The AIF Congress audience featured representatives from more than 80 festivals. Festival professionals gathered together at the refurbished Bristol Beacon to discuss many of the issues, challenges and opportunities they face.
John Rostron, chair of AIF, said: "The climate emergency is an issue that our membership takes very seriously, and part of our ongoing effort revolves around helping festival promoters make their events more sustainable. We have managed numerous initiatives towards this end, such as our Drastic On Plastic and Take Your Tent Home campaigns. It's great to have Vision: 2025 at Festival Congress this year to speak to festival organisers and offer these tools that will help reduce their carbon footprint."
The toolkit, developed by leading experts in waste and sustainability and supported by the industry Waste Task Force, provides practical step-by-step guidance and resources for those managing procurement and waste at greenfield festivals, including:
- Practical checklists to monitor and review actions being taken
- Templates for developing policies and other documents specific to your festival
- Tips providing guidance on specific elements of waste management.
It also gives links to other useful reports and learning resources that exist outside of this toolkit.
Phillips said: “This project incorporates a huge amount of information, collected and collated through extensive collaboration across the festival sector, which reflects the strong appetite from organisers to improve sustainable practices around waste and materials use.”
The toolkit is structured around 10 steps to better waste management. Each step details actions to be taken and links to the relevant resources, with references, to guide festivals throughout the process of managing waste, with advice on using the right resources at the right times.
Festivals can download the individual resources as separate documents online, or download the whole Toolkit as a folder containing all relevant resources to use when needed. The templates (e.g. Materials List Template) are designed as a starting point for creating each festival’s specific version.
Picture: Chris Johnson launches Sustainable Materials and Waste Management Toolkit at AIF Congress