LS Events Experience A Greener Future at GEI15

Next on our agenda of industry happenings was The Green Events and Innovation Conference 15 (GEI15) held at the Royal Lancaster Hotel. GEI15 is a partnership between not-for-profit sustainability specialists A Greener Future (AGF) and the International Live Music Conference (ILMC) Music Conferenc (ILMC) which is the world’s leading platform for the touring and festival sectors.?

LS Events was represented at GEI15 by our site Operations Co-Ordinator Suzanne Johnson and Projects Co-Ordinator Jess Jackson . Working collaboratively with our clients to innovate in sustainable event practices is fundamental to our core values so it’s crucial that we are at the forefront of developments in this rapidly changing landscape.

GEI15 delivered an enriching, creative conference of discovery and learning enabling Suzanne and Jess to participate in seminars spanning a range of contemporary topics including Music as a Social Sychroniser and Adapting to a New Climate.

The conference culminated in the International AGF Awards. The awards celebrate festivals, events and arenas who have made significant sustainability achievements in the last 12 months. Nominees are selected from those certified by AGF following a detailed environmental assessment, site visits and post-show analysis.?

We were absolutely thrilled to send Jess on stage to collect two AGF certifications on behalf of our client AEG Presents . American Express presents BST Hyde Park was Highly Commended and Luno presents All Points East were certified Great Improvers. A fantastic outcome for both events whose sustainability journey we are proud to have played a part in.

Suzanne Johnson, Site Operations Co-Ordinator comments; "I was really excited to attend the GEI15 conference along with my colleague?Jess Jackson this week.?I consider myself to be sustainable in my home life and am keen to expand my understanding of how sustainability translates in practice when working on festival sites.

I was particularly interested in the power aspect of running a festival and what more we, as event organisers, need to do to become carbon neutral.?It’s a complex process that will?take more than a procurement contract to make big changes, but it’s a cultural change that must happen.

I was really inspired to hear about Boom Festivals land regeneration initiative and DGTL Festival Amsterdam’s circular waste processes.?These innovations demonstrate new ways of applying sustainability at events and it has further intensified my drive to push forward the introduction of new working practices at the events I work on.

I was also super proud to accept on behalf of AEG Presents the AGF's certification?for Greener Events at BST Hyde Park and All Points East Victoria Park.?We are working hard to improve what we do all the time and this was great recognition for our collective efforts.

I look forward to attending the conference next year armed with the knowledge that I have been able to make a difference on the shows that I work on in 2023 whilst continuing to find inspiration and guidance from within our industry and beyond."