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Introduction
The awareness of environmental issues and the sustainability of the world we live in have increasingly and more urgently become apparent. The impact of inefficient use of resources and the disposal of waste into environmental sinks is an important consideration for current and future generations.  Sustainable Event Solutions recognises the significant reality of climate change, acknowledging that various stakeholders, including the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change have agreed that:

• Warming of the climate system is unequivocal.
• Most of the observed increase in globally averaged temperatures since the mid-20th century is very likely due to the observed increase in anthropogenic (human) greenhouse gas concentrations.

As part of this growing human awareness of the importance of our relationship with our environment, a parallel awareness of the contribution of the events industry to both practicing and promoting sustainability has been realised. Increasingly, a societal expectation is prevailing which requires businesses, and governments to consider a more sustainable future. The events industry is part of this expectation. There is a need to provide the best outcomes for the human, environmental, and economic realities that we exist in.

This policy describes our commitment to the principles of sustainable development and our intention to promote the principles of sustainable development across the events industry

1. Sustainable development
   Sustainable development does not focus solely on environmental issues. More broadly, sustainable development policies encompass three general policy areas of economics and the social and natural environments. Sustainable development is defined as balancing the fulfilment of human needs with the protection of the natural environment so that these needs can be met not only in the present, but in the indefinite future.
2. Sustainable events
   Events have historically been poorly exposed to the requirements of a sustainably conscious community. Inefficient resource use, emissions and large waste streams have in the past characterised many events. The concept of sustainability however is now generally being recognised and is filtering into the event industry. There are numerous opportunities to improve on the sustainability of events, and now there is a tangible social and business imperative to do so. There is currently no benchmark of the sustainability of events.

Through an understanding of the event supply chain and areas prone to risk from unsustainable practices, a proactive response can be developed to reduce impact and thereby increase the sustainability performance of each event. 

Sustainable Event Solutions
Sustainable Event Solutions was established to provide targeted and informed insight into the sustainable planning, management and operation of the events industry. Sustainable Event Solutions identified a need to establish a common sustainability language for the events industry, and thereby bring together the diverse range of event types into a universal framework for the consideration and management of sustainability.

The establishment of Sustainable Event Solutions and the development of the sustainability framework for events was intentionally designed to:

• Educate industry in best practice sustainable events
• Establish the sustainability benchmark for the events industry
• Promote integrated whole event sustainable planning and implementation.
• Be consistent with current initiatives and standards, including the British Standard 8901: Sustainable events management system, The St James Ethics Centre CRI (Corporate Responsibility Index and the GRI (Global Reporting Initiative).
• Identify event life cycle impacts, and sustainability risk elements.
• Raise awareness of sustainable events.
• Recognise sustainability stewardship and innovation.
• Aid in the transformation of the events industry and reduce environmental impacts associated with events, including waste and emissions.
• Provide mechanisms for ameliorating and offsetting residual environmental impacts.
• As part of responding to these issues facing the events industry, a key priority of Sustainable Event Solutions has been the development of the sustainability rating framework, known as the “Sustainable Event Management System” or SEMS.  

Enhancing event sustainability
Sustainable Event Solutions’ objective is to encourage sustainable development and the transition of the events industry towards enhanced sustainability by promoting sustainable event programs, technologies, design practices and management solutions. Sustainable Event Solutions seeks to dynamically set and regulate the concept of best practice sustainable events.

Sustainable Event Solutions provides the leadership and co-ordination required in the process of identifying event sustainability issues and establishing their significance, in consultation and collaboration with clients and stakeholders.

We have applied our experience in the events industry to develop a high level impact and opportunity assessment tailored to each event. In collaboration with out clients we undertake an assessment of actual and potential environmental impacts associated with running an event, identifying resource management bottlenecks, and marketing and lifecycle opportunities. By applying the SEMS to all aspects of the planning and management of an event, our clients can ascertain:

• The significance of different event activities.
• The issues defined as having the potential to represent significant potential risks or opportunities to our client’s event as key sustainability issues.

Sustainable Event Solutions principal goal is to elevate sustainable business practice within the events industry through the establishment and implementation of the Sustainable Event Management System Framework.

Sustainable Event Solutions is committed to ensuring that sustainability in the events industry is understood and communicated widely. We are involved throughout the event process, in open consultation with event clients, stakeholders and suppliers, developing sustainability solutions with our technical partners for the improvement of the events industry globally. 

Sustainable Event Solutions will continually reassess our SEMS so we remain the key market leader in the provision of industry best practice sustainable event management solutions. By reviewing the performance of each event, we are able to ascertain sustainability performance, and identify further opportunities to improve sustainability with our clients, and across the events industry generally, thereby continually setting the standard for sustainability in the events industry.

 

SEMS is the leading event and meetings sustainability tool.  SEMS is consistent with International Standards and reporting protocols to include ISO 20121