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Matt Coyne – Event Host & Copywriter
Matt Coyne is a seasoned professional with over 20 years of experience in the events industry. As the founder of Waves Connects, Matt is a dynamic host and talented copywriter, dedicated to helping individuals and brands share their unique stories with the world. His expertise lies in crafting engaging narratives that resonate with audiences, ensuring every message is delivered with impact. Passionate about storytelling, Matt believes that everyone has a story to tell, and he’s committed to helping you tell yours in the most authentic and compelling way possible. Find out more about Matt and Waves Connects at wavesconnects.com
Dr Sally Uren
Dr. Sally Uren, a globally recognized sustainability expert, will deliver the opening keynote, setting the tone for the event. With a strong background in promoting sustainable practices, Dr. Uren will discuss the critical need for systemic change across industries and how businesses can be drivers of sustainability.
There is a collective responsibility across the events sector to play a part in implementing sustainable practices if we are to meet government targets. This applies to organisers, venues, suppliers and exhibitors.
We’ve been talking for years about reducing, reusing and recycling to lessen our carbon footprint and minimise waste. But true sustainability goes much further than that.
In an ideal world, what it should be in the events industry is a unified system with a robust framework born out of collective discussion.
What it can’t be is simply the blanket removal and banning of certain items. Neither can we hide behind reuse and recycle - we must all look at better alternatives.
But when faced with such an overwhelming topic, it can be hard to know where to start and easy to see others as a bigger part of the problem. The ‘others’ in this case often includes the supply chain who some view as the ‘problem child’ rather than part of the overall solution.
It can be damaging to single out certain parts of the events industry as the main problem as no one single area is the reason preventing us from achieving sustainable goals in our industry. The truth is that many areas of the supply chain have been working on sustainable solutions for years - some even for decades - and are frequently the trailblazers in this area, not the latecomers.
This session will discuss:
1. Pitfalls of playing the blame game
2. Dispelling the myths – a closer look at the so-called ‘problem children’
3. Why blanket banning is not the answer
4. Why we can’t rely on reuse and recycle
5. The importance of a unified system
6. Accreditation and training
Solutions Room - ESSA Sustainability Working Group Takeover!
This dynamic session will see members of the ESSA Sustainability Working Group take the stage for an interactive "Solutions Room." Attendees will have the chance to contribute directly to shaping the future sustainability agenda, as the session will serve as a temperature gauge of ESSA's membership and the industry. The focus will be on identifying where the working group can provide support and guidance to members in their sustainability journey.
A Venus flytrap plant feeds on insects, catching them by quickly closing its leaves when their surface is touched so that the insects cannot escape. But if the plant has failed to seize a visiting fly, it remains shut for a couple of hours and resets itself before trying once more, affording itself a round of new opportunities.
- It does not make hasty decisions
- It learns from experience
- It’s persistent
Why is this relevant to sustainability?
Don’t make hasty decisions: Start by getting a policy in place, ensure it stands up and have a genuine commitment to follow it through, vital to eliminate the risk of greenwashing.
Learn as you experience: Working to a pre-determined framework is crucial. It can help break this sizable topic down into manageable sections that any company can implement into their business whilst ensuring all bases are covered. It’s a process.
Be persistent: Encourage communication both internally and externally, question everything, continually strive to improve, challenge your suppliers to follow and support you, encourage efficiency through partnerships, don’t be scared or put off by the barriers you come up against. And most importantly, don’t wait until you are perfect because no one is.
This session will discuss:
- A considered approach: Policies, strategies and frameworks
- Education
- Measuring
- Eliminating greenwashing
- Importance of a collective, consistent approach
- Learning from experience - Sustainable sustainability
- New opportunities (i.e. cost savings, preferred supplier, better ways of working etc)
• Accreditation
Jo Ruxton
Renowned environmental advocate Jo Ruxton will deliver the closing keynote. As a leading voice in the fight against ocean plastic pollution and founder of the charity Ocean Generation, Ruxton will offer powerful insights into how individuals and businesses can take meaningful action to protect the planet.
