Understanding your individual ability to affect change, being transparent and embracing failure were just some of the key messages discussed at the Event Supplier and Services Association’s (ESSA) 2024 Conference.
More than 220 event professionals attended this year’s annual conference, which took place at Warwick Conferences in Coventry, with sessions throughout the day guided by the overarching theme of ‘Sustainability: People, Planet, Profit’.
Opening the conference, Dr Sally Uren OBE, Chief Executive at Forum for the Future, spoke about why we collectively need to move from a mindset that only focuses on minimising impact on the planet to one that instead offers a just and regenerative approach to sustainability.
“Shifting our mindset is something we can all do, and it doesn’t cost a thing”, said Sally. “By doing things differently now, a different future lies ahead”. Sally implored us to move away from a mindset of simply minimising our impact to that of a regenerative one so that we “don’t just leave our footprints – but our handprints too.”
In a panel session that explored the notion of event suppliers being sustainability supporters or saboteurs, Kane Thomas, Commercial Director of Full Circle Events and Exhibitions concluded that: “We are saboteurs if we knowingly put data into calculators that is dishonest to achieve better results. We will never be true supporters until we have transparency about where that information is coming from and can be verified.”
Essentially being a supporter is about adopting year-on-year growth and improvements starting with the basics and building from there. Being a supporter is understanding that sustainability is a journey with failures along the way. Being a supporter is about removing the blame culture that exists between organisers, venues and suppliers, because supporting each other will make a vast difference to the long-term sustainability of the events industry.
The closing address from renowned environmental advocate Jo Ruxton MBE, founder of Ocean Generation, highlighted the devastating impact of plastic on our planet. “There is so much we can do to reduce our plastic consumption but how can we all make a difference?” asks Jo. “Put simply, by understanding the power that we all have. Change is possible and it starts with each of us – it needs millions of ordinary people trying their best and learning as they go”. One of the best ways to implement change is via our children. Jo referred to them as “incredible ambassadors who are not thinking about profit” when seeking to make the world a better place which can be incredibly impactful at forcing change for the better.
ESSA Director, Andrew Harrison, said: “To truly effect sustainable change of this magnitude can feel overwhelming, especially when the complexities surrounding the implementation of sustainable practices and measuring our impact don’t make for an easily digestible proposition. But the overriding message from our conference was that doing the little things make the biggest difference when done collectively. People - including our children - inherently want to do the right thing, so be open to learning, be open to change and be open to failure - it’s starting the process that counts.”
