AGF (A Greener Festival), the founders of the world’s first green standards for festivals and events have launched ‘A Greener Supplier Kitemark’ to provide green suppliers with independent and trusted verification and recognition of their sustainability actions.
The issue of finding greener solutions is an important one and the music, sports and live event sectors are increasingly looking for suppliers and partners who have sustainability at the heart of what they do. By gaining AGF certification, suppliers will be able to demonstrate independently verified green credentials to their customers. The new certification will help events, festivals and tours identify verified green suppliers more easily, reducing the time and overhead of having to undertake their own internal supplier assessments. For suppliers with the kite mark, it will reduce the effort required to demonstrate their green credentials to prospective customers.
To attain the kitemark suppliers will demonstrate a commitment to supporting biodiversity, and reducing their organisations emissions and waste across the company’s operations, purchases and investment. The supplier assessment will consider the organisation’s approach to applicable key elements of environmental sustainability including energy, food & beverage, transport, waste management, water, plastics & packaging, social responsibility, as well as its policy and strategies for dealing with hazardous materials and reductions in CO2 emissions.
Tom Schroeder, Wasserman (formerly Paradigm, Agent to stars such as The xx ,Years & Years, and Annie Mac) said: “If we are going to improve how we tour and really try and address the damage touring can do, we need resources and support that is applicable across all levels. The team at A Greener Festival have been working on real solutions, not just tokenism, and a perfect illustration is their latest initiative. With the kitemark, all parts of the live music infrastructure can see suppliers and products that have real credentials, approved by those who know best. It is a perfect example of what needs to happen for us to make real change and not just talk about it.”
Mark Ward, Production Director, Proper Proper Productions Ltd (BST Hyde Park and All Points East) said: “I’ve had so many conversations over so many years with major touring artists around ‘why isn’t there something like a Kite Mark so we can see who is really good at doing this stuff’”. For the industry to have that certification now from AGF – a known, trusted and proven source – is a huge positive. In many ways it’s a game changer.”
Carol Scott, Principle Sustainability Advocate, TAIT said: “There is a huge amount for our industry to take on board as it enters a new era where sustainability ranks top of the list on everyone’s agenda. Any initiative that streamlines and simplifies any of our production processes; particularly procurement will be hugely advantageous across the board”.
Jamal Chalabi, Head of A Greener Tour said: “A Greener Supplier Kitemark celebrates the many suppliers who are already moving their business forward to a more sustainable future and acts as a road of direction for those looking for guidance on how to get there with the assurance of an industry standard.”
Says AGF CEO Claire O’Neill: “Ensuring an event, tour or venue is as green as possible can be resource heavy and confusing, and it depends significantly upon the action and engagement of the suppliers. Those who are taking action to change our industry for the better deserve recognition, and if we can help to reduce the resource burden to find and evidence Greener suppliers at the same time we can effect change more quickly.”
Sustainability is high on the agenda in the music and live events industry and more venues and festivals are demonstrating a strong commitment to sustainability and reduction of environmental impacts by implementing a variety of actions so it is a natural progression for all businesses and suppliers within the sector to follow the same ethos.
Organisations who wish to apply for ‘A Greener Supplier KiteMark’ can do so by contacting A Greener Festival through its website.
