Environmental Policy
What are we doing?
What would we like to be doing?
How do we encourage our clients to operate in an environmentally responsible manner?
As a company operating within an industry that is not typically known for its positive impact on the environment, we as a company and as a group of individuals feel that it is of particular importance to behave in an environmentally responsible manner. FiveHats Event Management has adopted a number of practices which it is felt go some way towards minimising the impact that we as a company have on the current and future environment.
In addition to being able to demonstrate to our clients that we act in an environmentally responsible manner, we feel it is also our duty to be in a position to advise clients on how they could minimise the environmental impact of their events if they so desire.
The following measures have been implemented by FiveHats Event Management in a bid to reduce the amount of energy used by us as a company:
In the Office:
We are lucky, our beautiful offices are situated in an old mill on the river Avon which dates back to the 16th century, overlooking the Kennet and Avon canal and Brunel's Great Western Railway, and as such are in touch with our local environment on a daily basis. We also realise that this environment is extremely fragile and, as humans on this planet, have become far too complacent about the destructive effects we're putting on it.
• It goes without saying that in addition to thinking twice before printing out any documents and e-mails, recycling (or shredding and recycling in the case of sensitive information) of paper and other materials is an obvious place to start.
• The team is encouraged to switch off computers and other electrical equipment rather than leaving them on standby, and fax machines are left in the energy saving mode when not in use.
• Energy efficient light bulbs are used wherever possible in the building and the office electricity is supplied by a ‘green’ company.
• Our office is light and airy, desk and overhead lights and heaters are used sparingly and only when necessary.
• Recycled paper and materials are used in all official correspondence/business cards etc, and electronic communication of information is encouraged.
Travel:
• Use of public transport to travel to client where possible within the UK
• If air travel is unavoidable, wherever possible, client meetings are grouped together in order to avoid making several trips. Carbon offset units are purchased in order to reduce the impact of these trips. Some carbon offsets can be purchased directly through the airline; alternatively, websites such as www.climatecare.org/responsibletravel facilitate investment in projects that work to reduce emissions, thus reducing the impact of the air travel at a minimal financial cost.
Business contacts:
• Where appropriate, we endeavour to use suppliers with an environmentally responsible attitude to event production. On a large scale, some conference venues take particular care in this respect. On a smaller scale, environmentally responsible production of lanyards, badges and conference bags is a big step in the right direction.
• We ask the question to both our suppliers and to potential clients in order to establish and encourage waste minimisation and recycling.
What our clients can do:
• Distribute pre, on-site and post-conference materials electronically and encourage speakers to make printed information available to only those participants who are particularly interested, rather than excessive distribution of materials in soft copy.
• Minimise waste by using branded materials that are not year specific.
• Responsible venue and destination selection with regard to environmental policies at the venue as well as a consideration of delegate methods of travel. How accessible is the venue from the airport or train station?
• Consider the policies of other suppliers such as hotels where daily washing of laundry and single use toiletries can be discouraged.
• On-site recycling facilities as well as forward planning with regard to post-conference breakdown and reuse or recycling of materials.
• If appropriate to the destination, encourage use of public transport by providing travel passes as part of the delegate package.
• Think twice before producing delegate bags that are likely to be thrown away post-conference. Can these be recycled or, where appropriate donated to a local school?
• Ensure that conference gifts are useful to the delegates and production is monitored in order to avoid excessive waste.
• Monitor the waste produced at any one event and look at ways to reduce this going forward.
• Encourage delegates to participate in electronic feedback questionnaires.
• Consider the donation of surplus food to local shelters or compost.
• Consider plasma screens rather than printed signage to communicate with delegates.
Our goals for the future:
• It is our aim to monitor and reduce the amount of recyclable and non-recyclable waste both in the office and on-site at our events. We recognise that education internally and externally is still a fundamental part of our ability to set, and ultimately work towards a set of objectives in this respect. We are committed to expanding our knowledge and developing these objectives as part of our 2008 business plan. Therefore this policy will be further developed on an ongoing basis.
