ACC
Liverpool has become the first large-scale conference venue in the UK to join
isla as it continues its commitment towards sustainability in the events
sector.
The
waterfront venue has become the latest organisation to become a member of the
independent industry body created to support the events sector’s transition to
a net-zero future.
Isla
aims to accelerate sustainable practice in the events, venue and related
sectors through expert-led training programmes, dedicated tools centred on
reducing and reporting on industry carbon emissions including Proseed and TRACE
as well as peer-to-peer knowledge sharing at regular member and sector-specific
forums.
Isla
will work with ACC Liverpool to share best practice and provide guidance and
training to support the organisation’s journey towards Carbon Net Zero
2050.
Faye Dyer, managing director of The ACC
Liverpool Group, said: “We are fortunate to work in an industry which is focused
on people meeting to share knowledge, ideas and ultimately to make a
difference.
“It is all of our responsibilities to consider how we can use this
as a platform and to make the necessary measures needed to implement
changes.
“It is with this in mind that we launched our Social Value Impact
Plan which focuses on five key areas – community;
environment, sustainability and climate action; procurement with purpose; event
industry impact and people.
“Isla is very much aligned with our own commitments and we are
excited to see how the team’s expertise will support our own environmental
objectives, enable us to collaborate and above all make positive change in the
industry.”
Crucial role
Femke Millership, isla membership manager, added: “We’re delighted
to welcome ACC Liverpool into the isla community as a venue member. Venues have
a crucial role to play in ensuring that the events industry is future-fit and
can meet the demands of an ever-changing sustainability and climate change
landscape. We look forward to working with ACC Liverpool to support our mutual
aims and meet global net zero goals.”
As well as ACC Liverpool’s commitment to support the delivery of the government’s pledge to reach
net zero carbon emissions by 2050, it aims to maintain zero to landfill status and support the development of super low carbon
events.
The
multi-purpose event complex is also working towards delivery of the second year
of its Social Value Plan. Current commitments
include installing LED lights across the campus – which also includes M&S
Bank Arena and Exhibition Centre Liverpool – in addition to the team striving
to achieve ISO150001. It aims to reduce single-use plastics across the
site and implement a food composting system.
ACC
Liverpool recently hosted the Travel Counsellors Global Annual Conference and
worked closely with the event organisers to make it as sustainable as possible.
The venue’s catering partners Sodexo Live! used Vegware and eGreen for smart
packaging and tableware. Leftover sandwiches were donated to a local
homeless charity, Victory Outreach, who work with struggling and vulnerable
communities within the Liverpool City Region. The event’s carbon footprint was
measured throughout the conference by ACC Liverpool’s operations team, with
Travel Counsellors pledging to offset its output via funding sustainable
projects.
Dyer added: “Wherever possible, we
encourage and aid sustainable behaviours and practices within the events
industry, and can support and assist our clients to build a social value
element or objective into their events.”
