Investing in sustainability – our next move
How we operate more sustainably as a business has been on my mind for some time: what it means to us as a family, as a business, to our clients and ultimately to our children.
The recent coverage around COP26 has brought the issue into sharp focus and has given the events industry a real sense of urgency.
Across the sector we have seen a number of initiatives to reduce the carbon footprint of events. Each venue or event has its own ambitions and priorities, each doing things differently.
At Freemans Event Partners, we are working with venues and partners on some specific projects to help to reducing packaging, minimise waste, use bio-generators more efficiently, recycle more effectively and how we increase meat-free and plant-based options for eventgoers. We already reduce our carbon footprint by car sharing to events, updating vehicles to the latest in low emissions, sourcing local staff for events and consolidating wholesale deliveries.
Yet the ability for us as a business to make a lasting and measurable reduction in our ethical footprint must go beyond individual, unlinked projects.
Our strategy must be much broader than this. I think it’s true of the wider market to say that we need a more consistent and formalised approach to reducing our carbon impact and this requires both expertise and investment.
We have asked ourselves so many questions about what we can do to make a meaningful and measurable difference to our own impact and, in turn, that of the events we manage. We recognise we need some additional expertise in this area so have taken the decision to invest in a new CSR leader at Freemans, a permanent position at a senior level.
This individual will have a remit covering sustainability and health & safety. This role offers an opportunity to develop and implement a robust and commercially viable sustainability strategy, as well as manage all operational health and safety processes, strategy and activities. We are looking for a passionate individual, someone with strong project and stakeholder management who can work with both internal and external stakeholders to drive our sustainability and health and safety agenda, raise awareness and achieve our goals.
We are making a pledge to prioritise sustainability in all we do. And to work with our clients and partners to insist on practical, measurable changes, which reduce our impact on the planet. We need concrete action, not empty promises.
At this stage, we don’t have all the answers to the challenges we face, but we know we need to make a difference.
If you are interested in applying for the role or know someone in your network who fits the bill, please get in touch.
https://freemanseventpartners.co.uk/jobs/corporate-social-responsibility-manager
