Vision: 2025 welcomed new steering group members to the UK Outdoor Events Environmental Steering Group this week, expanding the group to include more perspectives and experience from production companies, industry experts, and Attitude is Everything, the leading organisation for accessibility in the Live sector.
New organisations and representatives to the group include; The East Anglian Festival Network, Attitude is Everything, The Fair, Sophilia, Betternotstop impact agency, and LS Events.
Founded almost 15 years ago in 2010 by the industry – principally event promoters and membership bodies such as the Association of Independent Festivals (AIF), Association of Festival Organisers (AFO) and the Production Services Association (PSA) – the Vision:2025 group have held the strategic overview of sustainability for the industry, commissioned research, produced free to access resources, advocated on behalf of events, and built a community of action.
Key points in the journey include the Show Must Go On report (2015 and 2020) which provided benchmarks and a roadmap for the industry – “vision:2025” – as well as publishing resources such as the Smart Power Guide (Powerful Thinking) and the recently launched Materials and Waste Toolkit for festivals, and establishing best practice through the new Purple Guide Chapter on environmental sustainability.
The steering group is hosted and supported by Julies Bicycle, and current funders include the Event Industry Forum (EIF), Arts Council England, Earth Percent and the Dixon Foundation.
The new members we’re welcomed to the group as part of the beginning of a process to develop a sector strategy for 2030, hosted by Festival Republic.
The Fair: Sarah Tew (Account Director, We are OPS)
“In advancing change, collaboration and education are crucial and I am delighted to be joining the Vision2025 Steering Group. I’ve always looked to Vision2025 for resources, guidance and news and these freely accessible tools and resources have proved extremely valuable in supporting me to advance sustainability in events. I now look forward to contributing to the development of Vision2025 and supporting the industry to take more action on the climate crisis.”
Soliphilia / Team Love: Pauline Bourdon Sustainability Consultant / Director (pictured at the Sustainable Event Summit 2023)
“I’m thrilled to be joining Vision2025’s steering group. Their work & resources have always informed my work as a sustainability consultant and I’m very excited to see how together, we can help shape a sustainable future for UK’s outdoor events all the way to 2030”
The East Anglian Festival Network: Mike Wilson, Founder EAFN
“We are very much looking forward to being part of the Vision:2025 Steering Group and contributing to help shape the future and support action on sustainable practice in UK live events. We will continue to share sustainability information with our members and the wider East Anglian Festival community.”
Attitude is Everything: Suzanne Bull (Founder AIE) and Alex Covell (Specialist in Accessibility at Events & Venues)
“I’m delighted that Attitude is Everything is going to be represented on the Vision 2025 Steering Group. This invitation coincides with the launch of our new toolkit ‘No Climate Action Without Us – how to include disabled people in live event sustainability.’ The toolkit is one of the outcomes from a collaborative research programme between us, Julie’s Bicycle and A Greener Future that examines why climate change solutions need to be accessible to disabled people.
There are 1 billion disabled people in the global population and they’re one of the communities that are disproportionately affected by climate change. Now that Attitude is Everything is represented on the Steering Group, it’ll bring access and sustainability closer together as equitable partners.”
Suzanne Bull
Betternotstop: Hannah Cox (Director / Sustainability Consultant)
“As someone that has worked in the industry for 20 years, joining Vision: 2025 represents an opportunity to further align my personal values on wanting to make the world a better place with my love of music and belief that it has the power to change the world – as such it is one of the most exciting projects I have been asked to contribute towards.”
LS Events: Iain Rogers (Senior Site Manager)
Existing Steering Group members include representatives from Julie’s Bicycle, Festival Republic, The Association of Independent Festivals (AIF), The Association of Festival Organisers (AFO), The National Outdoor Events Association (NOEA), The Production Services Association (PSA), Powerful Thinking, Without Walls, The Nationwide Caterers Association (NCASS) and Brown Fox Comms.
Photo credit: Pauline Bourdon, New Vision: 2025 Steering Group member pictured at The Sustainable Event Summit 2023 by Brown Fox Comms
This blog originally appeared in our Feb 2024 Vision: 2025 newsletter. Sign up to receive monthly event sustainability news, case studies and guest blogs direct to your inbox.