The new free online application for the events industry and its supply chain has been developed by WRAP (Waste & Resources Action Programme) in conjunction with LOCOG (the London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games) and industry input to assist event organisers planning an event to create action plans for managing and reducing waste.
The Event Resource Management Plan (RMP) tool, which has been awarded the coveted London 2012 Inspire Mark*, is designed to help event organisers, venues and suppliers in their pre-event procurement and waste reduction activities, in-event waste recycling and post event materials reuse and recycling. This is not only beneficial to demonstrating their corporate social responsibility, but can even help their bottom line, with potential cost savings from the planning and procurement stage right through to waste management costs. Organisations seeking BS 8901 certification (the British Standard Specification for a Sustainability Management system for events) can also use the tool to demonstrate compliance with elements of the standard.
Figures** show that while some of the sector has achieved as much as a 50% recycling rate in events, many are averaging at just 15%, but the sector is demonstrating a motivation to adopt more sustainable practices as many are now adopting the British Standard.
The tool has been subject to a number of stringent user acceptance trials by key industry partners, including LOCOG, but also by a number of other prestigious event organisers which include Live Nation, Manchester United Football Club, Manchester City Council and Coca Cola GB whose experiences of working with the tool will be available to download at www.wrap.org.uk/sustainableevents.
Mervyn Jones, Head of Products & Materials at WRAP said: "This is an exciting new sector for WRAP to work with. We have drawn on our experience of working with clients, retailers, brands and local authorities in the retail and construction sectors in developing this tool. The tool will help event organisers to forecast and work on a plan to reduce their environmental impact when putting an event together.
We are delighted to have rallied support from across the events sector, with a number of key event organisers who have all been instrumental to the development and testing of this tool to ensure it met the industry's needs and requirements."
David Stubbs, Head of Sustainability at LOCOG said: "Factoring in aspects of sustainability such as waste management is a real challenge for event organisers, particularly where there is a large supply chain involved. Using tools such as the one developed by WRAP will help the UK achieve its ambition of hosting the most sustainable Games possible and we are thrilled to be involved in the development process of this practical tool. We look forward to rolling it out further to our own supply chain as we head towards the Games in 2012."
To find out more about using the tool, including a video tutorial which guides users step-by-step through the process of completion and case studies from our panel of testers, visit www.wrap.org.uk/sustainableevents