The O2 first English arena to achieve Greener Arena merit

London’s The O2 has become the first arena in England to achieve its Greener Arena certification, thanks to the venue’s sustainability practices and commitments.

The certification is awarded by A Greener Festival (AGF), a not-for-profit company and sustainability expert, dedicated to helping events, festivals, and venues around the world to become more sustainable.

The Greener Arena certification considers measures that reduce emissions and environmental impact, as well as the health and wellbeing of staff, along with equity, diversity and inclusion – all of which result in an ‘Outstanding’ rating for The O2.

“We’re so proud to have achieved our Greener Arena certification and to be paving the way for other arenas in England and around the world,” says Steve Sayer, VP and general manager at The O2 (cap. 21,000).

“Sustainability has been an integral part of our business strategy this year, and with events like Overheated we’ve been able to make real strides in this space. Becoming a more sustainable venue is a constantly evolving task, and we know there’s still a lot more work to do, which is why we’re hiring new, dedicated resource next year to help take on this challenge.

“Sustainability has been an integral part of our business strategy this year”

“We’re looking forward to working closely with AGF following the actions from their certification report and publishing a comprehensive Green Rider for The O2. This will ensure that we provide a best-in-class experience for both artists and fans in an even more sustainable way.”

The O2’s 2022 sustainability-driven initiatives include hosting the cross-campus climate festival Overheated in June which saw the arena go vegan for Billie Eilish’s six show dates, and saw a reduction in the amount of single-use plastic used at the venue through the implementation of paper cups and recycled PET plastic wristbands.

The venue’s catering partner Levy UK + Ireland has committed to reaching net zero at The O2 arena by 2025, which will be a venue-first for the catering company.

AGF was honoured at last night’s inaugural LIVE Awards with The LIVE Green Award, ahead of the 15th edition of its Green Events and Innovations Conference.

GEI is AGF’s flagship event and is organised in partnership with the ILMC, which takes place at the Royal Lancaster Hotel between 28 February and 3 March.

For more information on GEI 15, or to purchase tickets, click here.

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