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AEG Europe reveals BST Hyde Park sustainability plan

AEG Europe has heralded BST Hyde Park 2024 in London as its “most carbon-friendly festival series to date”.

The 65,000-capacity concert series kicks off today (28 June) with All Things Orchestral, followed by concerts with Robbie Williams, Shania Twain, Andrea Bocelli, Stevie Nicks, Kylie, Kings of Leon, SZA, Morgan Wallen and Stray Kids.

As the event launches its 11th edition, AEG has revealed an enhanced set of green initiatives to minimise its environmental impact, including carbon removals and menu labelling, alongside partnerships with Keep Britain Tidy and Lowr.

“Over the course of 10 shows across three weekends, we will have the opportunity to engage with hundreds of thousands of fans,” says AEG Europe’s director of sustainability, Sam Booth. “We are acutely aware of our position and believe we have a responsibility to influence fan behaviour and drive sustainable change and in doing so, we’re helping to not only preserve the planet but also the future of live entertainment.”

The move comes after the promoter hosted the world’s first carbon-removed arena events at The O2, which saw the extraction and removal of 545.9 tonnes of carbon across the four shows by The 1975.

Acting on key learnings from the pilot events, AEG says it’s continuing to reduce emissions at BST Hyde Park while pursuing accurate measurements for the remaining unavoidable ones.

Using Biochar for carbon capture, BST will then fund the removal of all Scope 1 and 2 emissions, making this AEG Europe’s most carbon-friendly festival series to date, it adds.

“We are acutely aware of our position and believe we have a responsibility to influence fan behaviour and drive sustainable change”

The promoter has also worked with A Greener Future to measure the environmental impact of each meal served across the festival and ensure this information is across all menus, with a traffic light system to highlight the most environmentally friendly offerings.

“Not only does this help to educate fans in their food choices, but it also acts as a reminder to traders of the impact their ingredient choices can have on the world around them, helping to encourage traders to think green for all future events,” it said.

AEG Europe said it is committed to sending zero waste to landfill and is looking to build on the principles of the circular economy to all venues and festivals. BST Hyde Park will see the use of 100% compostable serveware across the site, with a limited reusable cup system being trialled in controlled areas. It said waste handling has also been improved, with clearer signage, an on-site waste baler and on-site crews to help fans separate their waste correctly.

Working in partnership with Keep Britain Tidy, BST Hyde Park will also see a new waste reduction initiative this year. In a move to change fan behaviour around the disposal of cigarette butts, portable ashtrays will be handed out to combat the source of litter. An e-cigarette collect-and-recycle scheme will also be implemented across the site for the safe disposal of soft plastics and batteries.

Meanwhile, AEG’s customer engagement teams have formed a partnership with sustainability platform Lowr, which has created a bespoke platform for ticket holders to log their journey to the event and help the festival’s promoters understand and quantify the full carbon impact of their travel. The promoter said the information will be used in subsequent years to help inform policies and strategies for tackling this significant element of the festival’s environmental impact.

BST Hyde Park 2024 will also see an increased amount of its power supply created by biodiesel generators and batteries. The promoter said that having successfully trialled a new battery system at the event last year, its team has made significant energy efficiencies in a more economical power supply: “These enhancements ensure the entire workflow operates at optimum efficiency to drive down overall fuel usage across the site.”

 


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LGBTIQ+ List 2024: Sam Booth, AEG Presents

The LGBTIQ+ List 2024 – IQ Magazine’s fourth annual celebration of queer professionals who make an immense impact in the international live music business – has been revealed.

The ever-popular list is the centrepiece of IQ’s fourth Pride edition, sponsored by Ticketmaster, which is now available to read online and in print for subscribers.

To get to know this year’s queer pioneers a little better, we interviewed each of them on the development of the industry, the challenges that are keeping them up at night and more.

Throughout the next month, IQ will publish a new interview each day. Catch up on yesterday’s interview with Ross Patel (they/them), CEO, board director, consultant, talent manager, and DJ for LIVE, Whole Entertainment, RossPatelCo, MMF, UMA Ent, and Polyamoross.

The series continues with Sam Booth (he/him), director of sustainability at AEG Europe.


Sam Booth started his career as an event producer working on wildly diverse projects, from Adidas fashion shows in New York to floating wine bars on Clapham Common. However, he’s always been concerned about the environmental impact of the work he was producing, so during the pandemic he studied at the Cambridge Institute of Sustainable Leadership to help provide more rigor to the decisions he was making. This opened his path to working first in sustainability consulting, and then at AEG, where he can happily bring together my two big passions – events and sustainability.

Tell us about the professional feat you’re most PROUD of in 2024 so far.
Developing and leading the launch of the world’s first carbon-removed arena shows at The O2 with The 1975 is definitely the highlight so far! The intention of these shows is to work with all stakeholders at an event (from catering through to the artist and fans) to raise funds which will be used to remove the equivalent amount of carbon generated by the shows from the atmosphere. These aren’t usual offsets but genuine, science-based techniques that durably store carbon out of harm’s way and are key to achieving global net zero. It could be a real game changer and we’re so excited to see how the model develops! 

“I’m a huge believer in the power of education to break down barriers”

What’s your next big sustainability project at AEG Europe?
This year is all about firming up our path to net zero. We need to undertake some detailed work around our gas usage, figure out our approach to dealing with fan travel and continue working with brand partners to address the emissions of the products we sell in the arena. We’re also rolling out training to all our employees to ensure they know how to make more sustainable choices in their day-to-day roles. 

You’re a member of the PRIDE group at AEG Europe, what kinds of things do you get up to?
The PRIDE group covers a lot of ground – from queer history walking tours of Soho to trips to ABBA Voyage and drag bingo. Allies are welcome to join any of our activities and we’re keen to bring more education and awareness-raising sessions into the business too. 

“Each and every member of the community continuing to live proudly and loudly makes that equitable future ever closer”

Name one thing the industry could do to be a more equitable place.
I’m a huge believer in the power of education to break down barriers. This can take many forms, from publicising the stories of industry leaders from diverse backgrounds to in-depth seminars or discussions on a particular topic like trans rights. Also, each and every member of the community continuing to live proudly and loudly makes that equitable future ever closer, every day! 

Shout out your biggest ally in the live music industry.
This has to go to my boss, the COO of AEG John Langford. He campaigned for a sustainability role at AEG, supported my onboarding and consistently champions the causes of the LGBTQI+ community and sustainability. A leader to look up to! 

Shout out any LGBTIQ+ cause(s) you support.
Although not a specific LGBTQI+ cause, I volunteer with SHOUT, a mental health text support service. We regularly get members of our community texting in during their times of need, and it’s a real pleasure to help them when they need.

 


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Earth Day 2024: Live’s sustainability priorities

A range of industry figures have shared their sustainability priorities for the live music business to mark Earth Day 2024 – an annual event highlighting the importance of environmental protection.

While the sector continues to raise its game on green issues, there remains plenty of room for improvement. It was announced earlier this year that a comprehensive study of the live music industry’s carbon footprint is being conducted by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and co-funded by Coldplay, Live Nation and Warner Music Group.

The report will suggest practical solutions to reduce the environmental impact of live music events “at every level,” from pubs and clubs to stadiums.

Last week, meanwhile, The O2 in London revealed that more than 545.9 tonnes of carbon were extracted across The 1975’s four headline concerts in February. The shows marked the world’s first carbon-removed arena events and took place in collaboration with carbon removal experts CUR8 and sustainable event specialists A Greener Future (AGF).

“This year is all about firming up our path to net zero,” AEG Europe director of sustainability Sam Booth tells IQ. “After the success of our recent pilot series of carbon removed arena events at The O2, we now need to undertake some detailed work around our general gas usage, as well as figuring out our approach to dealing with fan travel and continue working with brand partners to address the emissions of the products we sell in the arena.

“Education is also an incredibly important area of focus, so we’re rolling out training to all our employees to ensure they know how to make more sustainable choices in their day-to-day roles.”

“How sustainable we can be with our power, transport, water, food, etc, all depends on policies, legislation, taxes and subsidies that make better choices possible”

Elsewhere, in January, sustainability initiative Vision:2025 and Julie’s Bicycle launched a 12-month pilot with 10 local authorities to test how the Green Events Code of Practice (GECOP) can be used to embed sustainability within local authority processes.

“We’re all looking for a simple answer to the question: What does good look like?” Vision:2025 chair Chris Johnson, co-founder of the UK’s Shambala Festival, tells IQ. “Our priority for 2024 is to test the new Green Events Code of Practice with local authorities, and take steps toward establishing an acceptable minimum best practice for sustainability across the UK that promoters, supply chain and local authorities understand.”

AGF (A Greener Future) recently hailed “significant areas of improvement” in festival sustainability after surveying more than 40 European events. The sustainability not-for-profit released its Festival Sustainability Report, comprising data analysis on mobility, food & drink, water & sanitation, power & fuel use, waste & recycling, and carbon emissions at events on the continent.

“In 2024 the largest number of the global population will be called to vote,” says AGF co-founder Claire O’Neill, who organises the Green Events & Innovations Conference (GEI). “How sustainable we can be with our power, transport, water, food, etc, all depends on policies, legislation, taxes and subsidies that make better choices possible. We need to have governments in power who will understand and support a just transition to a green economy.

“In the UK, voters now have to use photo ID to vote, which is a hurdle for many. We’re supporting #JustVote24 to help young and disadvantaged people to get their voter ID if they don’t have a passport/driving license or old persons bus pass, and to then get them to vote. The music campaign is called #crashtheparty and we urge everyone in live music to get behind this and local equivalents.”

Germany-based Holger Jan Schmidt, who heads up pan-European think-tank GO Group (Green Operations Europe) and is  general secretary of the European festival association Yourope, points out the latter organisation has adapted its approach a little of late.

“The focus today is less on honouring the spearheads of sustainable festivals and more on making the sector future-proof at large”

“Although we continue to present the Green Operations Award, the focus today is less on honouring the spearheads of sustainable festivals and more on making the sector future-proof at large,” says Schmidt, speaking to IQ. “Yourope today offers freely usable tools that enable every festival out there to position itself accordingly, train the team and benefit from the great expertise of the frontrunners. Examples of this are our European Green festival Roadmap 2030 and the Future Festival Tools with self-assessment tool, e-learning course and best practice guide.

“For this purpose, our association works with both the expert organisations in the live entertainment industry and with the festivals directly in order to identify their needs and develop tailor-made measures.”

In a further notable development, six Spanish music promoters – Advanced Music, Bring The Noise, Centris, elrow, The Music Republic and Sharemusic! – have inked strategic sponsorship agreements with Madrid-based global energy company Repsol to jointly promote the use of different multi-energy solutions and reduce their CO2 footprint.

The agreement initially covers 77 events managed by the firms in Spain and Portugal, rising to 89. Festivals such as the FIB, Arenal Sound, Sonar Lisbon and O son de Camiño will use 100% renewable fuels, among other solutions, to reduce their CO2 emissions.

Meanwhile, venue management company ASM Global, which operates more than 50 green certified venues, has marked Earth Month 2024 by naming Lindsay Arell as chief sustainability officer as it ramps up its efforts to convert its 400-strong venue portfolio to “the most sustainable on earth”.

After founding her own company, Honeycomb Strategies, Arell led the development of the ASM Global ACTS sustainability plan and is a past chair of both the Events Industry Council Sustainability Committee (EIC) and ASTM Venue Sustainability Standard. Arell’s new role forms part of ASM’s sustainability goals, announced in 2023, which include the elimination of single use plastic.

“Sustainability should be the cause of our lifetime in our industry”

“I’m thrilled at the chance to spearhead ASM’s sustainability initiatives working alongside our teams and communities across our over 400 global venues.” says Arell. “By providing our venue teams with the necessary knowledge and resources, we can accelerate the progress of our programme significantly.”

Just last week plans were announced for ASM to join with reuse platform r.World to rapidly introduce reusable service ware in venues throughout ASM’s portfolio.

Fellow venue giant Oak View Group (OVG) welcomes the world’s second carbon-neutral arena this month in Manchester’s Co-op Live, following the firm’s Climate Pledge Arena, with UBS Arena slated to follow. Speaking at ILMC 36 in London, OVG chief Tim Leiweke said: “Climate Pledge can’t be the only carbon-neutral arena in the world or else [the industry] has failed. We as an industry should lead this charge… sustainability should be the cause of our lifetime in our industry.”

He added: “We as a company are going to continue to build these arenas and make sustainability a priority and a way of life in our culture and then hopefully, it will inspire our industry to come along with us.”

OVG COO Francesca Bodie agreed: “Sustainability is part of our core DNA and we want to make sure that we’re not only championing but challenging our industry to get better.”

In addition, REVERB, which partners with artists, festivals, and venues to reduce their environmental footprint, is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year. Working with artist partners like Billie Eilish, The 1975, Odesza, Harry Styles, Dave Matthews Band, Boygenius, Jack Johnson, The Lumineers, Dead & Company, Tame Impala, and many more, REVERB has created and executed comprehensive sustainability and fan engagement programmes on over 350 tours, 60 festivals, and 7,000 concerts.

Positive impacts to date include neutralising 375,000+ tons of CO2e, raising over $12m for environmental causes, hosting over 5,000 NGOs in fan-facing Action Villages, and preventing the use of over 4m single-use plastic bottles at concerts.

 


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AEG Europe appoints first sustainability director

AEG Europe has appointed Sam Booth as its first director of sustainability.

Booth will provide strategic direction, expertise and support to AEG Europe’s business units as it continues to transition to net zero and confront the impact of the climate emergency on the business and operations.

Booth has more than 10 years’ experience of working across high-profile event production and sustainability projects with brands such as Nestlé, Adidas and Pernod Ricard.

“We entertain millions of fans across thousands of events annually and as such, we are acutely aware of our responsibility and take care to lead by example to ensure a sustainable industry and a healthier planet”, says AEG Europe COO John Langford. “Given Sam’s exceptional background in this field, we are so excited to have him join the team to focus on and lead the development of these plans.”

“They understand the importance of taking a proactive role in introducing a sustainability strategy that sits at the heart of the business”

Speaking on his appointment, Booth says: “I am absolutely thrilled to be joining the AEG Europe team. As leaders in their field, they understand the importance of taking a proactive role in introducing a sustainability strategy that sits at the heart of the business to drive the industry towards a more sustainable future, which is why I can’t wait to get stuck in and be a part of it.”

The O2 recently became the first arena in England to achieve its Greener Arena certification in recognition of 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.

Booth’s appointment adds to the list of recent announcements from AEG Europe. Last month, the company confirmed a handful of new appointments within AEG Presents UK as part of its growth and development plans across the venues and touring business.

 


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