Sustainability initiatives ramp up across the business

This week has seen major companies in the live music business ramp up their sustainability efforts with new initiatives, hires and partnerships.

ASM Global this week announced a new partnership with Honeycomb Strategies, a leading consultant in sustainability for the hospitality, sports and event industries.

According to a release, the partnership will support and improve the venue management giant’s sustainability efforts across its global portfolio of some 350 facilities, from stadiums to local convention centres.

Honeycomb Strategies, a woman-owned consultancy, brings extensive experience and a comprehensive understanding of events-related best practices in the sustainability field.

The consultancy will work closely with ASM’s corporate social responsibility platform, ASM Global Acts Foundation, which supports philanthropic and community-based endeavours, guided by its sustainability and diversity objectives.

ASM Global announced a new partnership with Honeycomb Strategies

Among Honeycomb Strategies’ clients are SoFi Stadium, Colorado Convention Center, Visit Denver, Greenbuild Conference and Expo, Vancouver Convention Center, Specialty Coffee Association, Coffee Expo, UUA General Assembly and Snowflake Technology Summit.

Meanwhile, AEG Europe is recruiting a director for the delivery of net zero, to be based out of its European head office in London.

The successful candidate will be charged with developing AEG Europe’s Net Zero Strategy, implementing and driving plans that deliver net zero and establishing AEG Europe as industry leaders and advocates for net zero.

Elsewhere, environmental nonprofit A Greener Festival (AGF) has launched ‘A Greener Supplier Kitemark’ to provide green suppliers with independent verification and recognition of their sustainability actions.

The new certification will help events, festivals and tours identify verified green suppliers more easily, reducing the time and overhead of having to undertake their own internal supplier assessments.

AEG Europe is recruiting a director for the delivery of net zero

For suppliers with the kite mark, it is hoped that it will reduce the effort required to demonstrate their green credentials to prospective customers.

To attain the kitemark, suppliers will have to demonstrate a commitment to supporting biodiversity, and reducing their organisations emissions and waste across the company’s operations, purchases and investment.

The supplier assessment will consider the organisation’s approach to applicable key elements of environmental sustainability including energy, food & beverage, transport, waste management, water, plastics & packaging, social responsibility, as well as its policy and strategies for dealing with hazardous materials and reductions in CO2 emissions.

Meanwhile, the US has gained a new nonprofit organisation studying sustainability and live events.

Sound Future launched with the goal to find solutions to making live events more sustainable in a way that supports business goals and improves the artist and fan experience.

The US has gained a new nonprofit organisation studying sustainability and live events

“Sound Future is a nonprofit born to harness the influence of the live event industry for the betterment of people, planet, and business,” reads a statement from the organisation.

“We partner with industry stakeholders to offer baseline climate accounting for live events. We use that data to inform the highest impact technology solutions, recommending only those that help our partners meet their business objectives and meaningfully improve the event experience for the talent and their fans.”

The nonprofit is led by CEO Cassie Lee, who has previously held roles at NASA, Paul G. Allen’s space programs and SpaceX.

Taking up the position of COO is Ashley O’Winter, an Emmy-award nominated documentarian and a philanthropist.

CMO of Sound Future is Brandy Schultz, founder and owner of the award-winning agency Adventure Nannies, whose knowledge of the live event space comes from touring the world with her husband, Wesley Schultz of The Lumineers.

Also serving in an advising role at Sound Future is Sara Full, current tour director of The Lumineers and who previously worked on the road with AC/DC and The Rolling Stones.

Later this year, IQ Magazine will publish the third edition of Green Guardians, an annual guide that aims to boost the profile of sustainability pioneers working to make the live business greener.

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