A Greener Future is on the Horizon
Our CSR commitment has environmental sustainability at its core, and it begins with continuing to improve our systems to reduce our impact on the planet.
As part of our accreditation process for the new Green Meetings standards, we have identified five sustainability pledges. These pledges highlight areas where we want to improve what we do, how we operate and what we deliver.
Our Pledge is Our Promise
Horizon Leeds 2023 Five Sustainability Pledges
- Supporting our clients’ sustainability goals
- Sustainable stationery policy
- Sustainable cleaning strategy
- Guaranteed product repurposing options
- Green Meetings accreditation
Supporting our Clients’ sustainability goals
Our commitment to sustainability and work with the UK’s healthcare providers, means we are ideally placed to support our clients’ CSR goals. In 2023 we will be going further by helping our clients during the booking process with our online, pre-event Go Green Hints and Tips Check List available in our Organiser Hub. This will be supported with reusable material in each of our meeting rooms, reinforcing how to make events greener, including:
- Encouraging personal delegate awareness
- Switching off screens when not in use
- Switching off lights when not in the space
- Keeping the same cup for the day
- Using the white board, rather than flipchart paper
- Using a refillable bottle
- Car sharing, public transport suggestions and walking directions from the railway station
Sustainable stationery policy
As we work through our current stocks, we are busy reviewing our stationery options. The paper will be Forest Stewardship Council® (FSC) certified, which is an independent, non-governmental, not-for-profit organisation that was established to promote the responsible management of the world’s forests. We will also review our suppliers’ credentials and will source locally to reduce production and delivery mileage. We will prioritise the use of recycled materials in pens and pencils and look at how we recycle and/or repurpose items after use.
Sustainable cleaning strategy
Working with our cleaning contractor we will review all policies and products to ensure that they are as environmentally sustainable as possible. This will include using recyclable fabrics and products, and the employment of local staff. Our aim is for 80% of our venue cleaning products to be water based natural products.
Guaranteed product repurposing options
To create partnerships with local organisations to ensure that any unwanted items are given a further life. As part of this we will continually review the replacement of products and furnishings to help ensure that when we need to replace something our first response is to repurpose and avoid landfill. Whether that be donating older tech items it to hospitals and schools, donating old furniture and flooring to charities and giving left over food to homeless charities for local distribution.
Green Meetings accreditation
In 2023 we hope to achieve Green Meetings accreditation. Our pledges form part of us meeting the required standards and focus on areas where we can make a real difference to reducing our environmental impact and that of our clients.
Discover more about the Green Meetings accreditation on the Green Tourism website.
Further to our five sustainability pledges for 2023, we have a range of measures already in place to focus our efforts on reducing, recycling, and repurposing what we use.
Discover the Green Tourism movement and new Green Meetings standards.
Sustainable sourcing and energy rating checks
We aim to use sustainably sourced and energy efficient products across the venue. When the time comes to make any updates to our tech or replace equipment, our key checks include sourcing the highest rated equipment for energy consumption.
Working with suppliers that support our sustainable goals
Our takeaway drinks are served in disposable cups and printed in vegetable ink to ensure it is fully compostable, yes, even the lids. From catering and cleaning to maintenance and software, we choose our suppliers carefully. Our suppliers are a large part of our business, so, naturally, we want to work with organisations that support and reflect our own values and objectives.
A few of the suppliers we work with include Catering Yorkshire that pride themselves on supporting local suppliers, which reduces the carbon footprint of our lunch offerings. Read our ‘Sustainable Event Catering’ blog.
Ringtons provide all our beverage items, including thirst-quenching teas and coffees and tasty biscuits. All ethically produced, read more about how Ringtons go about sourcing and transporting their products, and how they support their farmers in our Sustaining Relationships blog.
Saying no to single use
We have pledged to reduce the quantity of single use plastics used around the venue and here a just a few measures we have put in place:
- A complete digital signage system so no single use printing or laminating is needed
- Our cutlery and crockery are re-usable, compostable or recyclable
- Encouraging delegates to bring their own water bottles to use at our water stations.
- Offer white boards in the boardrooms to minimise the use of flipchart paper
- Our tea suppliers have also addressed the issue of reducing plastic in tea bags
Zero to landfill policy
We are delighted that our landlord and waste service providers pride themselves on being carbon neutral, sending zero waste to landfill. This means that nothing that we throw away ends up in a hole in the ground. Our general waste (everything which can’t be recycled) is sent off to be made into energy. This is done through a process called ‘refuse derived fuel’ where our waste is transported to a heat and power generation facility to be converted into fuel. Not only does this save on landfill but it also reduces carbon emissions involved with landfill.
Greener Confed group
Part of the NHS Confederation, Horizon Leeds is also part of the Greener Confed Group. This group collectively seeks new ways and ideas for the whole organisation to reduce its carbon footprint and operate in a more sustainable way.
We would love to hear how you and your organisations are making positive changes to reducing your footprints and if you have any ideas on how we can improve, don’t hesitate to let us know at sales@horizonleeds.co.uk.
