Report: Cross-association Sustainability Working Group, March 22 2017

The cross-association Sustainability Working Group convened for its first meeting of the year at ExCeL London on March 22, 2017, with Katie Clarke of Manchester Central in the chair. The meeting opened with a welcome to all attendees and thanks given to ExCeL London for hosting the event. After dispensing with the formalities of the apologies from absent members, welcomes for new members and the approval of the minutes of the last meeting, the group got under way with the agenda.

The first item was a presentation from guest speaker Emma Owens, representing her organisation, Positive Impact, and its campaign to raise awareness of the UN's year of sustainable tourism. Next came a presentation from Jonathan Anderson and Sue Woodward, from Green Biofuels, who talked to the group about renewable fuels and their greener diesel product.

Thanking the guest speakers, Clarke then turned the group's attention to a wide range of discussion topics on the agenda, including food waste and including a section in the eGuide about sustainability. The group then engaged in a round of member news and member updates, featuring sustainability news and developments amongst event organisers, contractors and venues.

The working group then discussed and tabled agenda items for the next meeting, and agreed the date and venue as October 19 at The NEC, Birmingham, including a tour of the NEC's local anaerobic digestion plant. Before closing the meeting, the group was invited to submit Any Other Business, and the AEV's Kim Dance added that the AEV conference venue and date have been agreed as June 29, 2017, at The Vox, Birmingham. Katie Clarke then thanked all members for their attendance and closed the meeting.
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