Last week saw the launch of the micebook x isla Power 50: Green Champions at an exciting gala event at The Barbican.

The list shines the spotlight on individuals within the UK events industry who are devoting their time, passion and energy to making a positive impact on the planet.

So what happens after the ‘win’? We sat down with 5 listees from isla member organisations to find out.

Aarron McGurk​, Operations Manager, Chorus

I would like to start partnering with more fab products and suppliers to support our event delivery teams.

2024 also marks the year I want to get more quantitative with our reports and data too!

We have just moved offices to Hammersmith so next year I would like to find a way Chorus can help the community. Today I saw that the River Thames pollution collects in a bank, so I’d love to see if Chorus can help with that. We have also become Patrons of Riverside Studio’s supporting the artistic programmes here that include marginalised people.

In my “extra curriculars” I want to continue supporting the queer communities with safe spaces. In this tough conservative agenda where the PM is making people feel unsafe, it’s paramount that we respond. It’s about People and Planet for me, so my club night Monster Queen will be doing more to support people.

Cressida Prout, Group Event Director, Bray Leino Events

I’ll admit, I got a bit emotional when I heard I’d been selected as a Power 50 Green Champion. We’ve come so far. When we started this, it was like standing at the bottom of a mountain with no idea how to even start climbing. We’re well into the foothills with all the right tools and a clear map. What’s next? We’re still at the start, so we’ll keep going. We’re going to implement TRACE across more projects and develop accurate intensity metrics, which will help us plot our roadmap to net zero in ever greater detail. We’re going to increase our training and education, both internally and across our partner and supplier networks. 

Personally, I want to meet more people like the ones I met at the Power 50 event. I want to work with those leading the way. We need more openness on sustainability best practice, more collaboration, more success stories. I want to learn about what other events businesses are doing to get us nearer where we need to be, and I want to get out there and share what we’ve learned so we can move forward together as an industry.

Stephane Bazire, Head of Business Sustainability & Partnerships, Silverstone

It is fantastic to be included on the micebook x isla Power 50: Green Champions list in recognition of the work that is being carried out at Silverstone as we Shift to Zero and join the race for change. As the home of British Motorsport we have a responsibility to lead the way with smarter and more efficient methods of working and a personal key goal of mine is to support other venues and event organisers as they start or continue on their individual journeys.

Since announcing our Shift to Zero strategy in July 2022 we have introduced a significant 1 MwH solar project, switched to a 100% renewable sources energy supplier, and installed 24 electric vehicle chargers all in a relatively short time period.  From a waste point of view, Silverstone has already reached its target to recycle 35% of the total waste collected on site in 2023 and sent the remainder to a Waste for Energy programme facility that helps to power 50.000 homes in Oxfordshire. 

If we can share our experiences and learnings to help others in the motorsport and MICE industry then I only see this as a positive for everyone as we work collaboratively to improve the world we live in.

Louise Palmer, Sustainability Officer, Strata

Next steps for me are to complete the launch of our new Sustainability Strategy we’ve developed at Strata (with the wonderful input from The Bulb). This includes a company-wide rollout of training and workshops, and onboarding everyone to our Best Practice Guide of 16 Steps to a Sustainable Event. 

On a more personal level with Christmas coming up I’m aiming for another plastic-free Christmas, but also trying to source second hand gifts where I can this year. Using charity shops and Vinted for bargains that are pre-loved is such a great way to ensure your Christmas carbon footprint is limited. Also to prevent going overboard I’m following the four gift rule of ‘something they want, something they need, something to wear, something to read’.

And then come January it’s time for another year of Veganuary. I’ve completed this twice before so looking forward to revisiting this again and getting others on board where I can. 

Andy King, Sustainability Officer, TTA

Following on from the inclusion into the micebook x isla Power 50: Green Champions, I plan to evolve and grow sustainability within TTA. As an industry, we all have a long way to go, and I’d love to continue our journey of minimising our environmental impact wherever we can, and engage with our people and local community in new and innovative ways. 

At home, I’m going to conduct a mini ‘supplier audit’ of sorts, by looking into all of the companies I have accounts with to see what they are doing from a sustainability perspective, and then switch to a new supplier if need be!

Read: The micebook x isla Power 50: Green Champions publication, featuring all those who made it into the list!