31 January 2024
2023 was the first year of the new BSR 5-year strategy, which has sustainability weaved throughout as a value.
We were extremely proud that in December 2023, our Annual Conference in Manchester received national recognition as Best Sustainable Conference at the Association of British Professional Conference Organisers (ABPCO) Excellence Awards, recognising our ongoing commitment to sustainability across our events. Read more about the activities the team implemented last year here.
For 2024 we will be building on that success and implementing all the innovations from 2023, ensuring that sustainability remains a priority for the Annual Conference with some new features.
1. Catering
Catering for 1800+ delegates at the conference represents a significant proportion of carbon usage for the conference (largest emissions area after delegate travel/accommodation and exhibition build). To reduce the environmental impact of catering, the chefs at Liverpool ACC have calculated the footprint of each dish on the menu*. This means we have been able to select lunches that have a low carbon impact (less than 0.5kg C02e).
In addition, the ACC catering procurement policy focuses on sustainability, seasonality, and provenance. They prioritise reducing delivery miles and encourage the sourcing of sustainable fish and seafood from Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certified fisheries. Additionally, they are dedicated to obtaining farmed fish from well-managed and sustainable sources, as well as committing to sourcing Red Tractor-assured products and prioritising items that are in season whenever feasible.
Food waste is another area that we are mindful of and we work very closely with the catering team to make sure we order the correct amount of food per day. However, like last year, please be aware that a surplus of all options is not something we can offer. There will always be food available for delegates, but popular choices may run out. To manage any unavoidable waste ACC uses Leanpath to measure and track food waste and ORCA technology onsite, which uses mostly air (along with water and microbiology) to turn food waste into an environmentally safe liquid that goes down the drain and is disposed of using the existing sanitary sewer infrastructure.
*with carbon measuring company Klimato
2. Delegate travel
The largest area of carbon emissions at our Annual Conference is delegate travel (as identified by the BSR2023 carbon footprint report). One way we are tackling this is by continuing to offer a hybrid option, which reduces delegates onsite by approximately one-third. We know how important face-to-face learning is, so we want to get a better understanding of the full impact of delegate travel.
For 2024 we have teamed up with You.Smart.Thing. They offer BSR delegates the chance to plan their journeys using their bespoke online travel assistant which calculates the carbon footprint of the different options available, while ensuring you get straight to the front door of BSR2024.
If you plan your journey this way, we can use the anonymous data to better understand the impact of transport at BSR2024, helping us to put in place further actions to reduce it.
3. Conference venue
We take selecting the right suppliers very seriously. Our venue Liverpool ACC is committed to prioritising sustainability. As well as the excellent work related to catering, Liverpool ACC holds a Silver Green Meetings award (an independent accreditation that assesses sustainable practices of the business) and the whole campus has been accredited as carbon neutral by Carbon Neutral Britain as part of their first steps to being carbon zero by 2030.
How to help
- Plan your journey using public transport to get to Liverpool and also to navigate around the city:
Liverpool is connected by a vast transport network, with local Merseyrail trains and buses across Liverpool City Region and beyond for just £2 per single journey. If public transport is not a feasible option, why not see if you can carshare with others?
- Walk wherever possible:
Liverpool city centre is compact and walkable, Liverpool ACC is a 20-minute walk from the main station, Liverpool Lime Street. You can walk from one end of the city to the other in 30 minutes.
- Take advantage of other more sustainable transport options:
Throughout the city centre are Voi electronic scooters and bikes for a quick and environmentally friendly way to get around the city.
- Create your personal travel plan today and find out the most sustainable way to get to us.
- Bring a refillable water bottle:
BSR will ensure water refill points are available in the venue.
- Research:
There are many hotels, restaurants, and local businesses that are going the extra mile for sustainability. Picking a hotel with a sustainability accreditation or choosing restaurants that use local, seasonal ingredients allows you to use your buying power to create positive change.