How Helsinki Metropolitan area is developing environmental management of events?

Salla Koivusalo, Project Coordinator

Elina Levula, Project Planner

Greening Events -project

Greening Events -project• EU-project (2012-2014) developing environmental

management in event industry in Helsinki Metropolitan area.

• Creating Cities’s environmental criteria for events• Training and consulting event professionals• Building EcoCompass Event –management system

for pilot events and event sites• Developing network within event industry and cities• Raising awareness via campaigns• Making it easy for audience to make sustainable

choices

Environmental criteria for events in Helsinki Metropolitan Area

How city can guide events towards sustainability?• Coordination of city owned event venues

– to ensure silent periods for residence around the venues– to find proper venue for each event– to spread urban culture (concerts, sports, participatory

events) in different parts of city• Including common environmental criteria in venue contracts• Organising helpful guidance and voluntary management system

for event organisers– -> EcoCompass Event Environmental Management System

• Offering easy to use tools to apply permits – -> internet-based applying process, identification with banking internet codes

Working group for environmental criteria for events in Helsinki Metropolitan Cities

• Clear work plan and limited working period (year 2013)• All site and venue administrators from the cities are

invited. As well as all city departments who organise events (youth & culture & event –departments)

• Possibility to contribute and comment during the whole working period

• Event organisers and their partners and subcontractors are invited to collaborate

• Aim is to create practical and feasible criteria

The working plan of the environmental criteria working group 1/2

• Key questions are: – What are the essential problems? – What can be required from the event organiser? – What supporting services city should offer? – What needs to be developed in the city

organisation to ensure environmental services or guidance for events?

– How permits and the criteria for venue contract can be controlled?

The working plan of the environmental criteria working group 1/2

• March: waste management and litter prevention • April: hygiene, water, and catering (FairTrade, organic, locally

produced food)• May: city’s event-related grants, venue and site contract terms

(consulted by lawyers), social media events• August: event noise and procurement• September: electricity -> energy-efficiency & renewable

energy, traffic, natural values• October: approval and implementation of the criteria ->

information, guidance service and supervision• November: commenting round for city departments• December: closing meeting

EcoCompass Event Environmental Management System

EcoCompass Event

• Less formal environmental management system– Originally developed for SMEs

• Developed and coordinated by City of Helsinki Environment Centre

• Building the system is supported by EcoCompass councelor

• Works for variety of event types: festivals, sport events, concerts,

The building process

1. Meeting

Project plan and Environmental review

2. Meeting

Environmental Impact Assesment, Environmental policy/statement and Environmental program

3. Meeting

Final Environmental program and Indicators

Auditing and tracking report

DocumentsBuilding phase• Environmental review

– Appendixes: law list• Environmental impact assesment• Environmental program

– Appendixes: waste management plan (including list of hazard waste), chemical list, visitors’ travel plan

Post event• Tracking report

Annually• Updated environmental program and tracking report

10 Criteria (1/3)

1. The event is produced accordingly to the law and permissions

2. The event has an employee who is in charge of environmental issues

3. Environmental review of the event has been completed

4. The event has an environmental policy which is a base for the improvement

10 Criteria (2/3)

5. Key persons of production team have attended EcoCompass-training or similar

6. The event has a waste management plan. Waste needs to be sorted&recycled according to the local regulations.

7. The event holds a record of their hazard waste and organizes safe treatment for them

8. The event holds a records of chemicals they use and stores them safely

10 Criteria (3/3)9. The event has an annually updated environmental

program, which includes actions in the following environmental aspects:

a) Minimizing waste

b) Energy effiency and using green energy

c) Favoring sustainable material purchases

d) Considering environmental issues when purchasing services

e) Improving material efficiency

f) Increasing environmental awareness

g) Improving logistics and minimizing impacts of visitors’ travel

10. The event annually reports to the EcoCompass organisation

Auditing

• Performed by third party• Prior and/or during event• Includes:

– Review of the documents– Interviews– Observation

• Duration: 4-8 hours• Auditing report

A look at the pilot events

• Bruce Springsteen - Stadium arena & Live Nation concert

• Flow Festival – Indie city festival• Lasipalatsi Media Centre and

Teurastamo – Event sites• Reaktori – Winter event for youth• Aalto University’s Masters of Art -

exhibition

• Aprill Jazz – Music festival • World village festival• Tall Ship Races – Massive open

event• World health organization –

conference• WKND festival – dance festival• Few running competitions

Thank you!