10 years after the inception of the non-profit organisation A Greener Festival, the Greener Festival Awards have been restructured and relaunched.
In 2015, A Greener Festival took a year out from running the Awards to restructure and create more comprehensive tools for assessing and supporting events.Over 300 festivals have been assessed for the awards worldwide since 2007 across 5 continents, ranging from Glastonbury, Øya, We Love Green and Shambala (Europe), to Bonnaroo and Lightening in a Bottle (US), to Falls Festival (Australia) to Rockin’ the Daisies (SA) (see all 2014 winners here).
“When A Greener Festival began 10 years ago we were trying to raise awareness about how to reduce the environmental impact of festivals. The new process for the awards goes beyond promoting best practice and events successes, but also helps organisers to understand, plan and improve their entire events sustainability.” Claire O’Neill, Co-Founder of A Greener Festival.
The new awards procedure still includes a festival self assessment with supporting documentation, but this now reflects the requirements of an Environmental Impact Assessment. Rather than submit a new application each year, repeat applicants will build on their initial assessments, set targets and monitor progress. The unique on site assessment from an AGF environmental auditor will still take place during each event.
To carry out these assessments A Greener Festival have developed formal training for their environmental auditors, the first of which are to be delivered in London and Manchester this coming spring 2016. If you have a background in sustainable event management and are interested in becoming a trained AGF assessor we are inviting applicants.
“The awards may be more challenging as a result of the additional requirements, but this is coupled with a more valuable service for participants who stand to gain not only recognition for their achievements, but also a framework for understanding, managing and improving the sustainability of their events.” Helen Innes, Director of A Greener Festival.
A Greener Festival can provide support to help produce Environmental Impact Assessments and other supporting services, but strongly advocate that events have the skills and knowledge in-house to do this themselves. Advice and support about doing this is freely available. Environmental Impact Assessments from other reliable third party sources are also welcomed and accepted.
The awards will initially be relaunched for this summer season 2016 in Europe and North America, with Australia, South Africa and other regions joining for their 2016/17 season. Click here to apply and best of luck!
For more information click here or contact awards@agreenerfestival.com.