Operators Can Become Sound on Sustainability

8th February 2010, 2:10pm

Sustainability is an increasing concern to everyone for environmental, ethical and economic reasons. And visitors to Hotelympia will be able to access the necessary tools to become sustainably sound.

Catering operators looking at ways to attract the green conscious consumer, gain an accreditation to differentiate their offering from other establishments in the area, or simply striving to improve their business efficiency, will be sure to gain useful information on a visit to the show.

Hotelympia organiser Fresh RM is demonstrating its commitment to sustainability by running the show under the new sustainable event standard BS 8901, which sees every operational element comply within set criteria. In terms of content the show will host sustainability seminars on the main stage and will include sustainability as a pre-requisite for entries in the Innovation Awards.

Sustainability will also be featured in the competition criteria at the Salon Culinaire Internationale de Londres for the first time, putting a strong emphasis on energy efficiencies and highlighting the responsibility of the industry.

Toby Wand, group exhibition director at Fresh RM, says: "It's our responsibility to share information to help people build their businesses and sustainability is an area we wanted to help demystify.

"The hospitality sector is well placed to not only become more efficient, but also to use sustainability as an increasingly important selling point to customers.

"The interactive elements of the show will appeal to the younger audience – the next generation of decision makers – providing inspirational information to build operators business while highlighting the importance of a sustainable future."

In line with the new look, innovative Hotelympia, 'Sustainability in Action' is a dedicated area which has been created, providing a platform to demonstrate solutions to visitors helping them better understand how to make their operation can become more green.

Exhibitors that have already signed up include the Carbon Trust, Veolia, Waterscan and Kingspan.

Innovation Pod

In addition to this area, visitors keen to engage with sustainable suppliers can drop into the 'innovation pod', situated within the sustainability area, which incorporates sustainable furniture and use of energy-saving products.

Touch-screen units will showcase the Innovation Awards finalists, sustainable nuggets from the inspiration team, plus other event information, and a small seminar area where exhibitors can showcase sustainable products and know how via professional speakers and chefs.

BS8901 is a new standard which sets out the requirements for planning and managing a sustainable event.

By running Hotelympia so that it complies to this new event management standard, Fresh RM will wherever practicable minimise the negative and maximise its positive longer term impacts.

In order to comply with the standard, Fresh RM will define and implement its sustainability policy, monitor and evaluate the show against key performance indicators and eventually review the event, feeding conclusions back into the policy to positively affect future events.

Janice Edmunds, operations director at Fresh RM, is heading the BS8901 initiative and says: "Sustainability is an integral message at Hotelympia and for the hospitality industry, but it is equally important for all industries including event management.

"As organisers we felt it was important to demonstrate a responsible attitude to sustainability. We have put measurements in place so that in future we can better assess the environmental, economic and social impacts of Hotelympia and make continual improvements.

Dominic Burbridge of the Carbon Trust, says: "Hotelympia is a unique opportunity for us to reach across the sector. It's more crucial than ever for hospitality firms to operate sustainably, from the point of view of saving money, as well as to enhance their reputation with increasingly green customers.

"Currently there's a fantastic opportunity for independent small and medium sized hospitality businesses to replace their old, energy guzzling equipment with energy saving models, using Carbon Trust interest free loans, at no cost to the bottom line."