Working Towards Sustainable Events: Our Approach
In an era where sustainability is no longer a choice but a necessity, the events industry faces a pivotal challenge: how can we make events more sustainable, and ultimately carbon neutral? At Losberger De Boer, we are not just asking this question; we are actively finding solutions. As worldwide supplier of modular building systems for events and commercial applications, we are committed to a greener future, and we’d love to tell you what actions we are already taking within one of our fields of expertise: sales and rental of high-end modular event buildings.
Before we go into our journey towards carbon neutral event buildings, we would like to point out that our commitment extends to our entire business and range of applications. In partnership with DFGE, a leader in advising and assessing businesses on sustainability, we are currently evaluating our impact as a whole, and work on our strategy going forward, and actively improve sustainability for every application we offer. Additionally, our commitment to the UN Global Compact underlines our dedication to sustainable business practices and aligns us with global standards.
This article aims to show what we are working on and how this commitment translates into tangible, impactful actions, specifically tailored for the events we enhance, and support.
1. Sustainable supply chain
Our journey towards sustainability begins with our choice of partners and suppliers. Recognizing the crucial role they play in our supply chain, we're challenging them to innovate alongside us. We're focusing on alternatives for power generation and heating, reducing water consumption, and more. We also will expect partners to be able to calculate their carbon footprint, so that we can offer our clients solid data on the entire ecological impact of their event buildings. Our criteria for partnership is clear: a shared commitment to sustainability.
2. Improving Structures
At the core of our operations are our modular buildings and tent systems. We are currently testing new floor panels, wall panels and roof covers that offer significantly higher insulation values. For our rental division, we are also working on harnessing renewable energy through solar panels, even on more elaborate event builds that make use of non-standard roofs. At the moment, we have a rental pilot underway, where solar panels partly power an event building with a curved roof. We will use these learnings to continue our journey towards using green energy in the venues we deliver.
3. Eco-friendly Logistics
Transport is a significant component of our environmental impact for the rental department. Hence, we're aiming for 100% sustainable transport in the future. This can include the use of electric trucks for land transport, prioritizing rail for international logistics, and engaging with a 'carbon bank' to offset emissions.
Over the past few years, we have already implemented several changes in our logistics processes to reduce our carbon footprint. By optimizing the loading of trucks to fit more components and streamlining routes, we've made our land transport more efficient. Centralizing our supply chain, where all parts and components are sourced from a single location, has further reduced our environmental impact. Additionally, eliminating the use of plastics in our operations will also have a positive impact on the eco-friendliness of our operation.
4. Measuring to Manage
Good measurements have to be the basis of assessing our carbon footprint and overall impact. We realize the complexity, effort and challenges involved in this process, but it is crucial for identifying areas for improvement. We are working towards quantifying our impact, so that we can collaborate with our clients to develop customized, effective sustainability strategies. We need to be able to calculate our carbon footprint, from receiving the first telephone call in our offices to officially handing over a project to the event organizer. With the help of DFGE, we are currently working on gathering the required data, as well as reviewing processes so that we can obtain data we currently lack to complete these important calculations.
We are committed to being able to measure and communicate our carbon footprint in general, as well as for every single, unique event. Only this way, we can develop and offer tailor made options to further reduce carbon emissions.
Conclusion
Sustainability in the event industry is a collaborative journey. Although an event encompasses much more than just the venue or the temporary infrastructure, we are dedicated to playing a positive role in the journey towards eco-friendly and ultimately carbon-neutral events. Through strategic partnerships, focussed innovation, responsible logistics, and reliable data, we're not just preparing for a sustainable future; we're trying to play our part in creating it.
If you want to know more about our CSR policy, feel free to read and/or download our CSR Report.
