The NHS Confederation is committed to reducing its impact on the environment by improving the environmental performance of our events.
Read on to find out what we are doing to make our event more envrionmentally friendly and helping to reduce our carbon footprint.
At the event
All the food at the conference is provided by Heathcotes.
Heathcotes are very proud of the way they source their products. They procure products ensuring that ethical, social and environmental factors are part of all our processes. We pledge that the products we source will be environmentally friendly, fresh, healthy and safe. Heathcotes have cultivated strong business relationships with their suppliers, the majority of whom are local to the North West, and are able to offer assurances for all our customers that our products are sourced with integrity.
Climate change is also an important focus for us so reducing energy, packaging and waste are priorities for our business. All our menus are printed on 100% recycled paper and we have reduced the number of deliveries to the business.
This year we have significantly reduced the amount of signage we produce for the event and will be using staff to help delegates with queries and directions
- Event communication and onsite materials
Where possible, all the paper we use is FSC-accredited.
All printers on our preferred supplier roster either have or are working towards ISO14001 accreditation. This accreditation proves that the printers have an environmental management system.
All the inks used in the printing of our publications are vegetable-based.
We avoid the use of non-recyclable laminates on covers, meaning that all our publications are recyclable.
Our mailing and fulfillment partner has ISO14001 accreditation. As far as possible, all the paper and packaging used is 100% recycled.
All our polywrapped mailings use degradable poly wrap which degrades after 18 months.
- The stage set, lighting and sound
Technovation have been aware of the effect of the events industry on the environment for a number of years and have been committed to lessening the effects of our business in every way possible. The events production industry is, by its nature, a high power consumption industry, but developments in technology have made it possible to lessen this consumption quite considerably in the past few years.
Recent developments in LED technology have meant that we can reduce the power consumption and carbon footprint of the lighting department by a considerable amount on any given job, whilst the durability of these units helps to reduce unrecyclable waste.
All technical equipment is shut down overnight, and during any long stand-by periods during the day in order to cut down on power consumption.
Wherever possible set elements are re-used as much as possible to reduce the call for wood products. When items reach the end of their usable life all elements are responsibly disposed of in order to minimise landfill.
Equipment transport is co-ordinated and scheduled to minimise the on road time of trucks, and all crew are encouraged to share car journeys or, where schedules allow, to make use of public transport.
The exhibition
- Our NHS Confederation stand
Our stand contractor adheres to the guidelines laid down by BECA (British Exhibition Contractors Association) and its environmental policy. We reuse our conference stand twice a year for a minimum of three years. Where possible, all materials used are recyclable.
- Our exhibition contractor
For the third year running, we have employed Melville Exhibition and Event Services Ltd as our exhibition contractor. They are one of the leading exhibition contractors in providing state of the art sustainable exhibition products which we have included into our exhibitions. These include:
Shell scheme stand system - All components of the shell scheme stands are reused from event to event, which this year will be over 1,300 sq/m of shell scheme.
Melville SmartWire - The most significant development in shell scheme electrical wiring in the past 20 years. This is a reusable electrical installation that has reduced electrical installation, fully compatible through the existing modular shell scheme – not only environmentally friendly but with greater aesthetic appeal.
Recyclable carpet - Melville are the only UK exhibition contractor to offer fully recyclable carpet, which is recycled into new products post event.
Stand lighting - Alongside Smartwire, we are also providing lower wattage lighting (35w) that diffuses a brighter, whiter lighter, creating a clean event environment.
Automotive fleet- Introduction of Euro 5 engines in the Melville HGV fleet, significantly reducing emission levels.
One of the most sustainable venues in Europe, ACC Liverpool is designed to reduce by half its CO2 emissions. Features across the complex control light, temperature and electricity usage and harvest rainwater for toilet flushing, while a crop of turbines on the river generate its own electricity supply. The design, by award-winning architects Wilkinson Eyre, has been awarded a string of environmental and architectural accolades.