Green Events Code of Practice National Pilot

This report presents results from the Green Events Code of Practice (GECoP) pilot which took place in 2024. The results demonstrate significant potential for implementing national minimum standards in order to unlock environmental progress across the UK live outdoor events sector.

The project is a partnership between Vision for Sustainable Events (formerly Vision:2025) Julie’s Bicycle and Andrew Lansley, founder of the DATE Tool.

Ten local authorities across England, including Bristol, Reading, Liverpool and Manchester, participated in the trial of 60 events across the UK with a combined capacity of 2.3m people. They tested the impact of adhering to minimum environmental standards, and found that the process led to event organisers putting in place new sustainability measures, and multiple benefits for local authorities. Data from the project will contribute to the industry’s Climate Transition Plan 2030.

“The project has shown the potential of GECoP in providing consistent basic environmental expectations on events of all types and sizes, which act as a crucial foundation upon which smaller events getting started with sustainability can build, and a minimum assurance of practices for larger events who should already be surpassing what is required. The results of the pilot indicate that this can create real positive change on the ground, as well as encouraging wider conversations on environmental sustainability at local government level.”  – Richard Phillips, JB’s Music and Climate Specialist.

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Key findings:

•   Assessing minimum environmental practices leads to ‘better understanding’ and ‘more confidence’, about sustainability actions
•   60% of events reported implementing additional measures
•   92% of events said they are “more likely to implement new initiatives next year as a result of participating”.
•   Event organisers and local authorities support nationally aligned minimum environmental standards for events. All participating local authorities agreed that there should be nationally aligned environmental assessment criteria for events and that these criteria will help them achieve their environmental goals.
•   96% of the event organisers that took part in the survey support nationwide minimum environmental standards in principle. The measures were inclusive and highlighted that you don’t need lots of money to be sustainable.
•   The DATE tool enables cost cost-effective, accessible and scale-able assessment methodology.

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In partnership with

Funded with support from Arts Council England, Earth Percent and participating local authorities. The project was also supported by Festival Republic and the 60 participating events.