What is Event Legacy?
In 2021, the Scottish Event Campus, part of Lime Venue Portfolio, hosted COP26, one of the biggest events on the planet, and certainly one of the most powerful when it comes to its wider impact on society. This was the conference of parties (COP) which bought together leaders from around the globe and looked to address the existential threat of climate change head-on.
COP26 Event legacy
The carpet at the event was created slightly thicker and to a higher standard than would usually be used for an event like this. Afterwards it was lifted from the venue and used to carpet over 1,800 houses in the local area. At the same time, dozens of the surplus laptops from the meeting were rehomed to Ukrainian refugees, allowing them to not only get jobs and access basic social services, but connect with loved ones.
IKEA, one of the sponsors of the event, who provided most of the furniture, also rehoused it to local charities. As an example of legacy, COP26 hits all the buttons, and more. It shows the major global legacy of the event, The Glasgow Climate Pact, but also the smaller but critical legacies that come from the meeting itself.
Making a difference
VisitBritain, in their excellent Business Events Legacy and Impact Toolkit outline these two areas really well, underlining that the opportunities and involvement of legacy isn’t just for the event itself, but also for the venue, caterers, producers, material suppliers and project managers. The people behind the stage have the chance to make a difference outside of what happens on stage.
Full disclosure. We’re delighted that you’ll find the Scottish Event Campus in the Lime Venue Portfolio. We’re also delighted that the event was one of the first to use the Klimato food labelling we launched last year, and that the teams created new models around menu design that made the event a case study on sustainable, local sourced food.
Events that contribute to the bigger picture
The conference also saw the launch of Net Zero Carbon Events, a campaign that now has hundreds of event businesses around the world making public pledges and commitments around net zero. These are all fitting legacies, and as VisitBritain eloquently describe it, they cover what is legacy and what is (societal) impact, at every level.
As a venue group, we have the privilege of hosting hundreds of events every year. Many have made major contributions to society, be it an association concerned with societal change, or campaigning for better human outcomes, a charity trying to support global or domestic communities, or a corporate business looking to bring its team together by doing good things for others. These are about the event, and they should be applauded at every level.
Positively impacting the world through events
We at Lime Venue Portfolio are increasingly geared towards our own abilities to positively impact the world through the events we host. As with the example of COP26, the event organisers want to create legacies in everything they do, including the event itself. This is where having the right partners in place can really help.
In many of our venues, legacy is starting to be created the moment the booking is confirmed. Our portfolio includes sporting and heritage venues who use these funds to support grass roots sport or the conservation of important historical buildings. At the same time, food can be an instant win as well. Through carbon labelling, delegates can become involved in hitting targets around carbon reduction. They can also be challenged to reduce waste, with powerful visuals showing how well they’re doing on a day-by-day basis. It can become part of the experience.
A sense of pride for organisers and delegates alike
Delegates can also be given that sense of pride that comes when they are part of an event that shares the positive decisions that are made on their behalf around food. Throughout our portfolio event organisers can talk about the banning of air freight on goods, the emphasis on local sourcing and supply, and the reduction of red meat. One day, they may even be able to talk about how their event has made major differences in regenerative farming...
Many of these initiatives won’t have anywhere near the societal impact of COP26 and the many other events that have taken place since. But they will endorse the message that the meeting cares about what it does, that it wants to build positive legacies, that grow over time, at every level. It’s an added value of working with the right people and suppliers, who share the same values as the events they host.
Find a venue to support the legacy of your next event
Event Legacy is hot on the agenda of everyone right now. Maybe because, in the aftermath of the pandemic, and with the added emphasis on sustainability and ESG, the industry wants to show that it doesn’t just care about the here and now, but the future as well. Lime Venue Portfolio represents likeminded businesses who care deeply on a personal and organisational basis about the future. By focusing on the legacy of every event we host, we can create long term and lasting impact, in partnership with our customers. If you’re looking for a venue that can help support the legacy of your event, we’d love to hear from you. Get in touch today.
Lime Venue Portfolio are proud members of ICCA, ABPCO, Association of Executives, Beam and The Power of Events and the mia.
