Hilary Benn, Secretary of State for the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs visited Earls Court this week to learn about the venue’s extensive sustainability programme. Mr Benn arranged the visit ahead of a summit of Local Authorities and the waste industry on Tuesday. The summit highlighted the revised BS 8901 standard as part of the path to becoming a zero waste nation.
As the first venues to be certified to the event management standard, EC&O Venues staff were able to show the extensive sustainability procedures at Earls Court. During his visit Mr Benn wandered through the Restaurant Show to view the recycling facilities on the show floor before heading downstairs to Earls Court’s recycling centre.
While onsite Mr Benn featured in a live interview on Sky News. He said:
What I’ve seen here today at Earls Court is a really good example of what you can do when you put your mind to it.
Emma Wellman, EC&O Venues Sustainability Advisor said:
As a member of the BS 8901 committee we’ve been involved in the development of the standard from its inception and it’s great that it remains so high on the political agenda. Hilary Benn’s support for the standard will help both the BSI and the industry as a whole drive the programme forward.
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For further information please contact:
Claire Kenton, Communications Manager, EC&O Venues
claire.kenton@eco.co.uk / 020 7370 8838