STRATEGY

For festivals and events to achieve sustainability goals over a long period of time, it is essential to develop a robust sustainability strategy. For the sustainability strategies to be as successful as possible, the management team must allocate appropriate resources, responsibility and training; and plans must be adequately communicated, monitored and reported on. Sustainability must remain on the agenda throughout all management meetings, otherwise the work will not get done.

Transformation takes teamwork, and the people given the responsibility to carry out sustainability actions must be given enough time and resources to do the work. They must receive a clear mandate, as they may also have other areas of responsibility. For real change to take place, the work must be guided by the organisers, and embedded into daily operations. The entire festival team should be involved, and everyone should get their own target areas where they themselves can influence relevant sustainability measures.