5 ways to make your event more sustainable
Increasingly, event planners are having to think about how they can make their conference, party, or off-site more ethically and environmentally sound. That can include anything from increasing the number of hydration stations to eliminating single-use plastics.
Benugo has been our caterer at 116 Pall Mall since 2016 and it has made sustainability an integral part of its operation.
“We’re always striving to try and work more responsibly, both environmentally and socially,” says Naomi Cox who is Benugo’s Head of Visual Marketing.
She adds, “We have a number of projects under way across the business at all times to continually try and give back to the communities we work in and assist in sourcing more ethically so that our business takes less of a toll on the environment.”
Here, we look at some of the things that Benugo does, and you may need to consider, to make your event more sustainable...
1. FOOD
Is the venue and the caterer providing food that has been responsibly sourced? Is it using local suppliers? And does it consider how that food has been transported?
As Naomi explains, “We work hard with our suppliers to set limits on what all our locations, including 116 Pall Mall, can buy and when they can buy it. We only use in-season ingredients and always take these from local suppliers wherever possible. All of our fresh meats are from British and Irish farms and most of our cured meats are too.
“Our eggs are free range; even the ones used as ingredients in things like mayonnaise or our own baked cakes. All of our fruit and veg comes from a single UK supplier too. We have also taken every opportunity to increase animal welfare and standards. Our chicken is RSPCA Freedom Food assured and we only take fish from MSC assured sustainable sources.
“Our commitment to the environment affects everything we do and we don’t just look at the food itself. We have for several years used a ‘single truck’ delivery system to ensure that as few vehicles as possible are on the road delivering ingredients to our locations.”
2. H2OKAY
One of the most obvious ways to make an event more sustainable is to consider your water supplier.
At 116 Pall Mall, we serve Life Water, which is an ethical brand that funds the delivery of at least 1,000 litres of clean drinking for every bottle purchased. They do this through their partner charity drop4drop, getting clean water to communities in need.
Naomi adds, “By doing this, we can help save thousands of hours lost every week to water collection, a task primarily undertaken by women and children. It leaves women more time to work, children more time to go to school and improves hygiene. The World Health Organisation’s study shows that for every $1 invested in water and sanitation, there is an economic return of approximately $3 - $34.
“Since we started selling Life Water in 2010, we have funded 20 clean water projects. With support from our customers, we’ve given almost 19,000 people access to clean water by funding water wells in their communities.”
3. COFFEE
Increasingly more venues are banning the use of plastic stirrers and single-use plastic cups for tea, coffee and other beverages.
But you may also want to think about where your tea or coffee comes from.
We purchase our coffee direct to ensure that our farmers are getting a fair price for the beans they care for tirelessly and rely on for their livelihoods. The majority of our beans are purchased from Jose Bernardo and his two brothers who run Pedra Redonda, a coffee farm in the foothills of Pico de Desengano, Brazil.
Naomi adds, “Because we’re always trying to improve the quality of our product and strive to work more responsibly at every step, we’re currently looking to move to a fully certified Rainforest Alliance and 100% Arabica blend within the coming months.”
4. SOURCING, PURCHASING AND SUPPLY
An important thing to consider on how your food, drink and packaging is being transported
At 116 this includes:
Reducing food miles through combined distribution and deliveries
Using fully recyclable packaging
Our suppliers also adhere to our standards and we audit them on the same criteria
5. CUTLERY AND DISHES
Increasingly more venues are banning the use of straws and single-use plastics. Or they are using wooden, recyclable cutlery.
We use bowls made from 70% recycled plastic, which helps to lower their environmental impact.
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BOOK YOUR EVENT AT 116 PALL MALL
One of the most prestigious addresses in London, 116 Pall Mall is situated in the heart of the West End and offers a range of flexible spaces across five floors, perfect for any kind of event for up to 1,500 people.
You can even hire our whole building exclusively on weekends.
Make an enquiry for more information.