Sustainability policy

At Olé Special Events we recognise that the conference and events industry has a direct impact on the local, regional and global environment. As a company we are dedicated to providing a high quality of service while minimising the environmental impact, both of our own company and the events we organise.

That is why Olé Special Events has launched EcoEvents®, a new way of developing our tasks both at our workplace and in the events we organize.

Vision: High quality events for a high quality world.

Principles: Olé Special Events is committed to achieving environmental and social sustainability for and during our operation as DMC and Events Management Company.

Areas of application:

In order to make these principles real we will follow a set of procedures to help us continually improve, including in the following areas:

• Set targets to reduce the environmental impact of our day by day work: reduction of a 10% our consumption of electricity in the office, reduction of paper waste in 30% and many others.
• Provide resources and training to our team to apply this new sustainability policy
• Encourage clients, at no extra cost, to plan their events in a more environmental-friendly way.
• Communicate our suppliers our sustainability policy and encourage them to have their own ones.

Actions taken at our workplace:

• Work from a paperless office or minimising our use of paper and other office consumables.
• Make notepads from scrap paper.
• Recycle mobile phones and computer equipments.
• Turn off computers, equipments and lights when not in use.
• Use tap water at the office.
• Take the train rather than the plan within Spain, when possible.
• Purchase office supplies in bulk to minimise packaging.
• At the end of the working hours, power off all non-essential equipment at the socket.
• Provide the team with eco-friendly fruit on a regular basis and avoiding “fast food” consumption.
• Exchange all office bulbs (normal) for low-consumption ones.
• Purchase recycled paper instead of normal “white” paper.
• Purchase interior plants for two purposes at once: provide/maintain clear air for staff as well as reduce/offset the electro-magnetic radiation effects.
• Provide various bins for “in-house” waste recycling.

Actions at events:

• Give our clients the chance to adhere to the sustainability policy at no additional cost or event style change OR a second phase policy which could incur small changes in the event style and/OR costs to make their events more sustainable.
• Promote in our newsletter ideas, hints and tips on how to organize environmental friendly events.
• Use the online measurement tool www.eventsustainability.com
• Use tap water at the events or if not possible using reusable water bottles instead of individual plastic ones.
• Inform attendees of public transport routes.
• Organize events using environmental ways of communication (email/web/webcams etc...).
• Recycle all different kinds of waste at our events.
• Cut down unnecessary packaging.
• Use reusable crockery and cutlery avoiding excessive wrapping.
• Source environmental venues and suppliers.
• Use of low energy lighting in exhibitions.
• Use of reusable material for exhibition stands.
• Use of natural light in exhibitions wherever possible.
• Select Menus centred around fresh, seasonal, local products.
• Suggest to venues that unused food can be distributed to local charities.
• Suggest for bus transportation to be arranged for delegates to and from the airport instead of individual taxis.

Olé Special Events will evaluate the success of the measurements taken every 3 months and learn for the next time. The results of that evaluation will be published in our web page.

We know that our policy is not perfect, and we are open to constructive feedback in order to improve our procedures and contribute to a happier, healthier, more sustainable world for all.