A Sustainable Conference

The 16th EAUC Annual Conference will be held from 27 – 29 March 2012 at the University of York. It brings together delegates from every area of campus life, from the higher and further education sectors and supporting service providers.

The EAUC makes a conscious effort to reduce the environmental and social impacts of its Annual Conference and we work very closely with the host venue. We ask all delegates, exhibitors and sponsors attending to kindly read it and commit to it.

In the EAUC’s continued commitment to sustainability we will make conscious efforts to reduce the environmental and social impacts of our Annual Conference by the following:

• Together with the host venue – The University of York and York Conferences – we will aim to run the 16th EAUC Annual Conference to the BS8901 standard for the events industry. We will promote sustainability initiatives wherever possible.

• Where practical, we will further reduce the use of paper and printing connected to the Conference by reducing marketing documents and registration papers. For 2012, we will launch our online booking system for sponsors and exhibitors together with online electronic promotional materials.

• EAUC are offsetting carbon emissions from the activities related to the Annual Conference directly to the venue. This includes the whole event (including pre-event and conference dinner), travel (speakers, exhibitors and delegates) and accommodation as well as the venue use. This will be channelled back to the host venue to ensure the local area benefits as well as the venue. An article explaining how the host venue has utilised this fund will appear in Earth, our bi-monthly newsletter.

• Any marketing materials which need to be printed such as the Conference Programme and delegates’ list will, be printed on 100% recycled paper, make use of the most sustainable printing techniques and be printed double sided wherever possible.

• All conference correspondence to delegates, exhibitors, sponsors and speakers will, where practicable, be sent via email and available on our website to minimise waste.

• Delegate bags, neck straps and badges (where used) are reusable and biodegradable.

• Delegate registration items will be provided at onsite registration eliminating postage and waste.

• Conference inserts have been prevented to minimise waste.

• We encourage delegates to share good practice and recommend they use the “bring and share” desk to distribute their materials.

• Pens and paper will not be provided to delegates to encourage the reuse of both paper and pens. Delegates should bring notepads made from scrap paper.

• Recycling points will be available around the venue and we ask delegates to ensure that they return their badges and any unwanted materials so we can reuse and recycle these items.

• Exhibitors will be encouraged to use recycled paper for their marketing purposes and we will ask them to consider the environmental impact of any promotional giveaway items.

• We encourage delegates to use public transport. EAUC encourage all delegates, speakers and exhibitors who must travel by car to use the EAUC Car Share scheme. Details can be found at www.eauccarshare.org.uk

• All catering will be served using non-disposable crockery and cutlery. We avoid using bottled water where possible.

• The majority of food waste generated by EAUC activities (teas/coffees, lunches and dinners) is joined with waste from the University and is macerated and sent through sewage. The University of York manages to recycle 56% of all their waste.

• Fairtrade tea and coffee and caffeine alternatives will be served where possible.

• The EAUC promote the use of seasonal food and local food suppliers: The majority of York’s meat, poultry, fish, fruit and vegetables are fresh, seasonal produce sourced from suppliers based in the Yorkshire & Humberside region.

• The conference venue is self-contained to minimise the need to travel during the event.

• We aim to increase the well-being of our delegates by providing plenty of fruit and water and maximising natural daylight at the venue. Early-morning outdoor workshops are offered. These may include a cycle or walking tour of the campus and its landscaped grounds.

We welcome ideas or suggestions of how we can improve it, so please do contact us if you have any ideas.

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