ECOsmart by Greengage has launched The Conscious Pledge, a new industry-wide initiative to eliminate single-use plastic gifts and packaging amongst the events, business travel, and accommodation community.
The campaign encourages venues, hotels, and agencies to ‘swap plastic for purpose’ by replacing giveaways with meaningful alternatives such as charitable donations or time spent supporting environmental initiatives.
The launch comes as global concern around plastic waste continues to rise. According to UNEP (2023), around 85% of single-use plastic packaging ends up in landfill or as unregulated waste, and by 2025, as much as 199 million tonnes of plastic will be in our oceans.
The Conscious Pledge invites organisations to commit to stop giving and receiving plastic gifts during meetings with each other. They will receive a Conscious Pledge campaign pack with guidance and messaging to help make the transition easy. Businesses can also display their Conscious Pledge badge to inspire others to follow suit.
Greengage CEO Andrew Perolls said: “As an industry, we have the power to make small changes that add up to a big difference – for our oceans, for our health, and for the example we set to clients. The Conscious Pledge makes it simple to take positive action and play a part.”
Early supporters – including Clarity Business Travel, Warwick Conferences, Inntel, Edgbaston Park Hotel & Conference Centre, If Only…, Elegant Resorts, The Corporation of the Church House, Blackberry Events, ACF Events, QEII Centre, Lancaster University, IET, 15Hatfields and Lamington Group – have already pledged to remove single-use plastics from all partner interactions.
Kirsty Given, Clarity Business Travel’s Director of Corporate Responsibility & Sustainability, commented: “Our people, customers, and suppliers expect us to demonstrate sustainability in our own organisational choices, and committing to The Conscious Pledge is a simple, practical way for us to show that our responsible practice includes the small, everyday decisions. Those small changes can create powerful ripple effects; we want to be part of that momentum and encourage the entire industry to do the same.”
Justine Meek, Warwick Conferences’ Agency Relationship manager added: “We like the campaign because it aligns perfectly with our commitment to reducing industry waste. Through the Conscious Pledge we will be taking meaningful steps to address our contribution to the global issue of single-use plastic. Too often, single-use items such as merchandise are brought and used briefly before being discarded, adding to the amount of unnecessary waste. By supporting this campaign, we are choosing to make changes that can create a lasting impact for the future.”
The Conscious Pledge is open to hotels, venues, event and venue-finding agencies, and travel management companies which want to demonstrate a commitment to reducing waste and protecting the environment.
To learn more or make the pledge, visit https://greengageconsciouspledge.com/
