News

Cavendish Conference Centre nominated for Hire Space Awards 2017!

The Hire Space Awards celebrate the very best of the events industry by recognising and rewarding hard working, innovative and forward-thinking venues and event bookers from across the UK.

The Hire Space Awards take place at Landing 42, Leadenhall Building, on 24th October 2017.

There, the Cavendish Conference Centre will be represented in the same nominated group for as Corrigan’s Mayfair, Lord’s Cricket Ground, The Crystal, ZSL London Zoo.

Cavendish Venues has been nominated because:

• Absolute commitment to our zero to landfill policy, all food waste is now composted in Mitcham, South East London with year on year reductions in all waste streams. E.g. our menus were redesigned to offer more choice and less food waste.
• Year on year reductions in all inputs (energy, water, etc) in the centres – E.g. we are now using manned coffee stations rather than coffee machines, as the latter are far more energy inefficient.
• Localization of our supplier base to minimize carbon footprint – all meat is now sourced from a single farm less than 50km from all venues.
• Sustainability, we have been doing it for nigh on 20 years now, although we don’t boast as such we do believe we are the meeting industry’s most formidable advocate in this area.

We also believe it’s important to have all our achievements independently verified on a regular basis.

“All our delegates love the fact that you have striven for landfill neutrality, and that your ethos has been so sustainable.” Environmental Industries Commission

Make your event Carbon Neutral

Since 2013 we have been providing the opportunity to make any event held in one of our green conference venues Carbon Neutral. We’ve teamed up with a leading Carbon Consultancy to provide carbon offsetting for your event whether you have a handful of delegates or hundreds. With this, on top of our commitment to zero-to-landfill and continual improvements to energy efficiency, you can be sure your event has zero impact on the environment. Use our new Carbon Calculator to discover the Carbon Dioxide emissions your event would have and the small cost to make it Carbon Neutral.

Cavendish Conference Venues

Our Green Credentials

Our commitment to the environment is no flash in the pan reaction to the recent upsurge in demand for green venues, it

is multi-faceted and dates from the very formation of the group in 1995.

Recycling

• We have always offered all delegates writing materials made from recycled plastic cups, all printed

material has always been on recycled paper using vegetable based inks.

• When we stated like the majority of our competitors we placed bottled mineral water on all conference and

catering tables. Initially this meant we were throwing away many hundreds of empty bottles on a daily

basis, this seemed an enormous waste; we investigated the potential for recycling the bottles and

concluded though this allayed some issues we were still left with the consequences of producing the

bottles and transporting them. We became one of the launch customers for the Pure Water filtering

system, allowing us to both recycle the bottles and to save the enormous external costs associated with

transporting the water to ourselves and then taking the bottles away.

• Since 2004 we have had in place a scheme whereby all paper / cardboard / glass and plastic bottles /

batteries and light bulbs are recycled.

• The last time we changed all our conference chairs we donated all the old chairs to a local church, where

they are still to be seen.

Integrated into our Build Programme

In 2001 we opened the Cavendish Conference Centre, a major criteria throughout the build process was the integration

of market leading environmental practices whenever practicable i.e.:

• We installed an absolute state of the art air conditioning system with the highest energy reclaim

commercially available system at that time.

• In many rooms we installed opaque glass; the aim was to limit the amount of direct light falling into the

rooms, which would in turn reduce the amount of air conditioning needed.

• All rooms have individual AC controls to allow zoning, i.e. rooms heated or cooled unnecessarily.
• Electronic signage throughout, to reduce printing and paper usage.
• Water usage is metered and minimised through the use of hypos etc.

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Sustainability

We have striven to integrate sustainable practices into our processes whenever and wherever possible.

We have looked at every aspect of our operation with a view to cutting waste this has resulted in the following:

• The use of re-usable dollies to frame mugs and glasses rather then paper
• We no longer use individually wrapped sugar or butter
• Electricity and Water readings are taken daily and levels recorded. This has resulted in a sustained

campaign to turn of items at the end of the day i.e. water boilers / computer screens etc.

• All tea / coffee sugar and milk is now organic and fair trade sourced.
• 100% Organic menus area available at all centres to all customers. To incentive their use only 50% of the

extra food cost is passed on to clients.

When it is within our control Green Power is used throughout. As defined by a supplier that is except from the

governments carbon levy.

We have sponsored a number of sustainable events including the sustainability centre at Mudchute Community Farm in

Canary Wharf, London.

Transport

• All company vehicles are dual fuel diesel / hydrogen. Hydrogen being the only fuel source with absolutely

no environmental impact at the point of use.

• We have made sustained efforts to encourage all delegates to arrive using public transport i.e.:

– For many years we offered a service allowing delegates to produce an individual map showing the best

route to our sites using public transport, eventually we dropped this owing to lack of demand.

– We now highlight public transport over all other forms of transportation on all our websites.

• We recently commissioned a transport survey at our Cavendish Conference Centre to ascertain how

delegates arrive and depart the centre. We aim to use this to implement policies aimed at a quantitate

reduction in vehicle numbers at all our centres.

• Together with our caterers and AV providers we have an active policy of consolidating vehicle loads with

the aim of a 15% reduction in vehicle movements when we repeat the traffic survey next year.

External Communications

• As of 2007 all printed material shows what it was produced from the ink and energy used.
• All relevant documents are posted up on our website i.e. environmental / sustainability / purchasing

policies etc.

Internal Communications

• An internal system of Green leaders has been introduced. At each venue there is a nominated individual

charged with implementing the agreed initiatives and ensuring best practice is shared. Monthly minuted

meetings take place when all venues review their procedures, ensure compliance to the management

system and drive forward the agenda.

Management Systems

All of the systems we have introduced would be pointless without the introduction of practicable systems against which

our performance can be measured.

1. Green Mark

In 2007 we chose the Green Mark accreditation scheme as the most suitable management system for our business. It

was chosen on a number of criteria:

• They are local to us i.e. based in East London
• They were recommended by Envirowise a government funded body considered by many to be the

authoritative body on sustainable issues.

• It is an independently assessed scheme having the backing of the London Environmental Centre.

2. Green Tourism

On the 29th January 2008 we were assessed for a Green Tourism Silver Level accreditation (report available). We have

integrated their management system into our internal systems. We are confident we will receive Silver Level

accreditation when the inspection returns in September.

3. BS 8555

In June we received an initial visit from Global Systems with a view to accreditation for Stage 5 of BS 8555. Again this

has been integrated into our management system.

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New Initiatives

1. Discount for Minimising Waste

We are trialling an initiative aimed at reducing the vast amounts of printed material left after certain conferences in

particular waste delegate packs and exhibitor materials. We are offering certain clients a discount on their day delegate

or room hire rates if they undertake to leave no materials at our centres at the end of the day. Conversely we will charge

a premium if materials are left. At present we are offering a discount of £2.00 per delegate if no materials are left and a

supplement of £75.00 per bag of left material.

2. Land Fill Neutral

We became Land Fill Neutral in 2013. We are working with Clare Matheson at UK Food Waste Ltd to introduce an off site

composting system as soon as possible.

3. Carbon Free

We have introduced the first carbon calculator to calculate the delegate’s journey to work as well as the waste produced

by the conferences themselves. The transport survey we commissioned was part of this initiative.

Clients

These Green initiatives have resulted in an impressive roster of Green Clients including:

• The Carbon Trust
• Carbon Neutral Company
• The Green Alliance
• Green Power Conferences
• The Green Service Company

To make your event successful and green, enquire now at enquiries@cavendishvenues.co.uk .