Since 2016, GL events UK has sought to use its position as a market leader to support and actively champion the events industry by taking up advisory positions with a number of key organisations. We have also undertaken outreach initiatives, engaging with universities such as University of East London, and Queen Margaret’s University, Edinburgh, in an effort to educate, inspire and support the next generation of event professionals.
Finally, we have taken a leading position on the environment and began to focus on the importance not only of “green” events, but also “good” events, in every sense of the word. And our commitment to this work, has been recognised in our certification to the Event Sustainability Standard, ISO 20121.
The various strands of this activity were brought together in what we have come to call our “Pay It Forward” programme which crystalises in tangible terms, our commitments to the future of the events industry, to the sustainability and legacy of events, and the communities in which we work and live.
The objectives of Pay It Forward are as follows:
- Bringing together our vision for the future of events and our desire to help shape the next generation of event professionals
- Uniting our professional network of suppliers, clients and partners, with our outreach programme of colleges and universities to offer placements for students within the events industry, and to deliver lectures and workshops on events within an educational environment
- Embracing opportunities to work with charitable and community bodies within the Midlands, supporting vulnerable groups, and giving GL events employees the opportunity to volunteer and make a difference.
During the last five years, our activity has included taking up an active and progressive role with the National Outdoor Events Association (NOEA), supporting the work of Festival Vision: 2025, and thanks to contributions from some of our friends in the world of events and sustainability, published two digital guides – our “How to” guide, and our “Good Events” guide.
In 2018, as Official Overlay Supporter to the European Championships in Glasgow, we delivered our first social value programme, directly tied to event legacy. And in subsequent years we have undertaken various initiatives as a business to support the local work of charities including NSPCC and Birmingham based charity, St Basils, tackling youth homelessness.
You can read more about our timeline of activities over the last five years here.
