Sustainability is no longer a nice-to-have. It is a must.

Lee Dalton, Managing Director of RÖDER UK, explains in an interview why sustainable practices are now part of the core strategy for the events industry – and what this means for providers of temporary structures.

Lee, you say: ‘Sustainability is no longer optional.’ What does that mean specifically for RÖDER UK?

For RÖDER UK we have recognised that whilst our products are inherently quite sustainable, with very long lifespans, and high recyclability, the sustainability challenges actually lay in the delivery and use of the structures. As we operate as both a manufacturer and hirer of solutions, we are in a fortunate position to be able to help guide the industry from two separate positions. 

However this only scratches the surface of sustainability, and this is where we have to work closely with our clients and partners to improve where we can.

There are so many factors that work in unison to bring events together, and as we look at how to be more sustainable, we have to enable each area to make incremental gains. For RÖDER UK, this means that we have to integrate with systems outside of our own to facilitate better logistics, minimise waste, and collaborate with suppliers that work around us in the projects that we work on. 

Building relationships and partnerships to make continuous improvements and changes that benefit everyone involved, and making us a trusted partner for our clients. Whether this be within events, or long term installations of our structures. Without making ourselves and our customers more sustainable, there isn’t a long term future for the one planet that we all share.

How do you convince customers that sustainability does not mean sacrifice?

There are always two main things that customers are concerned about, sacrifice in the quality of finish, and cost of the sustainable alternative. The key to convincing customers is to demonstrate that the overall financial costs are no higher, and that the finish can be just as good. For some items this it really a simple swap in the material used, other times we look at the lifecycle of the project, and plan for how many times the specific items can be re-used within that clients projects over a number of years, to keep the costs the same, or even lower than the ‘single use’ options that had previously been implemented.

What role do temporary structures play in a green future for events?

Temporary Structures play a key role in allowing events to continue to develop a green future. With our products being designed with great flexibility in mind, and re-configurable in multiple ways, it allows event organisers to evolve and develop their events using standardised and reusable modules, to create new styles and functionality. Our solutions are made from robust raw materials with a long design life, but also offering good opportunities for repurposing or recycling at the end of their usable lifespan. This circularity helps to reduce the long term impact that our products have on the environment, enabling events to be greener overall.

Thanks, Lee.

Source: Further information see his latest article https://www.eventindustrynews.com/news/why-sustainability-is-no-longer-optional-for-the-events-industry