Sustainable Conferencing
Choosing Leeds for your next event means choosing a city that is working to reduce our carbon footprint, reduce pollution and noise, promote cycling, walking and use of public transport and building a sustainable infrastructure for the future.
The City of Leeds has pledged to work towards becoming the first UK net-zero city. As the Conference Bureau for Leeds we are committed to supporting the pledge in the following ways:
Reducing carbon emissions by walking and using public transport for site visits, familiarisation trips when in our city and when visiting other destinations for business events.
Supporting Leeds hotels and venues with their green credentials.
Supporting event organisers to organise exceptional events in Leeds that are low carbon and sustainable.
Eliminating printed and promotional materials.
Delighted to be working with LNER providing discounted rail travel to delegates attending conferences in the city.
Encouraging delegates to enjoy their time in the city in a more sustainable way
Proud Members of GDS Movement. Ranking 7th in the largest city category in Northern Europe.
Working in partnership with local organisations to support conference organisers with event legacy projects
Organise a sustainable conference
As an event organiser, there are many ways in which you can support Leeds in becoming the first UK net-zero city.
Choose a green accredited venue
Leeds has over 20 green accredited venues and over 30% of our total bedstock is green certified. WIth green certified venues including the first direct bank arena, Royal Armouries and Queens Hotel you will be spoilt for choice.
Search for green accredited venues
Promote sustainable travel
Conference Leeds encourages all delegates to use sustainable travel. We are working alongside LNER to offer 25% discount to help people travel to conferences and meetings in Leeds in a more sustainable way. As a conference organiser you can take advantage of this exciting offer when booking your conference, event or exhibition through one of the team at Conference Leeds.
So sit back and relax, in the knowledge you are obtaining the best possible fares with LNER for your conference delegates on their regular services to the city.
For further details contact info@conferenceleeds.co.uk or telephone a member of the team on 0113 378 1163.
Encourage soft mobility
When your delegates arrive in Leeds, they can really make the most of the city’s compact and visitor-friendly city centre. All of the city centre’s hotels, conference venues, attractions, bars and restaurants are all within easy reach of each other. There is no other city better to explore on foot or on two wheels and we will fully encourage all delegates to get around and explore the city in a green way.
Making long term positive impacts
Positive event legacy is becoming increasingly important for conference organisers, and is massively important to us as well at Conference Leeds, and for our city. We fully understand that event legacy has the power to create a lasting impact beyond the event itself for all parties involved, particularly from a social, economic and environmental perspective. We are passionate to work with every event organiser to explore opportunities to collaborate in a way that will deliver a lasting impact for each event we host in the city.
Conference Leeds works in partnership with various organisations across the city who will be able to help with event legacy projects.
- Professional Legacy
- Social Legacy
- Environmental Legacy
Increased tourism, investment, and job creation.
Leeds Becket University, UK Centre for Events Management
Leeds Beckett University Events Management and Hospitality Business Management students are enthusiastic, professional young people with fresh perspectives, strong organisational skills and a huge appetite for careers in the world of hospitality & events. Student volunteering offers valuable first hand experience for the next generation of industry professionals, supporting their progression into employment. Our students can bring volunteer support in areas such as front-of-house operations, welcome desk support, delegate engagement, and event coordination. If planned in advance, they can align assessments, fieldtrips and activities around a conference to add to the programme. In addition, they can identify where they could take the lead in a seminar, discussion or delegate provocation.
Enhanced community pride, volunteerism, and social cohesionIncreased tourism, investment, and job creation.
Zarach
Zarach’s is on a mission to end child bed poverty, giving every child the opportunity to engage and succeed at school and break the cycle of poverty.
Since their inception in Leeds 6 years ago, they have delivered over 10,000 beds to children, ensuring they get the restful sleep they need and lifting them out of bed poverty. All donations go directly to support one of the 900,000 children living in bed poverty across England with a full Zarach bed bundle and family support.
Smart Works
Smart Works help unemployed women to get the coaching, clothing and confidence they need to secure employment and change the trajectory of their lives. They support women regardless of their unemployment circumstances. Whether women are recently unemployed, coming back to work after a long employment gap or looking for their first ever job, the Smart Works team is there to help.
Play your part to help ensure more women can access the service, succeed at job interview, get the job and transform their lives. Smart Works is looking for fundraisers or clothes donations to support the charity. They often set up challenges or events like clothes sales, fashion themed raffles or competitions, and fundraiser events to help them reach their goal.”
Voluntary Action Leeds
Voluntary Action Leeds (VAL) works hard to ensure there is a thriving voluntary and community sector in Leeds which enables positive social action.
Through VAL’s Volunteering Centre, meaningful connections can be made for conference organisers and delegates within the city’s third sector.”
Sustainable practices implemented during the event and beyond, leading to a greener future for the host location.
Climate Action Leeds
Climate Action Leeds is working towards a zero carbon, nature friendly, socially just Leeds by the 2030s.
With a programme covering areas of energy, housing, food, nature, work & economy, youth & education, and transport.
There are many ways a conference organiser can participate in helping to transform our city and offset any carbon footprint a conference may have. Through Climate Action Leeds’ volunteer led community hubs there are wealth of opportunities and events for everyone to get involved.
Play Your Part
As a delegate visiting Leeds there are plenty of ways you can play your part in helping the city achieve its sustainable objectives.
Travel to Leeds in a sustainable way
Replace air travel with more sustainable climate friendly modes of transportation such as buses and trains. Carbon calculators can be a uselful tool to help you plan your trip and reduce your carbon footprint.
Stay at green certified accommodation
Over 30% of Leeds bedstock is green accredited. Use the filters on our venue search facility to search for green accredited venues.
Use soft mobility to get around Leeds
Leeds has a compact and visitor-friendly city centre so getting around in a sustainable way could not be easier. Most of the hotels, conference, attractions, bars and restaurants are all within easy walk of one another. Alternativley, take a Beryl bike, hop on a water taxi or use public transport.
After the conference - enjoy locally sourced food and drink
Leeds is loaded with local indie businesses that ooze ethical credentials, not least dozens of restaurants that reveal exactly why Leeds has been hailed the foodie capital of the north. By eating local foods instead of imported ones you’ll reduce the carbon footprint of your meal. Take Eat Your Greens, for example – a fabulous farm-to-fork, organic restaurant that’s dedicated to serving the freshest, finest local produce.
Recycling
You can recycle coffee cups, plastic bottles and drink cans in our recycle on-the-go bins across Leeds.
Extend your stay
Why not extend your stay either pre or post conference to explore everything the city has to offer.