Sustainability Lead

ASM Global Europe; London; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 80,000

Job description

Location: Olympia Events, London, W14 8UX

Reports to: Venue Director

Description: Olympia Events is more than an exhibition venue, conference centre and live-event space - it’s an inspiration. Against a backdrop of grand Victorian architecture, the seven connected spaces inspire engagement and enjoyment. Olympia Events is recognised in the industry for exceptional levels of customer service and support, and our numerous awards are testament to our clients' satisfaction. Beyond the walls of our venue, Olympia is on the ground, working to invest in people, strengthen our communities, and protect the environment.

Olympia Events is undergoing a period of change. In 2017, the venue was bought by a consortium led by Yoo Capital and Deutsche Finance international. Work is currently underway to transform the wider estate into a cultural hub of which Olympia Events will be the central part. Once complete, the estate will include a new theatre, music venue, two hotels, over 30 eateries, world-class office space and over two acres of public realm. More information can be found at https://olympia.co.uk/

Olympia Events is part of ASM Global which is the world’s leading venue management company and producer of live event experiences. With over 350+ premier venues spanning worldwide, we operate and invest in the world's most important stadiums, arenas, convention centres and theatres, including entertainment districts and mixed-use developments.

Job Purpose: The Sustainability Lead will play a pivotal role in ensuring that Olympia adheres to sustainable and ethical practices. Collaborating with the leadership team, you will assess and integrate sustainability criteria into our business plan, ensure compliance with environmental laws, foster social responsibility, and uphold governance standards. Olympia is proud of its sustainability commitment and work to date and you have a fantastic baseline from which to further drive the sustainability strategy and deliver the Grand Plan.

Under leadership from the Venue Director, you will manage the sustainability strategy for a business that is in transition and subsequently the ability to operate in an evolving, fast-paced, stakeholder-rich environment is essential.

Key responsibilities

• Lead Olympia’s sustainability programme, The Grand Plan, ensuring that annual objectives are set and delivered in the key focus areas of Community, Environment and Collaboration.
• Work with the leadership team to ensure sustainability objectives are integrated in the business strategy, all operations and individuals’ personal development plans.
• Lead the company’s net zero project, keeping the roadmap under review and updating it as necessary.
• Working alongside the Facilities department, track the organisation’s carbon footprint and identify opportunities for energy conservation and waste reduction.
• Lead initiatives for sustainable sourcing, resource management, and eco-friendly product development.
• Engage with key suppliers to improve collation of Scope 3 emissions data and encourage them to take measures to reduce their carbon footprint.
• In collaboration with others, develop and support community engagement programmes.
• Prepare and present sustainability reports for internal and external stakeholders, ensuring transparency and clear communication of Olympia’s sustainability performance.
• Provide support to event managers, ensuring that a post-event sustainability report is provided for each event and that clients receive timely information when requested.
• Offer support to clients in achieving their sustainability objectives and collaborate with them to measure and reduce the impact of events.
• Maintain the Green Tourism award and other sustainability/environmental accreditations that the organisation may adopt.
• Champion the provision of access for all and manage the AccessAble partnership.
• Work closely with the Marketing and Communications team to maximise internal and external Grand Plan publicity.
• Support the management and delivery of the Olympia charitable trust and associated initiatives.
• Chair the Grand Plan working group and raise awareness of sustainability initiatives to help influence positive change across the business.
• Work in close partnership with the wider Olympia Estate, ensuring that all Grand Plan initiatives are aligned with Estate Strategy.
• Lead sustainability awareness and training programmes for employees at all levels and ensure that Grand Plan training is delivered to all colleagues.
• Represent Olympia at Industry sustainability working groups and attend relevant industry events to network and foster wider knowledge sharing.
• Encourage a culture that values sustainability, ethics, and social responsibility.

Person specification

Skills, experience and behaviours

• Proven experience working in a sustainability role with an understanding of the environmental sustainability challenges specific to the events industry or other related sectors.
• Proven experience of executing a sustainability strategy.
• Proven experience in managing complex internal and external stakeholder relationships.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to craft clear and compelling reports and messages.
• Ability to work under pressure and navigate fast-paced environments.
• A high level of integrity and an ability to be discrete and tactful with due respect for confidentiality.
• Highly organised and efficient with excellent attention to detail.
• Ability to analyse situations quickly and respond to those seeking advice/guidance.
• Ability to present information to a wide range of audiences.
• A self-starter with a positive, enthusiastic attitude.
• Highly proficient in MS Office software.

Olympia Events is fully committed to ensuring the safety and wellbeing of all children, young people and adults at risk (vulnerable groups) that attend our premises. As a consequence, Olympia Events may require any successful applicant to complete a DBS Check prior to working in our business.

Olympia Events is committed to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion and expects all its people to have a positive commitment to EDI by treating others fairly and not committing any form of discrimination, victimisation or harassment and to promote positive working relationships amongst employees and stakeholders.

This Job Description is not intended to be exhaustive, the duties and responsibilities may therefore vary over according to the changing needs of the business.