AGF & Edinburgh University launch sustainable event training

Introduction

Table of Contents

A Greener Future (AGF) has partnered with the University of Edinburgh to deliver a two-day, in-person sustainable event training course in Scotland from 22–23 April. The programme is aimed at professionals working in festivals, live events and related sectors who are looking to improve environmental performance, develop practical sustainability strategies and align operations with emerging standards and regulations.

Background or industry context

Sustainability has become a central concern for the global events sector, driven by regulatory pressure, audience expectations and corporate ESG commitments. Festivals, conferences and large-scale cultural gatherings face particular scrutiny due to the resource intensity of temporary venues, travel emissions, energy use, waste generation and supply chain impacts.

In response, event organisers are increasingly seeking structured, evidence-based training that goes beyond basic awareness and addresses the operational realities of production, logistics and vendor management. Specialist organisations such as AGF, which has worked internationally with festivals, venues and events on environmental assessment and certification, are playing a growing role in providing that expertise.

Universities are also stepping up their engagement with the live events and cultural industries, building closer links between academic research, policy development and professional practice. The collaboration between AGF and the University of Edinburgh reflects this shift, positioning sustainability not only as a compliance topic but as a core competency for event professionals.

Key developments or announcement

The newly announced training initiative will be held on campus in Edinburgh and is based on AGF’s established sustainable event course, which has been delivered to professionals across multiple markets. Over the two days, participants will explore the environmental impacts associated with live events and festivals, along with practical tools to measure, reduce and report on those impacts.

The course is designed for a broad cross-section of roles, including event organisers, festival directors, production managers, operations teams, venue managers, suppliers and municipal or public sector stakeholders involved in permitting and supporting events. According to AGF, the curriculum draws on real-world case studies from festivals and live events that have implemented sustainable practices across areas such as energy, transport, food and beverage, materials and waste.

Key areas the training is expected to cover include:

Understanding environmental impacts of events, including carbon, waste, water and local ecosystems
Integrating sustainability into event design, procurement and site planning
Implementing low-carbon and renewable energy solutions for temporary sites
Developing sustainable travel and transport strategies for audiences and staff
Reducing single-use materials and improving resource recovery and recycling
Engaging suppliers, artists, sponsors and audiences in sustainability goals
Collecting data and reporting environmental performance for stakeholders and certification

The collaboration with the University of Edinburgh gives the programme an academic setting and access to relevant research and local networks, while AGF brings sector-specific expertise and experience working with festivals and event operators internationally.

Industry impact

The partnership signals a continued move towards professionalisation of sustainability within the events sector. Rather than treating environmental action as an ad hoc set of initiatives, the course aims to equip participants with a structured understanding of environmental operations, risk management and continuous improvement methodologies.

For the Scottish events and festivals ecosystem—home to major international cultural events, including the Edinburgh Festivals—the training offers local access to knowledge that has typically been concentrated in larger markets or delivered online. In-person delivery allows for peer learning, site-based discussions and more detailed exchange on operational challenges specific to outdoor festivals, heritage venues and urban event spaces.

This type of training can also support alignment with emerging standards and frameworks. Many organisers now work with or toward third-party certifications, environmental management systems or city-level climate targets. Courses that map practical actions to measurable outcomes can help close the gap between policy-level commitments and on-the-ground operations.

Beyond individual events, the collaboration contributes to a wider skills pipeline. As organisations recruit for sustainability-oriented roles—such as environmental coordinators, ESG leads or green production managers—structured training programmes provide a benchmark for competencies and can support workforce development at scale.

Why this matters for event professionals and technology providers

For event organisers and producers, the AGF–Edinburgh partnership underscores the growing expectation that sustainability is embedded into every stage of event planning and delivery. Environmental knowledge is increasingly a baseline requirement, not a specialist add-on. Professionals who understand both operational constraints and sustainability frameworks will be better positioned to meet client and stakeholder demands, win tenders and manage risk.

For technology providers, the focus on sustainable operations highlights opportunities to support data-driven decision-making and resource efficiency. Measurement and reporting are central themes in most sustainability training, and events frequently lack integrated systems to capture information on energy, waste, supplier performance and audience behaviour.

Vendors offering tools such as carbon calculators, energy monitoring, smart power distribution, waste tracking, sustainable sourcing platforms or audience travel analysis can benefit from a more informed client base. As professionals complete training programmes of this type, they are more likely to seek out tech solutions that can substantiate claims, automate reporting and provide verifiable metrics for sponsors, regulators and investors.

The academic setting adds another dimension: collaboration between universities, event operators and technology companies could lead to pilot projects or testbeds for sustainable event technologies, from low-impact infrastructure to real-time analytics across festival sites.

Conclusion

The AGF and University of Edinburgh sustainable event training initiative reflects the maturing approach to environmental responsibility within the events and festivals sector. By offering structured, in-person education grounded in both practice and research, the programme aims to build capacity among professionals tasked with delivering lower-impact live experiences.

As regulations tighten and stakeholders demand credible evidence of environmental performance, the combination of specialist training, operational change and supporting technology will become increasingly important. For event organisers, suppliers and tech providers alike, investments in skills and knowledge—such as those fostered by this new partnership—are likely to be a key factor in remaining competitive and compliant in a rapidly evolving landscape.