Gallowglass managing director Nick Grecian said, "Clients such as the BBC and Eve Trakway have already pledged to embed sustainability throughout their organisations' working practices, and we are committed to sharing their values. As a company, we have already achieved BS8901 and ISO14001, but we need to take this to the next level. Kirsten Henson is ideally-placed to ensure that sustainability policies convert into practical reality throughout the supply chain."
Kirsten Henson has been providing consultancy in the construction of the Olympic Park and has already assisted in the planning and delivery of several Olympic test events. She recently researched and provided a sustainable solution for the removal of 1,500sq.m of sports flooring used for the Beach Volleyball test event at the Horse Guards Parade. The flooring was transferred for use in local sports clubs, an action with diverted 12.5 tonnes of material from landfill and vastly improved the clubs' facilities.
Consultancy on these Olympics events sparked her relationship with Gallowglass and prompted an interest in working with the wider events industry.
She said: "The approach for Gallowglass Sustainability is very much about developing tools and processes that fit with the clients' existing approach rather than adding to bureaucracy and paperwork. It's also about inspiring people to think differently and ask the right questions. We'll be helping procurement teams to understand that a solution that uses energy-efficient equipment, diverts waste from landfill or substitutes safe materials for harmful ones can deliver short term financial gains to any project.
"The extensive knowledge that KLH holds within the product and waste management market, together with water, energy and site environmental management, will enable Gallowglass Sustainability to help identify alternative production solutions for clients - right from the earliest stages of planning."
The joint venture is the third phase in Gallowglass' own strategy to expand its areas of expertise. In October 2010, the company joined forces with Steve Kearney, one of the event industry's leading chartered health and safety consultants, to create a new company, Gallowglass Health & Safety, and in September 2011 a second separate company, Gallowglass Training, was created to deliver accredited courses aimed specifically at the live events sector.
Added Grecian, "There are obvious synergies between the three companies; we are already providing a wide range of Health & Safety courses and will be adding Sustainability education through Gallowglass Training. Each company can and will serve its own separate clients, but the collective expertise shared by the group will be unique in the events industry. We believe that all of our clients will benefit directly or indirectly from this broader service offering. For example, we'll be able to ensure compliance with environmental legislation on-site, using Gallowglass crew."
(Jim Evans)
