Events and Sustainability

Assessment

The assessment for this module consists of two parts, which have been designed to offer insights into the practicalities of applying for a sustainability award and to align with the principles of students-as-producer.

Assessment Overview

You are required to develop a ‘Sustainable Event Case Study’ (SEC) for consideration for a prestigious international sustainability award, by a panel of expert judges. The SEC you develop can be for a specific festival / event, or for an event space / venue. You have full choice over the chosen event / location but the appropriateness should be agreed with your tutor following your work at part one.

Your SEC should be developed through individual desk based research but may be supplemented by site visits if considered appropriate (venue suitability and appropriate risk assessment should be agreed with your tutor prior to any visit). Under no circumstances should you contact the event / venue directly.

Part One – Individual Assignment

Sustainable Event

Part one is a formative piece that carries no marks; this is a very important aspect of the overall assessment and allows you to identify and establish the feasibility of your later case. You should:
1.    Briefly review the literature on economic, social and environmental sustainability. In particular, your review should highlight the key academic texts / articles that you will use to underpin your later case (approx. two paragraphs / minimum five academic sources).
2.    Provide a synopsis of the event or venue you have selected. This may include (but is not limited to): a brief history of the event or venue; overview of the target market or audience; identification of the event stakeholders; consideration of the event aims and objectives; discussion of operational issues. If available, you should summarise any environmental or corporate social responsibility policy or strategy and highlight any existing sustainability awards, accreditations or management systems (approx. 2 – 3 paragraphs).
3.    Highlight the key measures or initiatives that have been introduced to increase sustainability (minimum three).
4.    Provide an annotated bibliography of the key sources that you will use to underpin your sustainable event case. This might include web links to the event / organisation, existing case study or award profiles, academic sources, media and industry sources.
5.    You are not required to visit your event / venue, but should you wish to do so then a risk assessment template (available to download via Blackboard) should be included as an appendix to assessment one. This template should form the basis of a pre-visit discussion with your tutor.

Word Limit: This is not an assessed piece and as such no word limit exists – ideally your submission should not exceed two sides of A4.

Date for return of feedback to you: Your seminar tutor will co-ordinate feedback and establish a tutorial opportunity. This will act as valuable guidance at assessment two.

Part Two – Individual Assignment (100%)

Sustainable Event Case Study

As highlighted above, you are tasked with developing a ‘Sustainable Event Case Study’ (SEC) for consideration by an expert panel of judges. The SEC should build on your work at assessment one and the selection of event / venue should now have been agreed with your tutor.

The SEC should be presented in report format with numbered headings and include an executive summary, title page and contents page. The report headings will be determined by your own research against module themes, with potential report templates to be discussed in the assessment briefing and in your ‘assessment one feedback tutorial’. Specifically, your SEC should critique the economic, social and environmental sustainability of the selected event / venue, highlighting issues of best practice and areas for improvement. A more detailed list of assessment criteria is provided below.

Word Limit: 3,000 words

Criteria for Assignment
Synopsis of the event or venue to establish the parameters of the case.
Outline the importance of event sustainability (utilising appropriate academic underpinning).
Identify and appraise the event or venues relationship with its stakeholders (i.e. public, private, voluntary, community, as appropriate).
Critically explore the selected event or venue in respect to economic, social and environmental sustainability.
Critically discuss (including appropriate academic underpinning) the event or venues physical and environmental performance. This may be linked to a range of module themes. This may include, but is not limited to:  energy use; transportation; ethical purchasing; waste management; water management; and environmental management systems.
Review and evaluate areas of best practice – and propose issues for improvement – in respect to economic, social and environmental sustainability.
Critically appraise the event / venue overall in respect to sustainability.