Sandy Park receives environmental award

Sandy Park has shown its commitment to environmental sustainability after receiving an ECOsmart Silver Award.

ECOsmart is the leading certification system for hotels and meeting venues. It is increasingly recognised as the credible and affordable marque that organisations can display to demonstrate their commitment to environmental sustainability and achievement of recognised standards.

As one of the most prominent conference and banqueting facilities in the South West, Sandy Park’s management was keen to ensure they could illustrate their commitment to green responsibilities and be recognised for it.

Sandy Park’s sales & event manager Bev Gratton said: “We are really proud to receive this award. As a large venue with multiple entertainment spaces, green initiatives could be overlooked amid a very busy calendar of events and exhibitions, but we have always worked hard to ensure we have remained on target with our environmental aims.

“Our green initiatives include purchasing our ingredients from local suppliers, phasing out the use of plastic bottles for all our conferences and meetings, employing effective recycling schemes, and encouraging guests to use public transport, electric vehicles or bicycles to get to get to our venue.”

Sandy Park also continues to work with DCW Waste Management, an Exeter-based waste management company, which specialises in food waste recycling to be used to produce energy to power farms and factories around Devon.

Meanwhile, Exeter Rugby Club’s director of stadium operations Mark Isaacs added: “On match days, we have eliminated single-use plastic with our reusable cup deposit scheme, wooden forks, cardboard food containers, plus paper bags in the club shop. Our pitch grass cuttings are recycled at a local farm for composting too while we also installed LED lighting last year, thanks to the support of the Devon County Council Green Initiative Fund. We want to set a good example; we want to make difference.”

Sandy Park is also accredited by the Meetings Industry Association for providing high quality meeting and events facilities.