Primavera Sound, Boomtown and Sziget among "world's greenest festivals" according to AGF

AGF (A Greener Future) has announced the list of festival and events granted with a Certification for Sustainability, with Primavera Sound, Boomtown and Sziget among those awarded.

Among the certified events is a broad spectrum, encompassing small local and huge international festivals that draw thousands of global music lovers each year — with four grades for certification ranging from ‘Outstanding’ to ‘Improvers’.

Ákos Dominus, Sziget Festival that was awarded with an "improvers" certification said: “The AGF certification is always highly valuable for us."

"By participating in the award, we not only gain further knowledge of the subject but also build strong connections with like-minded people from our industry. This will not only make us more sustainable but also enhance partnerships and competitiveness in the future,” they continue.

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Since the government began rolling out bans on single-use waste, such as plastic straws, attention has turned to the responsibility of late-night venues and festivals to be more sustainable.

Ahead of the curve, in 2019, Eco-Disco threw the world’s first club night that removed all single-use plastics. London has since seen several ‘sustainable parties’ cropping up around the capital.

With the advent of the attack on single-use waste, AGF stresses that events should shift the focus to include a wider scope of emissions.

The framework developed by AGF requires festivals to assess waste, travel, energy, EDI, and governance to qualify.

“It’s important to have a fuller picture to understand the carbon footprint of festivals and events, not least because significant impacts can be overlooked," says AGF CEO Claire O'Neill.

"The focus for event sustainability is often on waste, cups, and audience travel. While important, this is a narrow view missing broader impacts. This can delay important decisions at the planning and design stage, such as moving away from animal and other high-impact food and drinks.”

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As such, AGF developed the world's first standard for sustainability in the live events sector, specifically for festivals.

Ceremonies will occur on February 27 at the Green Events & Innovations conference.

To view AGF’s list of 2023 Greenest Festivals, click here

Belle Richardson is Mixmag's Digital Intern, follow her on Twitter