Can sustainability and cost optimisation go hand in hand? That is the question Alain D'Haese of event company Easyfairs has been pondering for some time. 'Sweeping your own doorstep is effective; but you can achieve more by involving customers and suppliers in that sustainability process;' says climate expert Serge De Gheldere; CEO of Futureproofed.
What is the link between sustainability and cost optimisation?
Alain D'Haese; COO & Head of Venues Easyfairs Belgium: 'Our core business is organizing events. The question is: how do you make that sustainable? Because today; we have no choice but to take sustainability into account. On the one hand; you are encouraged by the legislator; for example with the greening of the vehicle fleet; in which ERA Group provides us with sustainable support. On the other hand; as a company; you also have to make a conscious effort in this area. A year ago; we bought a machine that was a hundred thousand euro more expensive than the other options; but it consumed less energy. We consciously chose the more expensive solution. If you go for environmentally friendly; you will earn it back somewhere down the line.
Serge De Gheldere; CEO Futureproofed: 'I think the link between sustainability and cost optimisation is a no-brainer. The depletion of raw materials and the destruction of ecosystems are the result of poor management. In many cases; renewable energy has now also become the cheapest form of energy. So it is no longer a question of idealism or corporate social responsibility.
If you take a smart look at the big picture; seek assistance from specialists such as ERA; take the right steps in the right order and factor in all the costs and benefits; you can save a lot on costs; energy; materials and CO2. Sometimes a slightly more expensive investment leads to a lower total cost of ownership and sometimes even lower investment costs.'
What role does the Green Deal play in this link?
Serge De Gheldere: 'An important part of the Green Deal is the carbon footprint. Futureproofed advocates including this in the accounts and taking a close look at the really big cost items such as materials; energy and mobility. For example; we created one of the first carbon footprints for the shoe company Torfs. They rigorously implemented the roadmap we drew up. With the energy and cost savings that resulted; they set up an internal fund. They will use this to pre-finance the follow-up process.'
Alain D'Haese: 'We work with reusable stands; which means we throw away almost no materials. One exhibitor dismantles their stand and another comes along a few hours later to rebuild the exact same one: that's pretty amazing. The stands remain in place; the exhibitor just takes their logos with them. This saves a lot of money. Often; the highest costs have the greatest impact on CO2 emissions.
We recently invested £2 million in equipment that we used to rent and that was transported to our site from other warehouses using various lorries and suppliers. Now we only have to move the equipment around our warehouse on site. And we use an electric forklift truck to do that. We will recoup that investment in four years; and ERA has also helped us to make sustainable savings on other cost items such as energy and HVAC.
Serge De Gheldere: 'Sweeping your own doorstep is effective. But it only becomes really interesting when; like Easyfairs; you offer new products and services that make your activities more sustainable and help your customers make the move towards CO2 reduction. Then you are ahead of the game. That will also separate the winners from the losers. Companies that are agile and adaptable and that reinvent themselves will benefit from this.
Where does the feasibility factor lie for companies?
Serge De Gheldere: 'There is no menu to choose from: are we going to do it now or not? Is it difficult or expensive? For many of the big things we need to do now; the business case is clear. For other things; it will be more expensive; but companies simply have to do it to avoid the impact of climate change on society.'
