Our back catalogue
Our work: Observer Ethical Awards
The Observer Ethical Awards is an annual event which rewards individuals and organisations promoting ethical living. It is the highest profile event of its kind in the UK.
The Challenge
This is the fifth year that we have worked with The Observer on these awards. We have a long standing relationship with their marketing team and a comprehensive understanding of their criteria for this evening event. We were asked to organise every aspect of a sophisticated and glamorous awards party for 350 VIP guests to sit perfectly within the ethical theme of the awards.
The solution
We were responsible for managing every aspect of the event, from organising the catering to developing the categories and website copy, to commissioning the audio visual clips for the awards presentation,. Throughout the planning and delivery of the awards, we had two key criteria in mind: the party had to be as sustainable as possible, but it also had to amaze and inspire guests, demolishing any preconceptions about what a “green” event should look like. We chose the Dome at the Victoria & Albert Museum to host the event, recently rewarded for its commitment to cutting carbon emissions. We had an extremely short time between the venue closing to the public and guests arriving at the start of the party. We implemented a meticulous plan to manage the set up and logistics in the time frame. Furniture was sourced from emerging ethical designers and the space was lit with low energy LED lighting. Along with the 100% British menu, other sustainable measures introduced included the winners’ trophies made from sustainably sourced wood, the use of eco taxis for VIPs to and from the venue and using locally sourced seasonal flowers for the decorative floral displays.
The feedback
Charlotte GoochI have worked with Seventeen Events over the last three years, and trust them to make the right decisions on behalf of Guardian News & Media. They have a strong understanding of our business and brand needs and deliver professional, successful events. They communicate excellently with my team, providing briefings, reports and evaluations when necessary and react to new requirements quickly and efficiently.
Director of Events, Guardian News & Media
The results
Once again we delivered a stunning awards party for The Observer. With such a limited amount of time to transform the space we demonstrated that we can work with any given time frame to produce and dress a standout event .We used BS8901 and the eventberry management system, tracking and logging every part of the process to ensure that the awards adhered to the highest possible standards of sustainability.
