Justine Meek, Agency Relationship Manager at Warwick Conferences, is celebrating after being awarded one of Greengage’s Platinum Positive Impacts Special Awards. Justine was named a winner at The Greengage Insights Conference and Sustainability Awards, which recognises and celebrates outstanding achievement in the fields of business travel, meetings, and events.

Justine, who has been a member of the team at Warwick Conferences for 15 years, has played a major a role in driving forward the venue’s sustainability journey. This has primarily been through her involvement in a dedicated Sustainability Working Group, which is responsible for promoting and implementing sustainability initiatives and advancing the positive impact Warwick Conferences makes on the world.

The flagship project from the Group so far is helping shape Warwick Conferences Sustainability Roadmap, which outlines targets and key areas of focus, as well as how they will achieve their goals over the coming years.

As a result, Justine and the team have already donated old bed frames to a bed supplier, who will donate useable frames to charity. The rest will be given to local farmers to utilise the wood or sent to a waste recycling plant to be made into bespoke items - forming part of a long-term commitment to reducing waste and planting more than 200 tree saplings in December 2023.

The team is also working in collaboration with the University of Warwick to develop a Carbon Calculator tool which will allow Warwick Conferences clients to easily track the carbon footprint of their events.

Due to these collaborative efforts, Warwick Conferences was awarded ECOsmart Platinum status from Greengage Solutions last year, in recognition of its industry-leading commitment to environmental sustainability.

The accolade enabled Justine to join other Platinum-accredited venue representatives dedicated to sustainability in the Greengage ECOsmart Inner Circle. Meeting three times a year, the Inner Circle examines key challenges, shares best practices, and works together to find solutions to environmental issues facing the conference and events industry.

Justine’s commitment to driving sustainability within the industry has extended beyond just this. In the last few years she has appeared on several panels, including, Academic Venue Solutions – Advice on Sustainable Meetings, and a Sustainable Events Show panel which was focused on how event venues can collaborate to achieve green ambitions.

She is also a member of the beam ESG Action Group which is a community of suppliers and agents committed to supporting beam members in developing and driving strategy. Last year, they successfully launched their first summit, and this year they are planning for the delivery of yet another great programme helping to drive positive change in the industry.

Reflecting on her award, Justine Meek, Agency Relationship Manager at Warwick Conferences, said:

“I am delighted to receive this award. It is a huge honour to be recognised for my environmental work at Warwick Conferences and I am looking forward to working with colleagues as we continue to push the boundaries of what is possible for us and the events industry as a whole.”

When asked what advice she would give to others interested in championing sustainability at their organisation, Justine added:

“Joining forces with others can be a powerful way to achieve sustainability goals. It’s important to support each other on our sustainability journeys! If you're looking for a partner to help you champion your own journey, consider reaching out to others in the industry. And if you haven't started your journey yet, check out Greengage – you may already be doing more than you think towards sustainability.”

 Reflecting on her award win, Paul Bartlett, Director of Conferences at Warwick Conferences, said:

“We are extremely proud of Justine winning this prestigious sustainability award. She has played a huge part in our progress towards a more sustainable future, and we’re excited for her and the team to continue to lead the way in driving forward a greener, brighter future for Warwick Conferences and the wider industry.”