M&S Bank Arena Liverpool leads the way with sustainable events

M&S Bank Arena has shared exciting news about its sustainability journey, revealing ambitious new targets for 2025 as part of its mission to lead the way in eco-friendly event management.

Situated on Liverpool’s iconic waterfront event campus and operated by The ACC Liverpool Group, M&S Bank Arena arena has already made significant strides in reducing its environmental footprint—and the latest results show they’re ahead of schedule.

They have implemented a range of initiatives to reduce its environmental footprint, from installing air sourced heat pumps and LED lighting, promoting sustainable waste management practices, and increasing biodiversity on-site. 

The venue’s ongoing efforts include collaborating with local businesses and environmental organisations to reduce their carbon footprint, alongside offering support and guidance to event organisers who share their vision of hosting eco-conscious events. Long-term efforts to reduce carbon emissions are continuing to pay off after the latest figures show that their carbon emissions have reduced by 12%, putting the organisation ahead of schedule in their goal to reach carbon zero by 2030. 

In November 2024, M&S Bank Arena hosted Act 1.5 Presents; three live gigs from artists Massive Attack, Nile Rodgers and IDLES, that showcased innovative sustainable practices. The innovative events marked the official start of Liverpool’s status as the World’s First Accelerator City for Climate Action, designated by the UN.

Read the latest Sustainability Strategy.

As well as their own sustainability efforts, they’re empowering their clients to host more sustainable events too. The venue is working with Greengage using their EVENTsmart carbon reporting tool to measure the footprint of all events taking place on their campus. The team can use data from previous events to calculate its existing footprint and demonstrate to organisers how they can help to reduce this going forward.

Ben Williams, Commercial & Business Development Director at M&S Bank Arena, said: 

“We’re reaffirming our commitment to a greener future and our recent successes have inspired us to keep pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in sustainable event management.

“The recent Act 1.5 Presents gigs were the perfect way to mark Liverpool’s official appointment as the world’s first Accelerator City for Climate Action. Now we’ve seen what’s possible, we’re committed to setting new standards for what arenas can accomplish when they embrace a sustainable mindset.”

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