Hello! I am Tom, a recent addition to YOURGB, joining the team as an Event & Sustainability Coordinator just in time for Earth Day 2022 on April 22nd. It’s exciting to be starting this new adventure in the time of post-pandemic events emergence and the ever-increasing importance of climate action.
EVENT COORDINATOR IN TRAINING
I’ve spent most of my childhood and teenage years chasing a dream of becoming a professional cyclist (SPOILER ALERT – It didn’t work out), and organising events was a cool hobby for me. I can still remember volunteering at my first event at the age of 13, where I was given the chance to get involved in organising a cyclocross competition with my local cycling club. It got me hooked and I continued organising events, always getting a thrill from being onsite amid large events’ madness.
ENVIRONMENTALIST IN TRAINING
I have a real passion for the environment and sustainability, and a strong relationship with nature – strengthened by years of cycling through the beautiful countryside of the Jeseníky Mountains – and it pains me to see it suffer under the weight of human missteps and complacency. Our planet is a beautiful place full of wonders – it’s irreplaceable and the responsibility of every single one of us to take care of it.
It’s not enough for me to live sustainably myself – I love to share my passion, commitment, and enthusiasm with others. Although I am not a scientist, I found my own way to make the world a better place through climate education and communication. By facilitating workshops, communicating climate science, and having (sometimes difficult) conversations with people around me, I aim to support others to build their relationship with the environment and develop sustainable habits. I’ve had the chance to work at several exciting environmental events, such as the Edinburgh Climate Festival, TED Countdown Summit and COP26. I feel very fortunate I found a place to continue combining sustainability with events here at YOURGB.
MY ROLE AT YOURGB
It’s exciting to be the first sustainability coordinator at YOURGB, and I will be incorporating sustainability into all we do. My first action has been to sign us up for the Race to Zero initiative, where YOURGB has committed to become Net Zero by 2050, and half our emissions by 2030. I am confident about achieving those goals and more!
I will also focus on how we can improve the carbon footprint of our client events. Events provide a unique platform to showcase sustainable practices to a wide range of audiences across topics such as travel, food, energy, and more. By running a sustainable event, we are not only reducing its impact on the environment – but our clients, their guests and everyone involved participates in a story – one that allows them to explore and experience sustainable practices first hand. By doing this, events can play an important role in the pursuit of a green, bright future.
The events industry is one of the most creative, innovative, and resilient industries I know, and I am optimistic that if we all play our part, we can add ‘most sustainable’ too. What makes it all even more exciting is being part of such a friendly and supportive team. There’s a true sense of teamwork and friendship at YOURGB and I’ve felt welcomed and accepted since my very first day. My new role is made even easier thanks to how environmentally mindful everyone is – I’m not here to introduce sustainability, the whole team is doing great already. What’s important to me is that I’m not just ‘the new guy’ or ‘the green guy’ of the office – I am truly a part of YOURGB team and I’m looking forward to what we will achieve together!
