Kevin is Sustainability Lead at DF Concerts in Glasgow. With a diverse background as a musician, venue manager, tour manager, and production coordinator, Kevin began his journey working in event sustainability in 2022.
DF Concerts is Scotland’s biggest festival and concert promoter, with events including Rockstar Energy presents TRNSMT, plus Glasgow and Edinburgh Summer Sessions. The company also runs King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut, Glasgow’s iconic grassroots music venue. Kevin works with key stakeholders across the business to measure and reduce its environmental impact. Read Kevin’s answers to our monthly Q&A below:
1. What is the proudest sustainability achievement or moment of your career?
Mentoring an Environmental Management student and watching them develop under my guidance this year has been hugely rewarding.
2. What was your worst ever sustainability-related decision, project or initiative and why?
Ultimately, every decision has a trade-off. For example, if we move our Event Operations to a pre-existing infrastructure at one event it may reduce energy emissions but increase water consumption. So, try to be intentional with every decision with this in mind.
3. What are you excited about implementing this year?
Expanding on our project with Strathclyde University to enhance our energy management and data collection.
4. Which environmental issue do you most care about?
Ecocide.
5. What sustainable change have you made in your personal life that you are most proud of?
Prioritising vintage/refurbished clothing/tech and learning how to grow food.
6. What do you read, listen to or watch to stay in touch with green issues?
Carbon Brief.
7. What is the most memorable live performance in your life?
PJ Harvey at Primavera 2016.
8. Was there a moment you committed to taking action on climate change?
Working on The People’s Summit with the Climate Justice Coalition during COP26 in Glasgow, 2021.
9. What is the most important issue to tackle at your events?
Engraining sustainability into our culture.
10. What do you think is the most significant challenge for the events industry becoming more sustainable?
Advancing sustainable supply chains while scaling zero emission technologies.
11. Can you share something sustainable about/from another artists or event or company that inspired you to make a change?
Shambala’s Sustainable Production Guide helped us create our own Procurement Guide.
12. What is the secret to your sustainable success?!
Collaboration – working closely with other teams is critical.
13. Tell us something you feel positive about right now that relates to the environment
Energy transition. It’s happening.
14. Tell us a book, film or recent article you feel others should watch/read and why about positive change?
The Living Mountain by Nan Shepherd. A meditation on the deeply rooted connection between humans and the rest of the natural world, through the lens of Scotland’s mountain environment.
15. Can you give people new to sustainability in events a top tip?
Learn to have a head for managing data and be prepared to get your hands dirty.
16. What is the favourite festival moment of your career?
Performing at SXSW in Austin back in 2012 was a lot of fun.
17. What habit or practice has helped you most in your personal journey in life?
I love my yoga practice and currently preparing for a Yoga Teacher Training course.
18. Is there anything new or exciting you are planning or changing for the future that you can tell us about?
We’re planning a couple of key initiatives to address audience travel emissions and waste next year – details will be confirmed in the new year!
19. Will we save the world?
Like George Carlin said, the world doesn’t need saving – we do! (Well, technically he says “Planet”, but the point still stands).
20. What would your sustainable super-power be?
Forest growth acceleration.
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This Q&A originally appeared in our December 2024 Vision: 2025 newsletter. Sign up to receive monthly event sustainability news, case studies and guest blogs direct to your inbox.