Working collaboratively, ACC Liverpool and its culinary partner Sodexo Live! delivered a memorable weekend of world-class entertainment at the three-day ‘Act 1.5 presents’ event held to mark Liverpool’s achievement of becoming the world’s first ‘UN Accelerator City’ for climate action.
Act 1.5 is an artist-led research and action effort spearheaded by Massive Attack and climate scientists from the Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research.
The Act 1.5 weekend (28-30 November) at ACC Liverpool included performances by Massive Attack, IDLES and Nile Rodgers & CHIC at the M&S Bank Arena in Liverpool as well as an industry summit and a day of live podcast and radio recordings held at the Exhibition Centre Liverpool.
Sodexo Live! and the ACC Liverpool Group, who operate the M&S Bank Arena and Exhibition Centre Liverpool, collaborated to showcase a model for sustainable event management for the the event.
Fully plant-based menus were served across all Sodexo Live! food service areas including the M&S Bank Arena, Arena Club Boxes, Sodexo Live! Lounge and Exhibition Centre Liverpool. Each dish included its carbon rating used to enable guests to make informed decisions about the food they ate and its impact on the planet.
Many local suppliers were used in the creation of the menus including vegetables sourced from Brookfield’s Farm, located just 10 miles from venue. Bread was freshly baked by students from The City of Liverpool College using Doves Farm organic flour and fermented goods from local artisans at Fermentation Station. Example dishes included:
- Arena Club: Salt-baked celeriac with Scarisbrick savoy cabbage, lentil dhal paired with carrot pakora, and a green herb chutney by Paige Flynn, the Sodexo Live! Chef of the Year.
- Arena Retail: City of Liverpool College flatbreads topped with Prescot Farm cauliflower and Fermentation Station sauerkraut and Brookfield Farm carrot burgers with locally sourced vegan cheddar.
On the drinks side Sodexo Live! offered B-Corp certified ThinK Wine, a Liverpool-distributed sparkling wine, alongside B-Corp certified Nice Wine, served in recyclable cans. Change Please Coffee was available across the venue, providing hot beverages in recyclable cups with its sales supporting its mission to end homelessness in local communities.
Sustainability is high priority for Sodexo Live! with food waste at the venue for all events processed in an on-site ORCA machine, a trial to establish the impact of using airfryers for cooking chips to reduce energy and oil use, and suppliers encouraged to use electric vehicles for deliveries to the venue where possible. The venue is also a certified Carbon Neutal Event Campus and only uses renewable energy.
Claire Morris, CEO Sodexo Live! UK & Ireland said: “Our partnership with ACC Liverpool is one that is centred on creating and delivering sustainable events. It was an honour to work alongside them to host Act 1.5 and together we supported the organisers in their sustainability goals. It was a remarkable few days and my thanks go to our team of Experience Makers at the ACC Liverpool for creating a memorable experience for all guests, and to Andy Hare our executive development chef and the culinary team who created and served an exquisite plant-based menu.”
Ben Williams, Commercial and Business Development Director, ACC Liverpool said: “Act 1.5 presents and sets a new benchmark for sustainability in live events. We are especially grateful to our culinary partner Sodexo Live! for its expertise and dedication to creating innovative, plant-based dishes which played a pivotal role in the event’s success. The creative menu was as flavourful as it was planet friendly and the overwhelmingly positive feedback from our client, and our customers, reinforces the power of combining sustainability with exceptional quality. This collaboration not only enhanced the guest experience but also demonstrated how thoughtful partnerships can drive impactful change.”
Act 1.5 Presents… was organised by Liverpool City Council and forms part of a year of events and activities to mark the city’s UN Accelerator City status. More events will be announced in early 2025.
