SUSTAINABILITY STATEMENT, POLICY & FUTURE GOALS

Over recent years, sustainability has been increasingly important to the global LGBTQ+ community, and York Pride is no exception.

We have 3 core areas for which sustainability is key to our functioning:

    1. Being financially sustainable.
    2. Embracing and growing community place and engagement.
    3. Being Environmentally aware from planning to delivery.

Current Impact

  1. York Pride is in a position where we are able to provide income from the current Pride event and year to ensuring that there is a basic coverage of the following main event. It has taken several years and dedication of the volunteers and
    procedures to be in this position.
  2. York Pride is North Yorkshire's largest LGBTQ+ celebration and the largest one-day free festival event in the city of York. This is a great achievement from a small group of dedicated volunteers, many whom have grown the event from 150 attendees over 15 years ago to the 17,500 that attended in 2024. The event is free to all and this is important for York Pride as we want all to enjoy the regardless of financial constraints. York is also about bringing the community together, ensuring that everyone from every race, religion, society, age, class feel safe and are able to celebrate and enjoy others company and the event.

At York Pride we have several measures to ensure that we are environmentally aware from planning to delivery these include:

a) We work with St Nicholas Fields to ensure that all the waste is collected from the main event day and then sorted into the correct recyclable forms. We also provided additional marshals for ensuring that rubbish is collected during and post-event.
b) We have produced the event's information guide digitally as opposed to printing off many guides.
c) We work with our transport partners and providers to reduce our carbon footprint.

Future Goals, Aims and Aspirations

At York Pride, as part of the climate emergency declared in 2019, a key ambition is to becoming zero waste and net zero carbon by 2030.

York Pride also intends to sign up to and be an ambassador of ‘One Planet York’.

We also plan the following:

  • To use renewable energy sources when possible: we recommend exploring how renewable energy sources can help power the event.
  • Reuse and recycle: influence your suppliers to build your structure using sustainable and long-lasting materials that can be reused and repurposed for the next year.
  • Reduce waste: Encourage less printing of marketing material and provide information digitally when possible.
  • Use less promotional items when possible. Allow opt-out option when offer freebies to internal and external participants.
  • Promote the great work we are doing with our partners, sponsors and Pride attendees.