Creative Group

Our Path to a Sustainable Future

“At Creative Hire, we believe that innovation, design, andresponsibility go hand in hand. As we look to the future,sustainability is not just a choice, it’s a commitment to ourpeople, our clients, and our planet. This paper shares thejourney we’ve taken so far, the impact we’re makingtoday, and the goals we’re setting for tomorrow.”

-Wes, Adam, Simon, Steve & the Leadership Team

Our Sustainability Journey

At Creative Hire, we understand our role in creating memorable events comes with a duty to minimise environmental impact and support our communities. Sustainability is now at the heart of how we work.

Green Team

Green Team established to identify opportunities, share ideas, and champion sustainable practices acrossthe company.

Community partnerships

Community partnerships with Air Ambulance and a local children’s hospital, led by COO Rob Hodgkiss and senior managers embedding ESG principles into daily operations.

Powered by People

With 54 permanent staff and up to 60 temporary team members, Creative Hire is building on strong foundations. As part of Creative Live, we’re ready to scale our sustainability ambitions and embed ESG at the core of our growth.

The Journey

2010

Creative Hire founded, driven by a passion forinnovation, design, and exceptional customer service.

2015

Rapid growth in the events industry, expanding stock and services to support national and internationalshows.

2018

Recognition as a multi-award-winning leader, cementing ourreputation for quality and reliability.

2020

Reached a major milestone of supporting over 400 shows annually, with a growing role as officialcontractor.

2022

Furniture stock expanded to more than 30,000 pieces, enablingCreative Hire to provide fullturnkeyfurniture solutions.

2023

Sustainability journey begins with the creation of a Green Team to champion environmental initiativesacross the company.

2024

More than 135,000 furniture hires delivered in a single year.Launched community partnerships withAirAmbulance and a local children’s hospital.Seniorleadership begins embedding ESG into operations.

April 2025

Creative Hire joinsCreative Live, marking the beginning of a new chapter. This acquisition strengthensour ability to deliverinnovative solutions and accelerate our sustainability ambitions.

Present

Creative Live continues to grow, and alongsideCreative Hire, strengthens theCreative Group as a whole.

Our Focus Areas

Environment

At Creative Hire, sustainability is not a single initiative, it’s a mindset that guides how we work, design, andgrow. We’ve identified three key areas where our actions can make the most positive impact. We are committed to minimising our environmental footprint and supporting our clients in delivering moresustainable events. Our initiatives focus on resource efficiency, waste reduction, and circular design. Over 32,000 furniture pieces are continually reused and refurbished,extending their lifespan and reducing the need for new production.

Key Initiatives and Achievements

Waste Education

We actively divert materials from landfill through reuse, recycling, andresponsible disposal practices.

Enegry Efficiency

We are exploring renewable energy options and have implementedenergy-efficient operations across our facilities.

Circular Design Leadership

We continue to support the industry’s transition towardscircular solutions through sustainable product design and material innovation.

Substainsable 
Flooring

We use Rewind carpet, a reusable, fully recyclable flooring solutionmade without latex or harmful adhesives , eliminating single-use materials and reducing event waste.

Low Emission Transport

The majority of our team now operates electric vehicles, supportedby on-site charging infrastructure at our head office.

Smart Facilities

Motion-sensor LED lighting has been installed throughout our warehouse andoffice spaces to reduce unnecessary energy use.

Material Repurposing

We transform recycled textile graphics into reusable furniture bagsand other materials, extending the lifecycle of products and reducing waste.

Partnership With BEMATRIX

We partner with beMatrix, a leader in modular stand-building systems designed for reuse and minimalwaste.

Social

We believe in making a positive difference for our people, our partners, and the communities we serve. Our social responsibility initiativesfocus on creating safe, inclusive, and rewarding workplaces while supporting causes that matter to our team and clients.

Community Partnerships

We proudly support the Air Ambulance and a local children’s hospital, helping deliver life-saving services and care to those in need.

Safe and Fair Workplaces

We provide safe, fair, and rewarding employment for our 54 permanent and up to 60 seasonal employees, ensuring strong labourstandards and equitable treatment for all.

People Development

We continue to invest in our people through training, wellbeing initiatives, and career development opportunities designed to help everyteam member thrive.

Diversity and Inclusion

We are committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace, ensuring equal opportunities across our teams, clients, andpartnerships.

Responsible Business

For us, sustainability is about more than environmental performance, it’s about integrity, transparency, and strong governance. We areembedding responsibility into every level of our organisation to ensure long-term, ethical growth.

ESG Leadership

Environmental, Social, and Governance principles are integrated into our strategic decision-making under the leadership of ChiefOperating Officer Rob Hodgkiss

Strong Governance Structures

As part of Creative Live, we continue to strengthen governance processes to ensure accountability and resilience.

Ethical Business 
Practices

We build trust with our clients, partners, and stakeholders through transparent, ethical operations and adherence to the highestprofessional standards.

Aaccountability and Transparency

We are committed to measuring our progress and reporting openly, ensuring our stakeholders can track our sustainability journey withconfidence.

Our Alignment with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

At Creative Hire, our sustainability journey is guided by the United Nations SustainableDevelopment Goals (SDGs). While our work connects with many of the 17 goals, we haveidentified four SDGs where we can make the greatest impact through our operations,partnerships, and values.

creative hire Sustainable Development Goals

SDG 7-Affordable and Clean Energy

We’re investing in renewables through on-site solar panels, 100% renewableelectricity, EV vehicles/chargers, and motion-sensor lighting to cut energy use andemissions

SDG 12 - Responsible Consumption and Production

Our circular approach includes reusing over 32,000 furniture pieces, modularsystems such as BeMatrix, recyclable materials like rewind carpet, and repurposedtextile graphics.

SDG 13 -Climate Action

With carbon reporting by Green Circle Solutions, we’ve reduced our footprint by11% and are building a clear roadmap towards fully net zero carbon events.

SDG 17 - Partnerships forthe Goals

We collaborate with community charities, suppliers, and the wider Creative Livegroup to scale our sustainability impact and share best practice across theindustry

Our Impact & Metrics

We believe in transparency and accountability. Measuring our progress helps us understand where we are, where we’reheading, and how we can continue to improve. Here are some of the areas where we are already making an impact:

Creative Hire Sustainability Report

Carbon Footprint Reporting:

  • We partner with GreenCircle Solutions to measure and verify ourcarbon footprint, ensuring accurate data, transparent reporting, andcontinual improvement toward our net zero goals.
  • Programme Start: March 2024, reviewing the 12 months prior
  • - 2023/24 footprint: 59,865 kgCO₂e
    - 2024/25 footprint: 53,470 kgCO₂e
  • A reduction of 6,395 kgCO₂e (~11%)- Beating our target of a 10% reduction.

Key drivers

Installation of solar panels and a 100% renewableelectricity contract with British Gas.

Tracking

Emissions monitored per event to enable data-drivenimprovements

Electricity Consumption

2023/24: 162,913 kWh2024/25: 134,866 kWh
17% decrease directly linked to solar generation

Energy Efficiency Investments

Full LED lighting installation across offices and the NationalDistribution Centre (NDC).
Solar panels installed in June 2024, generating clean on-siteelectricity.
EV charging points added to support employees and visitorswith electric vehicles.

Giving Back Through Renewables

Surplus solar energy sold back to the grid generated £10,000 in2024/25. All proceeds are donated to our chosen charities,amplifying our positive impact

Gas Usage

Slight year-on-year increase observed in 2024/25. Usage is now being closely monitored as part of our carbonreporting.

Social Impact

Community Support:

Raised thousands of pounds for the AirAmbulance and a local children’s hospital in 2024,including £10,000 from solar energy

Employee Volunteering:

Our team regularly supports local and nationalcauses such as One Day at Christmas, TheTrussell Trust, and various sporting charityevents

Employee Wellbeing:

65% of employees took part in training,development, or wellbeing initiatives.

Diversity & Inclusion

45% of management roles held by women orunderrepresented groups.

Seasonal Workforce:

95% of seasonal staff returned year-on-year,reflecting strong engagement and satisfaction.

Responsible Business

ESG Integration:

35% of leadership KPIs are linked tosustainability goals.

Sustainable Supply Chain:

Began engaging suppliers to review theirsustainability policies, accreditations, and valuesto ensure ethical alignment.

Accreditations:

Began engaging suppliers to review theirsustainability policies, accreditations, and valuesto ensure ethical alignment.

Reporting:

Completed our first ESG and Carbon Report(2023/24), establishing a baseline to trackannual progress.

Looking Ahead

Our sustainability journey is still evolving. We’re proudof the progress we’ve made so far, from achieving ESSA Level 3 accreditation and installing solar power,to introducing carbon footprint reporting andsupporting our local communities. As we look to the next 5–10 years, our focus is onsteady, meaningful progress. We’ll continue to reduceour environmental impact, invest in our people, andstrengthen our responsible business practices toensure sustainable growth for the long term.

creative hire sustainability journey

Environment

Set a clear pathway to net zero

across our operations, alongside our long-term ambition todeliver fully net zero carbon events.

Increase renewable energy generation

through expanded on-site solar capacity andexploration of emerging low-carbon technologies.

Reduce waste and maximise reuse

continuing to extend the lifecycle of our 32,000+furniture items through refurbishment and repurposing.

Advance green logistics

reviewing opportunities to lower transport-related emissions andimprove efficiency across our supply chain.

Social

Expand community engagement

growing our employee volunteeringprogramme and partnerships with the AirAmbulance, Trussell Trust, and localchildren’s charities.

Investin our people

enhancing training,wellbeing, and development to ensureevery team member feels valued,supported, and empowered.

Champion diversity, equity, andinclusion

embedding these principlesacross all areas of our business andpartnerships

Responsible Business

Strengthen supplier collaboration

ensuring all key partners demonstraterobust sustainability policies, recognisedaccreditations, and shared values.

Enhance transparency

through thepublication of annual Carbon and ESGreports, tracking progress.

Pursue further accreditations

andstandards that independently validate oursustainability achievements.

Collaborate across Creative Live

aligningand scaling sustainability initiativesthroughout the wider group to amplify ourcollective impact.

Our Commitment

Sustainability is not a project, it’s a guiding principle. By embedding it into everything we do, fromthe design and reuse of our furniture to the way we power and manage our operations, we’reensuring that responsible practices become part of our everyday decisions rather than one-offinitiatives.As we move forward, Creative Hire will continue to develop innovative and practical solutions thatreduce our environmental impact and support a more sustainable events industry. Throughcollaboration, transparency, and continuous improvement, we aim to create lasting value, for ourclients, our people, and the planet.

Let’s Get Creative, Let’s Get Sustainable 

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At Creative Hire

Substainability is a mindset that guides our processes and growth.