Sustainability Policy

We at A Lush Affair recognize the impact our operations have on the environment and society and commit to minimizing our environmental footprint and greenhouse gas emissions as a guiding principle and as a key component of our business practice. We will strive to align all facets of our operations with environmental, social, and ethical best practices.

Guiding Principles

A Lush Affair shall strive to be an environmentally and socially responsible business and workplace. To this end, A Lush Affair shall make every reasonable effort to:

  • Integrate sustainability concerns and impacts into all of our decision-making and activities

  • Increase the event sector’s awareness of sustainability issues by fostering values, knowledge and skills which will enable us to work towards positive environmental and social impacts

  • Support our local communities by working with independent local businesses and organizations

  • Provide adequate resources to meet our sustainability commitments

  • Foster a culture in which all persons working at A Lush Affair understand and promote these commitments

  • Ensure that staff have the tools, training, procedures and resources needed to conduct their work in a sustainably responsible manner

  • Develop and maintain systems and practices to ensure that sustainability requirements are fully integrated into our operations

  • Make purchasing decisions using the criteria set out in this Sustainability Policy to ensure that purchases are evaluated based on a balance between economic, social and environmental life-cycle factors

  • Review, evaluate and communicate our environmental performance

  • Be a recognized leader within the events sector for sustainability and progressive environmental leadership

  • Regularly review and improve the Sustainability Policy to ensure that it is up-to-date and relevant

Community

  • Purchase core products (at least 50% of expenses) from independent suppliers local to where the product will be used or where we operate

  • Serve at least 75% local and independent clients or customers

Purchasing

  • Whenever possible, source from local, independent suppliers that are making a positive difference to society, including certified B-Corporation, co-operative, fair trade, social enterprise and other social purpose businesses

  • When price and quality are equal, preference will also be given to independent, woman, or minority-owned suppliers physically located within 240 kilometers of A Lush Affair’s location in Toronto.

  • Maintain purchasing policies which favour environmentally benign, post-consumer, biodegradable, and non-toxic products wherever possible

  • Purchase and use environmentally responsible products that have been selected based on criteria including:

    • Low toxicity

    • Durability and Life cycle

    • Use of recycled materials

    • Reduced packaging

    • Ability to be recycled, refilled or refurbished at end of life

    • Local and Regional Materials

    • Certified Organic and/or Fair Trade

  • Paper materials should meet one or more of the following criteria:

    • At least 50% post-consumer recycled material

    • At least 50% rapidly renewable materials

    • At least 50% materials harvested or extracted and processed within 500 miles

    • At least 50% FSC certified paper products

  • Use 3rd Party Certification as Guidelines for Planning and Purchasing such as:

    • LEED and other green building standards

    • Eco-Logo Environmental Choice Program

    • Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)

    • Energy Star Certified

    • Greenguard

    • Greenseal

    • Other rigorous and independent third-party certifications will be considered on a case by case basis

Resource Consumption

  • Promote efficient use of materials and resources including water, electricity, raw materials and other resources, particularly those that are non-renewable

  • Prevent the over consumption of energy and other resources and reduce the production of waste, and the release of substances harmful to the biosphere

 Waste Reduction & Recycling

  • Encourage our clients and the events community to Reduce/Re-use/Recycle

  • Reduce waste through re-use and recycling and by purchasing recycled, recyclable or re-furbished products and materials where these alternatives are available, economical and suitable