Shambala - 2022 impact report review
What a wonderful impact report I have for you this week! It's for Shambala, run by Kambe Events Ltd.
👍🏻 3 things I like...
1. ATTENTION TO DATA
They share a LOT of data and their strategy appears to be data-driven.
They’re deep diving in areas where they know they have the most opportunity for improvement. E.g. understanding how people get to the festival since this is by far the largest source of carbon emissions. Providing unusual alternatives – e.g. cycling there in partnership with Red Fox. Partnering with The Centre for Climate and Social Transformations on a travel behaviour research project.
2. MIX OF QUAL & QUANT DATA
They share a huge amount of quantitative data. And also stories, including a series of lovely videos that bring the whole report (and festival) to life.
In my experience, the social aspects of impact in particular are hard to report effectively using just numbers. Case studies and interviews can be much more powerful at conveying the difference a business has made.
3. PLAN FOR WHAT’S NEXT
Their Green Road Map 2025 gets a whole page on the website all to itself! The plan is detailed and the objectives are specific, clear, ambitious and measurable.
âť“3 questions it raises
1. WHY IS THEIR FUEL CONSUMPTION SO MUCH LOWER THAN OTHERS?
Fuel consumption per person at Shambala is 30% of the UK festival average. The report gives some insight into this but I imagine there’s a huge amount other festivals could learn from them so it would be great to understand more.
2. WHAT NEXT FOR TRAVEL?
Travel is their biggest source of carbon emissions and so an area of massive focus. By 2025, they’re aiming for 40% of the audience to be travelling to the festival by low carbon, shared transport (coaches, trains, bikes and electric vehicle). And for 80% of the cars that come to site to contain at least 3 people.
I’d love to know how they’re going to achieve this. What plans and ideas have they got? What are the more "out there" ideas?!
How are they going to shift travel away from cars and campervans?
What have they done already that’s worked and they could scale further?
How can other festivals learn from them?
3. HOW DOES THEIR GOVERNANCE & CULTURE ENABLE THEIR PIONEERING APPROACH?
What’s being achieved with Shambala is radical. The team are showing that there’s a different way of doing things. And that it’s possible to both massively reduce the negative impact on people and planet … and increase the positive impact of the event.
What are the structures and processes within Kambe Events that support / enable this culture and approach?
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You can read the report for yourself here and let me know what you think.
If you’re preparing to write your own impact report, you might find my FREE Impact Reporting Roadmap helpful: