Sustainability advisory group holds first meeting
Geraldine Kendall, 05.07.2010
Panel won't take a "tick-box approach" to evaluation, says Davies
The Museums, Libraries and Archive Council’s (MLA) new advisory group on sustainability held a “constructive” first meeting last Thursday, according to MA head of policy and communication Maurice Davies, who chairs the group.
The Renaissance Sustainability Advisory Group (RSAG) plans to analyse the best examples of Renaissance investment in terms of both economic and environmental sustainability, looking at why they were successful and what museums could stand to learn from their practices.
The panel’s findings will influence future Renaissance programmes and policies, including how money is allocated to support sustainability in museums.
The group is currently deciding which projects to include in their research. Davies said that the consultants plan to work closely with people and organisations involved rather then taking a “tick-box approach”.
He said that the group would take a “multi-faceted look at lots of different impacts”, including social - as well as economic - returns on investment.
The RSAG was set up as part of MLA’s national evaluation of sustainability work, which is overseen by BOP Consulting. The group will meet twice more before a full report on their findings is published in March 2011.
Davies said: “I’m pleased MLA are looking at the effectiveness of their investment in sustainability and very pleased that we can add to the quality of the work by explaining to them what we discovered from our findings on sustainability.
“It’s great that the panel is made up of representatives from the National Trust and national and independent museums, as well as from Renaissance itself.”
To read more about the MA's work on sustainability, click here
For more information on the panel members, click here
(Image: Waterlilly House, Kew Gardens, RBG Kew)
The Renaissance Sustainability Advisory Group (RSAG) plans to analyse the best examples of Renaissance investment in terms of both economic and environmental sustainability, looking at why they were successful and what museums could stand to learn from their practices.
The panel’s findings will influence future Renaissance programmes and policies, including how money is allocated to support sustainability in museums.
The group is currently deciding which projects to include in their research. Davies said that the consultants plan to work closely with people and organisations involved rather then taking a “tick-box approach”.
He said that the group would take a “multi-faceted look at lots of different impacts”, including social - as well as economic - returns on investment.
The RSAG was set up as part of MLA’s national evaluation of sustainability work, which is overseen by BOP Consulting. The group will meet twice more before a full report on their findings is published in March 2011.
Davies said: “I’m pleased MLA are looking at the effectiveness of their investment in sustainability and very pleased that we can add to the quality of the work by explaining to them what we discovered from our findings on sustainability.
“It’s great that the panel is made up of representatives from the National Trust and national and independent museums, as well as from Renaissance itself.”
To read more about the MA's work on sustainability, click here
For more information on the panel members, click here
(Image: Waterlilly House, Kew Gardens, RBG Kew)
