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

• 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