What is Dissolution?
Dissolution is what happens to all the product that is used on a Major Event, once that event finishes. It is also the most overlooked aspect of any Major Event and one of the most challenging aspects of any project to execute well.
Everyone is so focused in the lead up to a Major Event on questions like, ‘Where do we get the product from?’, ‘When it will arrive?’, ‘When it does arrive, who will install it?’, ‘How long will it take to assemble?’ That the question of ‘What we do with it all at the end?’ Often doesn’t get thought of until the last minute.
So, what do we do with all that FF&E after an event? On an Olympic Games we might have over a million pieces of used FF&E that we are usually responsible for taking back at the end of a Games.
At RGS Events our Dissolution Programme has been developed and refined over 20+ years. We appreciate that Dissolution needs to be considered even before you sign a contract. Our Dissolution strategy forms an integral part of any tender response that we submit. We strongly believe in a circular economy and have a zero to waste policy, whereby none of our undamaged FF&E is sent to the trash. Every item finds a home following an event, whether that is at one of our Charity partners in the form of a donation or at one of our Dissolution partners.
On every project we identify local charities that ultimately receive a portion of the FF&E post Games. It is a good chance for us to be able to give something back in the form of Legacy within the local area. It’s important to work with these charities as early as possible in the process, so that we can work through the logistical operation that unfolds as the curtain comes down on another successful event.
The remainder of the product is quality checked and either packed for local resale or international export. It is then transported to our Dissolution partners all around the world. As the FF&E supplied for a major event needs to be above commercial quality, the lasting benefit is that the FF&E looks as good on the final day of the event, as it did on the first. As such, our Dissolution partners receive commercial quality product, that has been used for an incredibly short period, at a fraction of the cost to buy it new. It turns what could be a headache into a win-win scenario for all stakeholders.
With the right planning and time invested, a well thought out and executed dissolution strategy can become the cornerstone to delivering a highly sustainable event, coupled with a legacy approach at the forefront. If done properly a Major Event dissolution should be an incredible opportunity for everyone involved, from the Organising Committee, local charities through to the end dissolution partners. The key is to start thinking Dissolution early!