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Powering global law excellence at the INTERPOL General Assembly

1k+

International law enforcement attendees from 170 countries

86%

Reduction in car usage compared to previous year's event

>1.4%

Of waste to landfill

Day intensive programme including plenaries, workshops, bilateral meetings and a gala dinner

The challenge

The UK Home Office entrusted Identity with the end-to-end planning, production, management, and delivery of INTERPOL’s 2024 General Assembly, the largest gathering of international law enforcement bodies who convene annually to determine international best practice in the fight against major crime and security threats. The four-day conference placed Glasgow and the UK under the scrutiny of global media, intensified by the attendance of the UK Prime Minister and HRH Prince Edward. Drawing 1,000 delegates from 170 countries, the gathering required our deep expertise and close collaboration with stakeholders and delivery partners to ensure sustainable, seamless and resilient execution and the positive perceptions of both the in-person attendees and the at-home audience.

Approach

Working with the UKHO, INTERPOL, venue teams and stakeholders including the UKHO’s sustainability consultant, we determined clear event objectives including attainment of ISO20121 Sustainable Event Management and PAS 2060 Carbon Neutrality certifications and applied key principles of sustainability, innovation and delivering best value. Identity crafted a best-in-class team of local talent blended with specialists experienced in major summit delivery, many of whom had delivered COP26 at the venue previously, bringing knowledge transfer and existing great relationships. The event’s complex requirements included simultaneous translation and a sophisticated voting system in a 1,000pax plenary with a 35m wide LED screen, with technical design considering both the in person, media and at home audiences. When the UK Prime Minister and HRH Prince Edward confirmed attendance one week in advance, anticipating the swell in media interest but with no concrete understanding of likely take-up until 24 hours ahead of the event opening, we devised a cost-efficient three-tier strategy for the activation of media facilities – including host broadcast and multi-channel social media livestream facilities – supporting 50, 100 or 200 national and international media. This meant the client retained flexibility to confirm requirements late without financial penalty.

Transport logistics were also extremely complex and required close collaboration with stakeholders and local authorities to ensure seamless operation and minimised citywide impact. Tasked with providing transportation for 1,000+ attendees from three Ports of Entry and between 11 hotels and four venues, we developed transport operational plans in a fleet including electric MPVs and hybrid vehicles supporting the event’s sustainability objectives.

Result

Our commitment to sustainable, innovative solutions ensured seamless delivery on time and in budget. We achieved ISO20121 Sustainable Event Management and PAS 2060 Carbon Neutrality certifications, positioning the INTERPOL General Assembly as a leader in internationally recognised best practice. Our intentional deployment of a blended team of major summit specialists and local expertise drove efficiencies for UKHO, accelerating planning through experience and knowledge transfer. With a ‘local first’ strategy, we minimised expenditure and environmental impact while benefitting the local economy. Intelligent application of sustainable circular design principles resulted in 92.9% of waste repurposed, recycled or composted, with only 1.4% (154.7 kgs) going to landfill, and tight coordination of a robust transportation plan delivered incredible impact, including an 86% reduction in individual delegate car usage from the previous event.