Beyond the Bubbles: How Veuve Clicquot Turned a Milestone into a Model of Sustainable Impact

When Veuve Clicquot set out to celebrate its 250th anniversary, the plan was ambitious. A travelling exhibition, a creative tribute to Madame Clicquot’s trailblazing spirit, and a bold experience that would bring champagne culture to life in London. But there was one crucial difference. This wasn’t just a showcase of heritage and glamour. It was a statement of intent about how events can and should be done differently.

Before the first guest stepped inside the Solaire Culture exhibition in London, a sustainability story was already in motion. Several items had already been placed with charities and community groups ahead of the installation. Information within the exhibition itself highlighted how the experience had been put together with reuse in mind and how partners like Event Cycle were helping to turn that commitment into reality.

Together with creative agency ARTER, production partners True Staging and Polar Black Events, and reuse specialists Event Cycle, Veuve Clicquot embedded sustainability into the project from the very beginning. The goal was clear: minimise waste, maximise material lifespan, and create positive impact far beyond the event’s run time.

That intention paid off. In total, 54 pieces of furniture, 210 square metres of carpet, and 50 custom plinths were diverted from disposal and given a second life. The environmental return included nearly 20 tonnes of CO₂e saved, half from avoiding landfill and half from avoiding new purchases. The social return was £89,200 in measurable value delivered to 17 charities, with donations supporting 10 of the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

At Holme Farm in Woking, a team of volunteers is transforming a disused eight-acre site into a wellbeing hub for the local community. The materials donated by Veuve Clicquot are now being used to build a café, meeting room, toilet block and woodwork studio, saving critical funds and accelerating the build. Some of the wood will even be repurposed in the carpentry classes that bring residents together to learn practical skills.

In Dover, the social enterprise Bemix is running a record store and creative space led by individuals with learning disabilities and autism. Their bold, colourful furniture was a perfect fit for the playful pieces from the Solaire Culture exhibition.

“We are over the moon with the deliveries….The bright colours suit our style and logo and will add a real zing to our project. Our record shop and session areas are going to be brilliant”

Lisa at Bemix

Across Hillingdon and Slough, Trinity Homeless Projects used the donations to furnish supported housing for more than 240 residents. From clothes rails to coffee machines to fitted carpet, the materials brought dignity, warmth and practicality into spaces where people are rebuilding their lives.

Each of these moments speaks to the same truth. Event materials don’t have to be single-use. With planning, creativity and collaboration, even the most high-end experience can be designed with a legacy in mind.

By rethinking what an exhibition could be and what it could leave behind, Veuve Clicquot proved that sustainability and storytelling are not mutually exclusive. They turned a one-off celebration into a tool for long-term impact. In doing so, they offered the events industry an incredible example of what it means to lead with purpose.

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