A Manchester arena has been singled out by Billie Eilish’s team for a major sustainability award.
The UK’s largest arena has been awarded the Billie Eilish Award for Sustainability (Venue) at the Pollstar Live! Awards in Los Angeles, alongside being named one of three inaugural winners of the MSA Bobby Weir Sustainability Award.
Selected by Eilish, her mother and activist Maggie Baird and their wider team, the Pollstar award recognised sustainability initiatives delivered during the artist’s four sold-out Manchester shows in July 2025.
The collaboration saw Co-op Live deliver a fully plant-based food offering across all four shows, which was a first at this scale in the UK arena sector.
Outcomes included a 100% plant-based menu across 66 items; a 47% reduction in emissions compared to a typical arena event; emissions savings equivalent to 45 flights from Manchester to Dublin; 3.5 million litres of water saved; and up to 65% emissions reductions on popular fan food items, with plant-based burgers cutting emissions by approximately 89%
The venue now maintains a minimum of 40% plant-based menu options at all events.
Beyond the Billie Eilish shows, Co-op Live said sustainability has been built into its wider operations, including running on 100% renewable energy, harvesting rainwater for facilities, diverting all operational waste from landfill and sourcing the majority of food locally.
Chris Granger, CEO of Oak View Group, said: “Protecting the climate is one of the most critical responsibilities we have – as a company and as a society. That commitment was front and centre when designing Co-op Live and continues to guide our operations every day. In a time when climate action is more urgent than ever, we’re proud to set a new standard for what a modern, sustainable venue can be.”
Sara Tomkins, Sustainability & CSR Director at Co-op Live, added: “These awards are a proud moment for everyone involved in Co-op Live and a powerful recognition of what can be achieved when sustainability is embedded across the team from day one. Working closely with artists like Billie Eilish allows us to push boundaries and demonstrate that world-class live experiences can go hand in hand with meaningful environmental action.”
The dual recognition from Pollstar and the Music Sustainability Alliance highlights a growing shift in how artists, venues and audiences are approaching live events – with collaborations like this increasingly shaping expectations around sustainability at scale.
