As one of Liverpool City Region’s most unique visitor attractions, Strawberry Field is demonstrating how sustainability can create meaningful benefits for people as well as places.
Through its commitment to accessibility, community partnerships, responsible operations and employability programmes, the award-winning attraction is helping to shape a more inclusive and regenerative visitor economy.
We spoke with Strawberry Field’s Commercial Manager, Sue Harvey about the organisation’s sustainability journey, the power of collaboration and why creating positive social impact is central to the organisation’s vision for the future.
First Sue, please tell us all about Strawberry Field.
“Strawberry Field is much more than a visitor attraction. As the place that inspired John Lennon’s famous song, it offers visitors the opportunity to discover a unique part of Liverpool’s cultural heritage through an immersive exhibition, peaceful gardens, a welcoming café and retail experience.
“What makes Strawberry Field particularly special is its social purpose. Every visit directly supports our Steps to Work Programme, which helps young people aged 18 to 25 who face barriers to employment build skills, confidence and pathways into the workplace. Creating opportunities for people and making a positive difference in our community sits at the heart of everything we do.”
What sustainability initiatives have you implemented within your organisation?
“We’ve been working closely with Green Tourism to better understand our sustainability performance and identify opportunities for continuous improvement. The process has helped us take a deeper look at how we operate and where we can make meaningful changes.
“Collaboration has also played an important role in our journey. We’ve worked alongside other regional sustainability champions and our Head Office team, drawing on their expertise and experience to strengthen our environmental practices and ensure we’re operating as responsibly as possible.
“For us, sustainability is about constantly learning, evolving and looking for ways to improve, rather than standing still.”
What prompted you to introduce these sustainability initiatives?
“From the outset, Strawberry Field was designed as a state-of-the-art building, with innovative sustainable technology built into its foundations. It was important to us that the visitor experience reflected those same standards.
“Every aspect of our operation has been carefully considered to align with our values of sustainability, quality and social impact. We wanted to create an environment that feels welcoming, forward thinking and reflective of our wider mission.
“As an organisation that exists to make a positive difference, sustainability felt like a natural extension of who we are and what we stand for.”
What impact have these changes had?
“The response has been incredibly positive and encouraging. One of the highlights of our journey so far was being recognised with the Regenerative Tourism Award at the Liverpool Tourism Awards, which was a fantastic achievement for the whole team.
“Our staff are fully engaged in the journey and are always looking for new ideas and opportunities to create positive change. Every suggestion is explored and considered, which helps foster a culture of continuous improvement across the organisation.
“We’ve also received extremely positive feedback from visitors and tour operators. It’s encouraging to see guests recognising and valuing the work we’re doing, and it motivates us to keep building on that progress.”
What support, tools or guidance have helped you on your sustainability journey?
“We’ve benefited enormously from working with stakeholders and partners across the region. Their advice helped shape our approach and gave us a clearer understanding of the opportunities available to us.
“The Green Tourism portal has been a particularly valuable resource, helping to guide our thinking and support decision making. We’ve also learned a great deal through collaboration with charities, organisations and businesses that are on similar journeys.
“Working with organisations such as AccessAble and Colostomy UK has helped us strengthen our accessibility and inclusion offer, while research into our gardens and biodiversity has supported our efforts to enhance the local environment.
“We also worked with a student from the University of Liverpool who helped collate information for our application process, demonstrating the value of partnership and shared learning.”
What advice would you give to organisations looking to improve their sustainability practices?
“Sustainability means different things to every organisation, so it’s important to focus on what’s both achievable and meaningful for your business and your team.
“Start by identifying the changes that can have the biggest impact and embed them in a way that is practical and sustainable over the long term. Small, consistent improvements can often achieve significant results.
“It’s also important to consider the wider impact of your decisions, from the experience you provide for guests to the role you play in supporting local suppliers, communities and the regional economy.”
What are your future sustainability goals?
“Sustainability is an ongoing journey and we’re committed to continuous improvement across every area of the organisation.
“Our priorities include enhancing biodiversity throughout our gardens, reducing our environmental impact through energy efficiency and waste reduction initiatives, and continuing to expand our accessibility and inclusivity offer so every visitor feels welcomed and supported.
”We’re also passionate about growing the impact of our Steps to Work Programme, creating even more opportunities for young people to gain valuable skills, training and employment pathways within a supportive environment.
“Looking ahead, we’ll continue working closely with sustainability champions, local stakeholders, specialist charities and partners across Liverpool City Region. By staying connected to our community, listening to our visitors and embracing innovation, we hope to continue leading by example and demonstrating how tourism can create lasting positive impact for people, places and future generations.”
Learn more about Strawberry Field HERE.
To begin or advance your own business’s sustainability journey, access our dedicated sustainability business support website section HERE.