7 Event Sustainability Quick Wins that Make an Impact

Sustainability is an increasingly pressing concern and should be a priority that guides your event design from inception. However, it can be daunting to deviate from your normal playbook and approved vendor/partner list when you’re already being pressured to do more with less. 

How should you get started, and how do you get internal and external stakeholders on board?

What Is “Sustainability” and Why Do Your Stakeholders Care?

Sustainability is commonly understood in a few different ways. While this article will focus on the environmental aspects of sustainability, the term can encompass a range of broader global challenges.

In addition to solving the climate crisis, the United Nations Sustainable Development Group targets 17 global challenges (the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, or “UNSDGs”), which include ending hunger and poverty, providing affordable and clean energy, supporting economic growth and wellbeing, and promoting social justice. Any initiative within your event that supports one of these goals (e.g. an awareness campaign to combat human trafficking) can be considered a sustainable development activity.

One reason to pay attention to these is because consumers are increasingly adopting morally conscientious spending habits, at least where they can afford it, and this is also true of business-to-business purchasing decisions. 

This trend affects more than their marketing. Another acronym you’ll see around corporate social responsibility interests is “ESG,” which stands for environment, social, and (corporate) governance. These ESG criteria were developed in response to growing pressure to operate ethically on the part of investors. While some resisted ESG criteria on the assumption that they would compromise investment performance, data doesn’t appear to bear that out.

As a result, corporations are increasingly internalizing ESG values that translate into sustainability initiatives and partner-vetting criteria. For example, Net Zero Tracker reports that half of the 2000 largest companies have made a “Net Zero” commitment. Net Zero is a global campaign to halve carbon emissions by 2030 and reduce them to 0 by 2050 in accordance with the Paris Agreement on climate change. Within the event industry, this has led to initiatives like Net Zero Carbon Events (NZCE) designed to promote more environmentally sustainable practices.

Obstacles to Sustainable Event Planning

As reported by Skift Meetings, a 2022 report by the Global Business Travel Association (GBTA) found that the two biggest bottlenecks to sustainability action are “higher costs (82 percent) and lack of transparent sustainability data (63 percent).” 

To justify the expense of investing in sustainability, event professionals are looking for metrics they can use to substantiate impact. Per the GBTA report, “only 6 percent of respondents indicated that their company was using any framework to evaluate a meeting program’s sustainability score.”

Despite the fact that “accurately quantifying emissions [and] covering 100% of the boundary with primary data is rarely possible or feasible for events,” the NZCE’s guide to measuring your carbon score offers one framework and a timeline for tracking an event’s carbon score. 

However, not all event teams will have the bandwidth to figure out and implement a tracking system like this, in which case it might be useful to use a consultant. According to Shawna McKinley, principal at Clear Current Consulting and long-time sustainability advocate within events, you don’t need to become a carbon accountant to pursue sustainable events; there are a number of free tools available, and hiring a carbon accountant is more affordable than you might expect. “You’re spending far less to measure your carbon footprint than you would be spending to offset it.”

Another major obstacle is knowing how to pursue sustainability in practical terms. While many companies recognize the need (and the marketing imperative) to prioritize sustainability, publicizing these goals in a way that makes them accountable can be a bit of a minefield.

And while some may be tempted to make sustainability claims without the know-how or wherewithal to back them up, consumers are getting wiser to greenwashing and some governments are cracking down on misleading claims.

How to Get the Ball Rolling on Sustainability

All of the above puts event professionals in a tough spot. 

Event professionals are being pressured to make environmental progress with a reduced budget, a lack of clear standards, and in some cases a lack of experience in developing measurable action plans related to climate change. 

To make the process a little more approachable, here are eight areas where you can begin a conversation with your partners and other stakeholders about sustainability.

1. Travel and Transportation

Depending on the event, transportation and travel can account for up to 80% of an event’s carbon emissions. Optimizing it is crucial for reducing them. 

Be mindful of where your attendees are coming from and, where possible, select destinations that are nearby or are easily accessible via direct flights. Consider investing in more frequent regionally specific events and making larger, more travel-intensive events less frequent.

Within the destination city, choose venues that are well connected to a destination’s metro network and offer incentives for attendees to use public transportation or carpool. Partner with ride-sharing services to offer discounts or provide shuttle services from central locations. 

For long-distance travelers, offer virtual attendance options to reduce the need for air travel, and when possible, encourage the use of carbon offset programs for flights.

2. Waste Minimization Beyond Single-Use Plastics

“Single-use plastics” have been a recurrent target of sustainability campaigns for years, but while this is a noble pursuit, minimizing waste goes beyond straws and coffee lids.

Rather, event planners should focus on reducing overall material usage and promoting reuse. Replacing printed materials with digital solutions is likely the most straightforward way to do that. For event materials, go paperless by providing digital agendas, brochures, and maps through a mobile event app. Not only does this approach save resources, but it also offers a more interactive and accessible way for attendees to engage with event content. Make sure to communicate these changes clearly to attendees so they know where to find digital resources.

Encourage vendors and exhibitors to minimize their waste by offering incentives for those who use sustainable materials or reduce packaging. Think about how to reduce the waste and the lift associated with setting up booths and other infrastructure, like using inflatable walls that can be rented or reused.

Virtual swag and paper bans can significantly cut down on waste as well. Instead of physical swag bags filled with items that may end up in the trash, ask exhibitors to offer digital swag such as free trials, online subscriptions, or downloadable content. 

A great alternative to physical swag that produces material waste is digital swag. Ask exhibitors to offer limited trials and include links within the mobile event app. Consider allowing them to use a mobile event game or their lead retrieval solution to raffle a free sample of their products or services.

Also, consider implementing waste sorting stations to ensure proper recycling and composting of materials.

3. More Sustainable Badging

Sustainable badging is about more than just avoiding plastic; it’s about the lifecycle of the materials used. 

Opt for badges made from recycled or biodegradable materials, such as paper, and eliminate the need for plastic badge holders by printing directly on the badge. Alternatively, explore the use of mobile apps or QR codes that can replace physical badges altogether.

4. Venue Vetting

Selecting the right venue plays a significant role in your event’s sustainability. When vetting venues, prioritize those with strong sustainability practices, such as LEED certification, energy-efficient lighting and HVAC systems, and waste reduction programs.

Ask venues about their recycling programs, water conservation efforts, and the availability of locally sourced, organic food options. Additionally, consider the venue’s proximity to public transportation and accommodations to minimize attendee travel emissions. 

A venue that aligns with your sustainability goals will not only reduce the environmental impact but also reinforce your event’s commitment to eco-friendly practices. The CVB or DMO for your destination should be able to support your sustainable selection.

5. Low/No-Waste F&B

Food and beverage (F&B) services can generate significant waste. Partner with caterers who prioritize seasonal, locally sourced, and organic ingredients to reduce the carbon footprint associated with food production and transport. Plan menus carefully to avoid excess, and work with local food banks to donate any leftover food, ensuring that surplus does not go to waste. 

Some venues also incorporate sustainable F&B into their infrastructure by using greenhouses or onsite gardens to produce food locally and compost waste. Simply asking about solutions like this can create pressure for venues to invest in programs like this by making it clear that it’s part of your selection criteria.

Lastly, encourage the use of reusable or compostable dishware and utensils and encourage people to bring and use reusable bottles for beverages.

6. Energy Efficiency

Energy efficiency should be a priority throughout the event planning process. Choose venues that use renewable energy sources or have energy-saving measures in place. For example, both the Dubai World Trade Centre and the Tokyo International Forum make use of rooftop solar panels as a source of energy and a sustainable way to manage heating and cooling.

Encourage the use of natural light where possible and reduce unnecessary lighting and equipment use by, for example, prioritizing smaller and more interactive sessions over those that require large theaters and screens. For AV setups, opt for energy-efficient equipment and schedule power-down periods for all devices when not in use. 

In addition to reducing the travel requirement, providing virtual options or hybrid formats can also help reduce the energy load associated with large in-person gatherings.

7. Recruiting Partners

Your partners play a crucial role in the sustainability of your event. When recruiting vendors, sponsors, and exhibitors, prioritize those who share your commitment to environmental sustainability. 

Look for partners who use eco-friendly materials, have strong sustainability policies, and are transparent about their environmental impact. Work with them to ensure that their contributions to the event align with your sustainability goals—whether that’s through reducing waste, lowering energy consumption, or minimizing transportation emissions. By aligning with like-minded partners, you create a unified front that not only enhances the event’s sustainability but also strengthens its overall brand image.

In order to support your partner networking in becoming more sustainable, consider working with a sustainability consultant to create guidelines and a list of approved suppliers for sustainable solutions. Partners can also play a big role in offsetting the cost of sustainable initiatives at your event. Allow them to connect these initiatives with sponsorship opportunities by, for example, allowing your top sponsor to supply the reusable water bottles for the event.

Aim for Progress Over Perfection

Sustainability is not an all-or-nothing proposition. While a practical action plan is essential to meeting a meaningful sustainability commitment, event organizers at the beginning of their journey are bound to encounter roadblocks. 

“You don’t need to be an expert to start,” says McKinley. “The most important thing is to make a start and to learn as you go.” Simply starting to integrate sustainability into the areas above will reinforce it as a cultural cornerstone in your organization and decision-making processes.

Incorporating sustainability objectives into your event planning from the outset is the best way to both avoid pitfalls and to make the biggest impact with your sustainability investments. For McKinley, a common problem is that sustainability is tacked onto the end of the process after most of the major decisions have been made. This is why measuring your carbon footprint is such a crucial step. Understanding where your carbon emissions come from will inform the steps you take to mitigate them

Your event tech partners can also be powerful consultative resources. Having supported 1000s of events, the Stova team is well positioned to help you pursue a more sustainable future. From advice on how to move from printed materials to digital formats or how to manage remote audiences, we are ready to support you.