HeadBox Connect Event Report: The Event Industry’s Greenwashing Problem

Greenwashing. Summed up by the UN as “misleading the public to believe that a company or entity is doing more to protect the environment than it is”, you’ll no doubt have seen plenty of examples of companies vaguely promising to do their bit for the environment. 

As priorities change and consumers gravitate to greener businesses, we risk facing a greenwashed events industry. With promises to be carbon neutral,  “green” and create a positive future, what exactly does it mean to be sustainable in the events industry and what does that look like? 

On Thursday 8th December, we headed to Frameless, the brand-new immersive gallery, to answer those questions and discuss what we can do to solve the events industry’s growing greenwashing problem touching on everything from ESG targets and the Net Zero Carbon Events Roadmap to sustainability tips. Chaired by Martin Fullard, Associate Director – News & Content at Davies Tanner who was joined by:

Sophie Leader, Business Development Manager at OLIO

George Foden, Managing Director, Wise Productions

Sara Imaoui, Food, Beverage and Sustainability Coordinator at Wyld by Nature

Gemma Bassett, Client Services Director, HeadBox

Keep reading to find out what these industry experts had to say on the event industry’s greenwashing problem…

Balancing ESG targets and creating memorable events

Producing sustainable events pre-COVID was costly but since then, there’s been a sizeable shift. Times are changing and so are attitudes to corporate sustainability. The speakers all agreed that meeting ESG targets and planning and hosting meaningful events isn’t impossible, it’s just about careful planning, preparation and resourceful thinking.

'Look at the end-to-end experience when creating sustainable events. Food and beverage options, marketing materials, and event swag are all quick fixes.' - Gemma Bassett, Client Services Director, HeadBox

Nightclubs are notorious for producing waste. Repurposing ingredients allows venues to get creative, reduce unnecessary waste and stand out from the crowd. For Sara at Wyld by Nature, the Butterfly Mark-certified sustainable nightclub, that means using biodegradable plates and cutlery as well as biodegradable straws made from agave because that’s already an ingredient needed for the tequila that goes into plenty of their drinks. 

The environmental impact of production is huge - everything from site visits, crew travel, technical equipment, set and scenery adds up. From a production perspective, George at Wise Productions (a leading event production company) suggested identifying potential savings while still keeping aesthetics as a priority. This could mean, as an example he gave, re-using carpets from big-budget events and hiring local crews to cut down on travel emissions.

It’s important to note that none of these changes requires event planners or venues to trade off on quality. Time, perhaps, but the rewards speak for themselves.

'There’s a real opportunity to audit clients and give them a score for their event. We need to give all clients a traffic/alphabet system - with options on how to improve their scores at the proposal front-end, not after the event has ended' - George Foden, Wise Productions

Choice and price are two of the biggest barriers to planning meetings and events, even more so for sustainable events, so offering a wide range of options is essential to both meet ESG targets and keep the event momentum going. 

Greenwashing or green hushing?

While there are countless companies jumping on the green bandwagon, Gemma raised an interesting point on “green hushing”. An increasing number of companies aren’t shouting about their excellent initiatives for fear of being seen as greenwashing. 

To fix this, make sustainable practices best practices consider ditching the buzzwords and be clear about what initiatives and certifications you have. Also, as Sara pointed out, focus on who you are as a business and what you do best, not just sustainability. For Wyld by Nature, that’s being fun and light and creating a cool space that brings people together.

'Sustainability is a way of life and a way of business' – Sara Imaoui, Food, Beverage and Sustainability Coordinator, Wyld by Nature

Data-led sustainability 

Facts and figures help fill in the missing gaps, and with events, it’s no different. With COP27, the focus has shifted to M&E and has given room for more data-led choices. Tracking energy usage is relatively easy and allows businesses to assess their impact but accuracy is absolutely crucial with data measurements. 

While digitising events is the way to go (our Connect event at Frameless is a great example of a waste-free event), George is clear that simply moving to only virtual events isn’t a long-term solution to decarbonising the events industry. Take the carbon footprint of data for example. A single email comes in anywhere between 0.3g CO2e to 26g CO2e and a live stream anywhere between 150 to 1,000 grams of carbon dioxide. So, what next?

Net Zero Carbon Events Roadmap

Launching at COP27, the Net Zero Carbon Events Roadmap offers an UN-approved clear-cut framework for sustainable events. 

Considering travel is the biggest contributor to an event’s carbon footprint, our panellists offered advice on how to tackle the event industry’s biggest challenge:

-Switching to regional events instead of international events, especially for internal team events

-Using a regional supply chain

-Setting yourself a mile-radius limit for suppliers

-And, as always, ask yourself: what is the purpose and what are you trying to achieve?

'The criteria for choosing a supplier has changed - now it’s not just service-led but also purpose-led' – Gemma Bassett, Client Services Director, HeadBox

Sustainable event tips - Food waste

'Do you have a redistribution model?'

It’s a question that we don’t often think to ask but Sophie Leader, Business Development Manager at OLIO, the food-sharing app, explained how crucial this question is. 

When you think about sustainable events, your mind probably goes to the venue first, the location and possibly the materials and products used at the event. Not often do people stop to think about food. Food Waste Scotland released staggering figures that “just a single kilogram of food waste to landfill produces the same carbon emissions as landfilling a staggering 25,000 500ml plastic bottles”. Surprising, right?

Offering same-day service, with an average collection time of 28 minutes in London, OLIO quickly, safely and easily accepts food so it doesn’t have to go to waste.

'10 meals left over from an event might not be much but if every event had that, that would be a lot of food to waste' – Sophie Leader, Business Development Manager, OLIO

Sophie’s tips on how to reduce food waste:

-Talk to caterers and ask questions.

-Re-think food waste. Redistribution should be an option.

-Get guests to RSVP and choose their meal ahead of time because guests are more likely to show up or let hosts know if they can’t attend.

-Don’t ignore the small things. Little changes make a big difference so they’re just as important as the big ones.

How can venues and suppliers put sustainability higher on their agenda?

Sustainability matters because events are valuable and we want to make sure we’re making the right choices. For Gemma, honesty and communication are a step in the right direction. For a lot of companies, they’re at the beginning of their sustainability journey so leveraging and sharing best practices amongst similar businesses is the way forward.

Q&A

Following the panel discussion, we held a short Q&A session. Members of the audience asked panellists their most pressing questions…

How do you balance client needs and company values?

George: This is something that’s considered across the entire industry. Of course, we want to meet client (and potential client) needs but it’s crucial to stick to our values and commitments, including sustainability and ESG targets. It’s becoming more common for companies to turn clients away if they feel like they’re not on the same page, and it’s something we had to do too.

‍How do you manage quality and attendance at regional events?

Martin: Shaping the narrative in the lead-up to, during and after your event, is essential. Communicating why you’ve made the switch to hosting regional events is also important.

Sophie: Education, speaking to clients about why you’ve made certain choices, creating meaningful experiences via technology [like this event] and focusing on post-event analysis. Getting a feel for what people think of your event will reap infinite benefits for ESG. 

Gemma: Making small changes that will leave a big impact. 

Do any of you have supplier diversity programs?

Sara: Wyld by Nature works with a variety of suppliers, from production to booking, including suppliers from minority groups. 

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Find out more about our panellists below:

Martin Fullard, chair – Associate Director – News & Content at Davies Tanner

Sophie Leader, Business Development Manager at OLIO

George Foden, Managing Director, Wise Productions

Sara Imaoui, Sustainability Coordinator at Wyld by Nature

Gemma Bassett, Client Services Director, HeadBox

‍This event was made possible thanks to Frameless, Rhubarb Catering, Wise Productions,  and Ability Hire.