The Ultimate Guide to Sustainable Events

Sustainable events have never been more important. 

With an increase in consumer consciousness around sustainability and a growing awareness of the effects events are having on the climate, it’s clear that there has never been a better or more crucial time to take tangible steps towards a more sustainable events industry. In the words of The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), “the time for action is now”. 

As much as we would hope that would be enough to mobilise the industry into action, we understand that there are important questions that remain unanswered. The biggest being, what does that action look like? 

From the workshops and sessions we’ve hosted with clients, we’ve come to understand that one of the biggest barriers to becoming more sustainable is not knowing where, or how, to start. That’s why we’ve created this guide, to act as a starting point, with all the key information you need to take the necessary steps to contribute to a more sustainable events industry.

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What is sustainability? 

The UN defines sustainability as “meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.”

In that same vein, sustainability in the events industry would mean taking a holistic approach and considering everything from the suppliers, venues, catering and marketing used to the travel and accommodation and the energy used before, during, and after an event.

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Why does sustainability matter in the events industry?

Unsurprisingly, the hospitality and events industry is one of the least sustainable industries. In 2019, Hope Solutions, one of the UK’s leading sustainability consultants, released a report which revealed that the events industry in the UK emits 1.2 billion kilograms of CO2e, roughly the same level as Malta. Also considering the virtual event emissions (from network data transfer, pre-event meetings and computer use) it’s clear that this industry has a largely negative impact on the environment.

A whopping 80% of workplaces are not running sustainable meetings and events according to their employees. As millions of people attend events each year, it’s important to rethink the way we do events. Events aren’t just events - they’re a meeting of minds, a place to share ideas, network and discuss solutions that inevitably benefit us all. 

Sustainable events are innovative events, and at the most basic level, hosting events would be impossible without a healthy planet.

As shown on the chart, travel typically contributes to the largest portion of an event’s carbon footprint, 60%. The larger the event and the further you have to travel, the bigger the carbon footprint.

“With increased pressure from stakeholders and attendees to embrace an environmentally-friendly approach to event planning, sustainability is no longer a nice-to-have, it’s a top priority. However, our research shows 26% of employees working in event management don’t even think their own events are sustainable! Fortunately, in 2022, with proper planning, an amazing event doesn’t need to cost the earth.” – Gemma Bassett, HeadBox Client Services Director

Carbon Neutral vs Net Zero

When discussing sustainability, the terms “carbon neutral” and “Net Zero” are often used, and sometimes incorrectly used interchangeably. It’s important to differentiate between the two, so to clarify:

• Carbon neutrality is about measuring your carbon footprint and then offsetting it via carbon reduction or removal programmes.

• Net Zero refers to reducing carbon emissions as much as possible and then neutralising the rest via carbon removal programmes.

The goal for a sustainable events industry is to move towards Net Zero. It’s more important to reduce the emissions instead of just offsetting emissions that already exist.

Sustainable events and event management

The Net Zero Carbon Events initiative was launched in August 2021 to bring the global events industry together to reach Net Zero by 2050. At COP27, their Net Zero Carbon Events Roadmap was officially launched. In it, they break down the key industry priority action areas – energy, production and waste, food and food waste, freight and logistics and travel. 

Their Roadmap is structured around those five priority areas:

1.  Clean, renewable energy at events

2. Waste-free events that only use sustainable materials 

3. Eliminating food waste and sourcing food sustainably

4. Moving towards zero emissions logistics

5. Reducing emissions of travel to events 

It serves as an essential framework for venues, suppliers, and organisers when thinking about their own events. 

So, in that way, sustainable event management looks at how to plan and host an event that doesn’t negatively impact the environment, while also considering the inevitable fact that each event has different needs. No two events are the same, so sustainable event management would need to look at the venue, the number of attendees, and the type of travel and accommodation needed for each event.

“Have you considered using recycled paper? Do you need to single-use name badges? It’s these little things we need to think about. Because if you imagine a conference for 2000 people. Every single person who attends that conference gets a single paper badge. There’ll be loads of marketing material around that day for the conference and then in the evening when it becomes an award dinner there’s a really nice glossy brochure and we might even get through 10,000 single-use paper cups.” – Lynne Waite, Events and Operations Consultant

‍What is being done now?

Alongside the Net Zero Carbon Events Initiative, companies are working to calculate their carbon footprint, some use dashboards, while others offer carbon calculators. 

More and more companies and organisations are committing to setting Science Based Targets (the gold standard for setting carbon reduction targets). 

‍ISO 20121, the sustainable event management standard, also offers guidance and best practices to manage events, regardless of type, sustainably, and at all stages.

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Sustainable event tips 

1. Consider your impact

The first step to incorporating more sustainable events into your M&E programme is to consider what you've done in the past and where you can make positive realistic changes. Carefully examine all areas of a previous event, from location and venue to food and plastic use. You don't have to change everything at once, choosing one area and looking for ways to improve is a great start.

2. Find a sustainable venue

A surefire way to ensure an eco-friendly event is to find a sustainable venue. Lots of venues are taking their own steps to reduce their carbon footprint and achieve sustainability credentials. Why not show them some support – our list of sustainable venues is full of amazing spaces doing their bit for the planet. 

3. Leave without a trace

There’s nothing better than the feeling of pulling off an amazing event– except when the event was amazing and totally waste-free. Put a ban on single-use plastic – for example, instead of a pop-up banner that goes to landfill, try a digital wayfinder. A deposit and return system encourages guests to return empty containers – why not get creative and brainstorm how to reuse certain items (could a local artist use empty wine bottles to make drinking glasses?) Hopefully, you’ve received RSVPs so you know how much food you need, but if you do have leftovers, try OLIO. They send food waste heroes to collect surplus food and donate it to local communities.

“One of the things that I hear again and again is accountability and taking ownership. It’s this little act of giving away spare food that we can all do together that will have a huge impact on the environment and OLIO makes this a lot easier to do.” – Michael Barsties, Senior Product Manager, OLIO

4. Be responsible

Where possible, ensure the food supplied by caterers is responsibly sourced – this will reduce the distance it travels and keep emissions low. Also, we know that nearly 20% of Millennials and 37% of Gen-Z are keen to see locally sourced food at events – so it’s not only the planet that will thank you.

5. Keep it local ‍

Booking local venues is not only a great way to save on travel costs and help the environment, but it’ll also make it easier for everyone to attend. 

Long commutes rarely make the list of enjoyable experiences. The UK’s employees seem to agree - our research shows that having a convenient location for the work event was a top priority. Choosing a local venue is a great way to bolster accessibility for all attendees. On top of this, cutting down on travel costs will allow you to do more with less. So put away the atlas and get to know your surroundings next time you’re planning a work outing.

6. Be efficient

It’s worth repeating that meticulously planning your event will help to avoid harming the environment by wasting resources. If you’re going for a smaller attendees list, you probably won’t need a big production team with lots of energy-consuming equipment. 

If it’s a large-scale operation, using renewable energy sources is an easy switch that has the potential of not only reducing your footprint but also reducing your overall energy bill. Further investment in the latest technology can also help cut power usage. Think of switching to LED lighting and more energy-efficient systems.

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Conclusion 

It’s clear that there’s work to be done but the good news is that we have a clear framework to work towards.

It’s more than just venues, everyone from organisers and service providers to the destinations, sponsors and even the attendees has a responsibility to act. And act now.

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Here at HeadBox, we’re committed to driving change and making a positive impact in the events industry. Our vision for sustainability is to be a real partner to our clients and grow our business by embedding sustainability in our service and products and aiming for Net Zero.