This post is an essential introduction to sustainable event planning. We will outline some principles and practices you can adopt to help make your events more sustainable without compromising on quality.
Setting Sustainability Goals for Events
What exactly do you wish to achieve in terms of event sustainability? Set some clear goals and you can track your progress while assessing what works, and what might need rethinking.
Possible goals to track could include:
- Lower carbon emissions.
- Carbon offsetting projects – such as planting more trees.
- Reduced waste to landfill.
- Reduced energy use.
To set your sustainability goals, you will first have to establish some benchmark figures. For example, what is your business’s current carbon footprint? How much energy do your current events use, and how much waste do you currently produce?
How to Find Sustainable Event Venues
Aim to establish partnerships that take sustainability as seriously as you do. Here are some things to look out for:
- Energy – A sustainable venue might generate its own energy using solar panels or turbines, or it might use biofuel to reduce emissions from temporary generators.
- Waste – A sustainable venue will commit to sending zero waste to landfill. It may even have found a way to recycle its waste so that its used to generate energy.
- Food Miles – A sustainable venue will aim to reduce its food miles through working exclusively with local producers.
For an example of a venue that prioritises sustainability, take a look at Farnborough International Exhibition and Conference Centre’s sustainability page.
Planning and Incentivising Greener Transport for Delegates
Another important thing to consider when choosing venues – will it be possible for the majority of delegates to reach the venue using public transport links?
There are many extra things you can do to make things as easy as possible for your delegates. If there are no nearby train stations, bus stops, or tram stops, for instance, you could organise green shuttle buses to ferry delegates from the nearest transport hub.
You could also run initiatives to encourage as many delegates as possible to choose greener transport options. For example, you could offer vouchers for free food or drinks for any delegate that arrived via public transport.
Supplier Sustainability Audit – Gifts, Catering, and More
Audit your event planning operations to identify any potential areas of waste, along with any areas where you might make improvements.
Earlier we mentioned the importance of sustainability in catering. Regardless of whether your business is handling this, or the venue, you should look to prioritise seasonal ingredients, low food miles, and zero waste to landfill.
Also think about the gifts and marketing materials you might supply. Aim to reduce packaging, and to prioritise authenticity and personalisation over sheer quantity. Here is a useful introduction to how you can apply sustainability principles to your gifting and marketing strategy.
Finally, think about the extra materials you provide as part of your events, from flipcharts to notepads to technology. As well as focusing on sustainability in procurement (such as through choosing recycled or low-carbon alternatives), also think about waste management. How can you encourage delegates to responsibly dispose of any wastepaper they produce at the event, for instance?
At James Hallam, We Are Committed to ESG
As part of your commitment to event sustainability, you should ensure that every organisation you work with shares your goals.
We have already mentioned the importance of choosing sustainable venues and suppliers. But what about your professional partners?
Choose James Hallam as your event sector insurance partners, and you can rest assured that your dedicated insurance brokers will be just as committed to sustainability as they are to getting you the specialist cover you need.