Meetings Blog Oct 31, 2023
Consumers are becoming more conscious of global warming and pollution, and expect the same level of awareness from the brands and companies they give their business to. While adding “sustainability” to the already lengthy list of responsibilities involved in event planning may seem daunting, it’s simpler than it sounds and will ultimately benefit both the event and the planet.
Perhaps the most notable and inspiring example of a sustainable event is The London 2012 Olympics and Paralympics. It was the first large-scale zero waste-to-landfill event of its kind, as well as the first to keep track of its carbon footprint throughout every level of the project. Additionally, many of the techniques it employed are realistic and doable even for smaller scale event planning teams.
There are hundreds of corporate events that take place every week all over the world and we’ve talked many times before about the importance of having a sustainable focus across the MICE industry. We know that every step we take towards having greener events is in the right direction to prevent global warming.
If all event organizers are aware and take that first step to a greener future, we will be able to achieve great things. If you have an eco-friendly event, and you promote it as such, this will start to bring awareness to other event planners and organizers that it is possible and the way forward.
Some event organizers or planners will think that hosting an event that is sustainable will be more expensive. But that is not the case at all and everything doesn’t have to be ‘organic’. When being aware of every aspect of an event you start to take into consideration all of your purchases and needs. You will question how much you will need and if you really need it, which leads to you saving more money in the long run.
Now that you are aware that sustainable events are best for our planet and future, it is time to act and there are many ways you can do this. Here are a few of the easiest:
There are so many positive impacts when sourcing locally. Your cost will be reduced greatly when working with local vendors. Shipping and storage can have a huge impact on the environment and cost a pretty penny, so if you are going local, you will be reducing fuel emissions, and saving energy and money.
The best part is you will be supporting small businesses and showing up for your community. If you are not sure where to find local products or services, reach out to friends, social media and visit and get to know the people face to face.
When searching for a eco-friendly venues, you can look at a few things to help make your event greener. To find out how green a venue is you can have a look at its Display Energy Certificate rating which will show you the energy consumption over one year. You can also check if they use LED lighting, green power, low-flowing water, etc. This will cut the biggest amount of the event’s carbon footprint.
Your venue should be located close to public transportation, or easy to get to by walking or biking. Shuttle buses and carpooling is great to get attendees to and from the venue as well. If you have a speaker that needs to fly into the city for the event, see if they are able to speak at the event virtually. All these ideas are excellent for a sustainable event when it comes to lowering greenhouse gas emissions.
The triple-R message that we have heard our whole lives remains the same: reduce, reuse, recycle and there are so many ways we can do this at an event. Here are a few of our best practices:
Have you thought about having a virtual event or even a hybrid event? The greenest event you could ever have been a virtual one. The second greenest event is a hybrid event, where you attend the event virtually and then maybe the next day in person. If these types of events are not in the playing cards, then go digital as much as you can, aka paperless.
The less you print, the more sustainable your event will be (and cheaper). The good thing is you can find an app for almost anything nowadays! You can send e-invitations, e-programs, use QR codes, file sharing and so much more. Just make sure your venue has powerful Wi-Fi and then you are good to go!
Over the last decade or so we, have seen these aspects adopted by many in the industry (WELL DONE!) and as planners, the ambition is to keep pushing and striving to be the very best we can be. If you are planning a sustainable event, look to get involved with the program as much as possible, and make sure people see your efforts – it’s often the most effective method for getting their buy-in.
Look at your data from your past events (if this is your first event, you can have a look at other events that another company has done) and see how much was spent and what was not used or thrown away. I know that it is better safe than sorry and that we want to make sure we don’t run out of anything but try to get as close as you can to the exact numbers. Not only is it benefiting the environment but it will also be benefitting your budget.
NH Hotel Group was an early adopter in an eco-friendly way and ever since has been working towards a more sustainable future in all aspects of the organization. Let us give you a taste of what we’ve been up to.
When it comes to delivering on sustainability, we chose to make a simple and clear promise to you: every single event in every single one of our hotels will have the least possible environmental impact. ‘How do you achieve that bold promise?’, we hear you ask.
Well, we…
We also support sustainable development projects through carbon footprint offsetting. These include a fuel switch project in Brazil; the Kasigau Corridor REDD project in Kenya; and also, our fuel-efficient cookstoves in Uganda and ‘cooking up change’ collaboration in Sudan, which both help families in Africa buy cleaner ways of preparing hot food. Not only do our efforts ensure your event has a zero-emission impact on the environment but, knowing the power of social media and promotional material, we can provide you with a carbon-neutral certificate to display with pride.
There are many ways to have greener events all around the world. Not only will you be helping the environment, but others will see the impact you are trying to make, and these things will catch on. This is excellent for your brand reputation, and you will one hundred percent receive positive feedback and publicity.
Next time you are planning or attending an event, think about how you can help make it more sustainable and bring awareness to others. Sustainable events are the way forward and hope to start seeing greener events in the future.
