It's no secret that events have a huge impact on the environment. Whether it's air pollution from travel, excess waste, unused materials, or single-use plastics, multiple factors affect the sustainability of your event—and, as a result, your organisation's carbon footprint. So what can you do about it?
We've rounded up our top four strategies for creating greener events that meet your sustainability goals and create unforgettable experiences for attendees.
1. Choose Eco-Friendly Venues and Suppliers
Where you host your event and who you choose to partner with are two of the most important sustainability factors.
Rather than choosing a venue that's convenient or aesthetically pleasing, opt for spaces that make conscious efforts toward reducing environmental impact. The same goes for suppliers, which include caterers, entertainment, and marketers.
However, eco-friendliness goes beyond just using energy-efficient lighting or limiting the use of plastics. These are all important, but seek partners with solid sustainability credentials and who are open about their commitment to sustainability, such as pledges towards Net Zero by 2050 plus ESRS, CSRD, and IFRS sustainability standards. Practices to watch out for include using sustainable food sources, recycling stations, water-efficient appliances, smart temperature controls, strong wastage policies, and involvement in environmental initiatives or projects.
2. Reduce Waste and Harmful Materials
Events are notorious for generating large amounts of waste, whether that's food, paper, decorations, plastic cups, or even branded resources like pens and gift bags. Some of this may be recycled, but others go to landfills. Most of the time, the waste is completely unnecessary.
Plan carefully, thinking about the number of attendees and what they need. Does each person need three menu options? Or can you cut back on waste and ask for food choices upfront? Consider implementing registration systems to allow attendees to make menu choices in advance and pay for their meals beforehand to offset the carbon footprint associated with registration. This ensures you only buy what you need and reduces food waste, but it's also a great way of controlling the event budget and generating extra funds for costs before the event.
You can even get attendees involved in sustainability initiatives by encouraging them to bring their own materials, such as reusable water bottles they can fill up on-site or personal pens and paper for note-taking. Not only does this reinforce your sustainability claims, but it can also motivate people to sign up for your event, as it demonstrates a clear commitment to reducing environmental impact.
3. Go Virtual
Air pollution is one of the biggest contributors to environmental damage. To reduce travel pollution, encourage attendees to use public transport rather than driving. They can also use bicycles or walk to the venue if it's close by.
Another initiative is hybrid events, which allow you to deliver events virtually, rather than just on-site. Giving people the option to dial in remotely and join your event can significantly reduce the number of attendees to accommodate in person. This means reduced need for space, materials, and food. Hybrid events can also expand your reach and increase attendee numbers since people can still attend even if they can't get there in person.
4. Make Digital Communication a Priority
Instead of printing brochures, venue maps, and registration lists, deliver communication digitally by investing in event management software (EMS) that enables you to create an event website and send notifications via a mobile app.
Use virtual check-in methods and registration lists. Create branded event websites to market your event, and give attendees all need-to-know information in one place. You can even give people QR codes to scan around the venue, which they can use to find information about speakers, fill out forms to sign up for competitions, or simply learn more about your brand. Whatever you want to communicate, see if you can deliver it digitally.
Making Space for Sustainability
When planning for your next event, make sustainability a key priority. It's crucial to protect the environment and reduce carbon footprint, but eco-friendliness is also a huge selling point. It may just be what makes you stand out from the competition. Individuals are becoming more and more concerned about sustainability, so demonstrating your commitment to it can dramatically increase your brand's value and accelerate your marketing efforts. To help you make space for sustainability, check out leading registration and event management software idloom, the all-in-one event management platform with advanced digital tools to take your events to the next level.