Sustainability in Events: Making Better Choices Without Compromising the Experience

Sustainability has moved well beyond being a nice-to-have in the events industry. Clients, audiences, venues and suppliers are all thinking more carefully about the environmental impact of bringing people together, from how far people travel to an event, to what happens to the signage when everyone has gone home.

However, sustainable event production is not about taking the creativity out of an event. It is about being more considered about the choices we make.

Start with the venue

Where an event takes place can have a significant impact on its overall footprint. Choosing a venue with established sustainability credentials is a good starting point. That might include recognised environmental certifications, renewable energy use, effective waste management, water-saving measures or responsible sourcing.

However a sustainable venue choice is not simply about finding the building with the best credentials. It is also about considering location, accessibility, transport links, capacity and what production is required to transform the space. Sometimes the most sustainable option is the venue that needs the least additional infrastructure to make the event work.

Think about waste before the event begins

Events can generate a surprising amount of waste, and by the time the event is over, it can be tempting to think about waste as someone else's problem.

Sustainability is part of the planning process, not something to think about once the trucks are being loaded out.

Rethinking event materials

Event branding can be one of the biggest opportunities to make more sustainable choices.

Not all the things that might be produced for a single event need to be single-use.

Sustainability and creativity can work together

There is sometimes a perception that sustainability means making sacrifices, however, a restriction can actually create a creative challenge.

Where does the industry go from here?

The events industry is continuing to look at how it can reduce its environmental impact, and expectations around sustainability are likely to become increasingly important when clients are choosing venues, suppliers and production partners.

For event organisers, that means sustainability needs to be considered much earlier in the process, as part of the creative thinking from day one.