Sustainability is no longer excellent. It’s a business need.
Expectations for greener events are growing, and event agencies are in a unique position to drive real change. But while many have progressed, there is still work to do.
Below are seven sustainability moves:
1. Audit to reduce carbon dioxide emissions
Carbon calculators are just the beginning. Agents should conduct thorough environmental audits not only for client events but also for their own operations. This includes travel, energy use, office waste and supplier emissions. The offset should occur after reduction and is not a replacement.
To do this, consider using tools such as ISLA’s Trace to measure and improve your event footprint.
2. Rethinking venue and supplier choices
If you want to make your agency more sustainable, consider choosing a venue and partner that is qualified for strong sustainability. Choosing venues and partners with strong sustainability qualifications must be standard practice.
Beyond marketing, agents should dig into energy sourcing, waste management, certification, and build a database and rank partner of green suppliers based on transparency and performance.
3. Designed with reuse in mind
From stage sets to signage, many event elements will remain in landfills after one use.
Agents should take this into consideration during the design process and adopt modular, reusable design practices and encourage clients to hire instead of purchasing.
4.Priority is to print digitally
Will you hand out prizes at the event? The age of branded tote bags stuffed with leaflets is fading fast.
Instead, consider steering your clients into digital content, such as apps and interactive screens. Not only does these reduce waste, they can be tracked and updated in real time.
5. Push smarter travel policies
Travel, especially air travel, remains one of the biggest sustainability challenges for conferences. Agents can lead the fees by helping clients reduce flight needs, encourage train travel, or cluster events locally.
6. Create a part of the sustainability of the briefing process
Sustainability is often a last-minute idea. Agents should be standard items in all discovery sessions and proposals (budget, goals, branding). When embedded from the start, it shapes everything from planning your agenda to catering choices, leading to more sustainable events.
7. Be transparent and tell the story
Sustainability is not just about doing the right thing, it’s also a powerful story. Agents should be transparent about progress and imperfections, share learning and help clients communicate genuine impact to representatives.
Institutions that guide sustainability don’t just meet client expectations. They shape them. By embedding eco-friendly thinking in every layer of event design and delivery, agents can position themselves as both trusted advisors and changemakers.
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