Event sustainability and environmental impact are becoming more important factors for event planners and attendees. As an event planner, you want to create memorable experiences that also respect the environment and support social causes. How do you choose and collaborate with eco-friendly venues and suppliers? Here are some tips to help you plan greener events.
Before you start looking for venues and suppliers, you need to define your event goals and how they align with sustainability. What is the purpose and message of your event? Who are your target audience and stakeholders? How do you want to measure the success and impact of your event? These questions will help you identify your sustainability objectives and criteria, such as reducing waste, saving energy, promoting local products, or supporting a charity.
Bring your audience on the journey with you. Think about the educational content at the event you will use to engage them, what will they leave the event talking about?
Once you have your event goals and sustainability criteria, you can start researching and comparing potential venues and suppliers. Look for venues that have green certifications, policies, and practices, such as recycling, composting, energy efficiency, water conservation, or carbon offsetting. Ask for their sustainability reports and testimonials from previous clients. Similarly, look for suppliers that offer eco-friendly products and services, such as organic catering, reusable or biodegradable materials, fair trade or ethical sourcing, or social responsibility programs. Compare their prices, quality, and reputation, and ask for references and samples.
After you have shortlisted your preferred venues and suppliers, you need to negotiate and communicate your expectations clearly. Discuss your event goals and sustainability criteria with them, and ask them how they can meet or exceed them. Request for a detailed contract that outlines their deliverables, responsibilities, and guarantees. Communicate your budget and timeline, and ask for discounts or incentives for choosing green options. Establish a regular communication channel and feedback mechanism, and monitor their performance and progress.
You can ask for waste transfer notes to prove the end of life processes have delivered the goals set for waste. After the event - has waste been separated into recycling and general... and everything that can be repurposed, organised?
One of the key aspects of event sustainability and environmental impact is educating and engaging your attendees. You want to inform them about the green features and benefits of your event, and encourage them to participate and contribute. You can do this by creating a sustainability page on your event website, sending newsletters or emails, using social media or apps, or displaying signs or banners. You can also provide incentives or rewards for attendees who take green actions, such as using public transportation, bringing their own cups or bags, or donating to a cause.
Providing recyclable cups, with an incentive to bring back the cup and receive xp off their next drink works well, especially where alcohol is promoted/served. Educating event staff will help them to guide your guests to act with 'green' intentions at the event. A 'teach not preach' approach works well, so as not to cause animosity.
Finally, you want to evaluate and report your results after your event. You want to measure and analyze the environmental and social impact of your event, and compare it with your goals and benchmarks. You can use tools such as surveys, feedback forms, audits, or metrics to collect and process data. You can also ask for feedback and testimonials from your venues, suppliers, and attendees. You want to report your results to your stakeholders, sponsors, and media, and celebrate your achievements and challenges. You also want to identify areas for improvement and best practices for future events.