Everything to know about sustainable event management

How do we make the events industry greener and more sustainable without adding complexity to the planning process?

Large events have the potential to produce a lot of waste and CO₂, harming the environment while driving up costs. Thankfully, eco-conscious event planners are finding clever ways to support sustainable event management.

Hosting earth-friendly events can save money and is simpler than you’d expect. Here are industry experts’ top tips for hosting sustainable experiences that go easy on your budget.

What exactly are “sustainable events”? 

Sustainability is the practice of using natural resources, such as water and fuel, in a way that meets current needs while ensuring they’ll still be available for future generations. 

When it comes to event planning, sustainability starts with taking an honest look at your events’ environmental impact. For example, noise pollution that disrupts local wildlife behaviors or debris that contaminates nearby water sources. 

Once you understand your event’s impact, you can set sustainability goals and explore greener alternatives to help you meet them.

If you organize in-person events, one of your first goals should be zero waste, or producing as little waste as humanly possible. Start by eliminating single-use items that will inevitably end up in a landfill. Reuse or upcycle resources to further improve your waste reduction.

Next, look for ways to reduce your energy consumption. This starts at the venue level, so choose event spaces that are committed to energy-efficient practices. 

When practical, seek opportunities to use renewable energy sources that lower your carbon footprint, such as solar panels, geothermal power, or wind turbines.

Virtual events are often the most sustainable because they don’t require people to travel by plane, train, or car. Even hybrid events, which combine virtual and in-person sessions, are better for sustainability.

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What are the benefits of running a sustainable event? 

Green events do more than protect the environment. They also make a lot of business sense.

Once you commit to event sustainability, you’ll also:

• Cut costs by reducing utilities, fuel usage, catering expenses
• Help staff feel more engaged with a mission of social responsibility
• Improve your brand image
• Avoid fines for environmental damage
• Make your event operations more efficient

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Sustainable events also promote client, stakeholder, and guest satisfaction. They’ll feel better knowing they’re participating in an event that does less harm to the environment. 

Use tools that measure your event’s environmental impact 

Technology has made it easier than ever to track your event’s energy consumption. 

Start planning eco-friendly events by measuring the average impact of your events on the environment. Look at metrics such as:

• Waste produced: Waste calculators can gauge how many tons of waste your events are currently producing, what portion of that waste is recycled, and how much money you’re wasting. 
• Electricity used: Smart meter readings at your event spaces can give you an idea of how much power you tend to use.
• Logistical CO₂ usage: Online calculators can measure your event’s carbon emissions from transportation and logistics.

If you’ve never planned an event with sustainability in mind, be realistic about your goals. Focus on changing one metric at a time, such as reducing how much non-recyclable waste you produce. 

Go digital to reduce paper waste

Event materials like invitations, menus, and signage can waste vast amounts of paper. 

The bigger the event, the higher your printing costs. Most of the paper from your event will likely end up lost or thrown away. By going paperless, you can dramatically reduce paper waste at your events.

Here’s what expert event organizers use to avoid wasting paper:

• Digital invitations and brochures
• Digital registration kiosks
• Interactive tablets that display seating charts, replacing traditional place and escort cards
• Smartphone apps that share key event information, such as schedules and transportation details
• QR codes that provide additional information, reducing the need for physical signage

Replacing paper with digital tools not only saves trees but also streamlines how you communicate with guests.

Use tech solutions to waste less food

Event catering can produce large amounts of food waste. While you never want your guests to leave hungry, you also don’t want to throw away perfectly good food once the event’s over. 

Unfortunately, some event managers buy too much food, often leading to overflowing trash bins at the end of the night.

Put an end to food waste by asking attendees to share their food preferences when they RSVP. Try to gauge how much food and beverage they’re likely to consume to get a better understanding of how much food you’ll need.

From there, work with caterers who use sustainable food practices, such as sourcing locally grown, seasonal ingredients and using digital tools to reduce kitchen waste. Plant-based cuisine (such as vegetarian or vegan dishes) can dramatically cut emissions, too.

At the end of the night, don’t just trash leftover food. Instead, donate what you can and try to compost the rest.

Learn about: How to plan an elegant gala dinner

Encourage sustainable travel 

Transport and logistics can have an outsized impact on your event’s carbon emissions, but sustainable event planning methods can quickly make a difference.

For one, there’s an ever-growing number of apps that support carpooling and taxi sharing. Search for businesses in the local community that can offer these services to your staff and attendees. Similarly, public transportation options should be encouraged as the best means of travel.

Do you need drivers to ferry passengers from the hotels to the event venue? If so, consider using a local transportation provider that’s committed to sustainability initiatives and uses hybrid or electric vehicles.

Air travel to and from an event can account for more than 80% of the event’s carbon emissions. If possible, choose a venue in a central location that most or all of your guests can get to without flying.

Check out: A 9-point event safety plan to protect your guests

Book green venues to cut your energy usage

One of the simplest ways to run a sustainable event is to choose a venue that prioritizes sustainability. 

If possible, opt for buildings that have been certified green by the Leadership in Energy and Environment Design (LEED) Council.

Here’s what you should ask venue managers when considering your options:

• Does the venue use renewable energy sources?
• Does the venue use low energy lighting?
• Can the venue install smart electricity meters to find out how much electricity is being used?

Better yet, look for event spaces located next to public transit facilities, which can reduce emissions by encouraging guests to use public transportation when traveling to and from the event. You can even recommend accommodations that use renewable energy.

Learn more: How to source special venues for your luxury events

Opt for sustainable swag and décor 

Décor and swag bags are part of what brings your event’s creative vision to life, but you don’t have to compromise your vision to meet your sustainability goals. 

Eco-friendly gifts and décor are surprisingly easy to find. For favors or gift bags, avoid giving single-use products. Instead, give away higher quality, reusable items made from sustainable or recycled materials.

Look for items with certifications like GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standard) or OEKO-TEX that indicate the materials used are organic and biological. Replace plastics with materials like bamboo, cork, organic cotton, reclaimed wood, and recycled metals. 

For décor, consider renting items rather than buying new items that you’ll only dispose of after the event. Try to source items locally, use recycled or second-life materials, and prioritize eco-friendly suppliers that have their own sustainability goals.  

Sustainable event management: making it count 

Sustainable event management is about reevaluating how your organization runs events and finding more efficient, more cost-effective ways of doing so. 

It does require some research, but the payoff has the potential to increase your ROI while communicating how responsible and trustworthy your brand is.

At zkipster, sustainability is one of our core values and Climate Neutral has certified our operations as carbon neutral since 2020. Our premium event management software can help you take the first step toward making every event more sustainable than the last.

Popular events that are setting the standard for sustainable event planning

From luxury events to iconic music festivals, these global events are taking the lead when it comes to sustainability.  

Burning Man 

After a week of partying in the Nevada desert that culminates in the burning of a 42-foot effigy, guests of the annual Burning Man event are asked to do something unusual when they pack up their equipment: go "MOOPing," or clear up any "matter out of place." 

The festival insists attendees leave the desert in pristine condition, with every single trace of their presence gone once they’ve left.

Paris Fashion Week 

For Paris Fashion Week, The Fédération de la Haute Couture et de la Mode (FHCM) has put policies in place that encourage fashion brands and individual designers to lean towards circularity — the eco-friendly practice of designing recyclable garments that can be repurposed to reduce textile waste. 

FHCM encourages their guests to use sustainable transportation methods between shows and highlights brands and designers that use responsible production methods and eco-friendly fabrics.  

Art Basel

As one of the world’s top annual art fairs, Art Basel makes it a priority to measure and reduce its carbon emissions. 

While connecting artists, collectors, and galleries around the world, Art Basel enforces a near-zero disposable cutlery policy at its venues, prioritizes sustainable shipping practices, and encourages the use of renewable energy sources and efficient waste management.  

‍Read about: Your guide to event attendance tracking for offline events

If you’re an event planner who’s ready to go green, remember that even small changes can add up. 

Track your waste output, energy consumption, and carbon emissions to pinpoint which areas need the most improvement. Roll out sustainable practices gradually, such as switching from paper to digital and exploring renewable energy options. 

By making your next event more sustainable, you'll not only help protect the environment but also delight your environmentally conscious guests and reduce costs in the long run.

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