It’s nearly impossible to turn on the news without seeing formidable warnings concerning the environment. Climate change, pollution, and carbon emissions are all serious concerns that can impact our lives and future generations. As such, people are heeding the warnings, and there’s a focus on how to be more sustainable.
These days, people pay close attention to organizations whose operations harm the environment. Individuals no longer look away when a business dumps oil into the ocean or fails to recycle waste that pollutes the soil. They’re demanding that organizations heed environmentalist warnings and take requisite action.
Organizations can showcase their commitment to environmental protection by changing traditional operations practices and promoting sustainability. One of the best ways to do so is hosting a sustainable event. While this may sound confusing — or even daunting — it’s entirely possible and may be easier than you think.
Why You Should Plan Sustainability Events
Planning a sustainability event isn’t just good for your company’s reputation. It can also positively impact the environment. Here are a few reasons why sustainability events are so beneficial.
Cut CO2 Emissions
CO2 emissions are the primary driver of climate change. According to Climate.gov, carbon emissions are over 50% higher than before the Industrial Revolution. Unfortunately, our natural environment can’t remove all the CO2 emissions we emit, which ultimately causes temperatures to rise and weather patterns to shift.
When you host a sustainable event, you can feel proud that you’re contributing to reduced CO2 emissions. You’ll also highlight the impact that CO2 emissions have on the world, improving awareness among people unfamiliar with climate change’s causes.
Appeal to Customers
Sustainability in events isn’t just a fad — it’s here to stay. People want to understand their impact on the environment and prefer to spend their money with companies that share their concerns.
Hosting a sustainable event is a great way to align your beliefs with your audience’s. You can highlight how your event supports environmental, sustainability, and governance (ESG) initiatives, further cementing your organization as a company people want to do business with.
Boost Company Reputation
ESG is becoming quite critical in the business world. More companies choose to illustrate their ESG-friendly practices and initiatives in their financial statements, company websites, and promotional materials. Similarly, some investors are moving their money to ESG-oriented stock portfolios.
When you regularly host sustainability events, you’ll see a boost to your company’s reputation. Clients interested in supporting environmentally-friendly initiatives will flock to you, especially if your competitors haven’t made similar changes.
Form Stronger Supplier Relationships
Suppliers want to do business with companies that focus on sustainability. When they know that your organization is dedicated to environmentally friendly practices, they’ll want to be the vendor that can support your needs. Connecting with sustainable suppliers can be an excellent way to showcase your company’s devotion to ESG-friendly business practices from end to end.
You can form new relationships with sustainable suppliers by attending sustainable conferences or hosting sustainability events.
How to Plan a Sustainable Event
The benefits of sustainability events are clear, but planning will take some effort. Don’t worry — your time will yield an excellent investment! Here are a few tips you can incorporate into sustainable event management.
Choose Your Venue with an Eye Toward Sustainability
Your event’s location is likely one of the first decisions you’ll make during planning. You’ll want to choose a well-suited place to accommodate your sustainability needs.
For instance, if you’re hosting an event in the city, selecting a place that’s nearby public transportation hubs is advisable. That way, people who attend can use buses, metros, subways, or other forms of transportation to arrive. They won’t be wholly dependent on their vehicles.
You should look for event venues that have unique features geared toward sustainability. Some characteristics to look for include solar panels, digital signage, waste management options, and energy-efficient systems.
Ensure You Have Sustainable Waste Disposal Options
Your event’s venue should have options for sustainable waste disposal. If it doesn’t, consider partnering with a dedicated waste company that offers environmentally-friendly disposal options.
Typically, three types of waste are involved in an event: organic, recyclable, and general. Organic waste includes fully biodegradable items like food scraps or beverages. Recyclable waste can be transformed into new materials, like cardboard, plastic, or paper.
The general waste ends up in a landfill. Unfortunately, it isn’t reusable. You’ll want to limit general waste items as a sustainable event organizer.
You should include multiple areas throughout your event’s venue where people can discard the waste they use. Ensure all your disposal areas highlight the type of waste they accept to minimize confusion among your event participants.
Work with Local, Environmentally-Friendly Food Vendors
You’ll probably offer food and beverages at your event, and you’ll want to choose your vendors with an eye toward local restaurants and vendors. That is an area where your event can shine in its sustainability commitment, so do your research!
Look for local restaurants, food trucks, and other dining establishments that use in-season fruits and vegetables to prepare their dishes. Choosing local eateries shows your commitment to the community and ensures you’re not promoting food shipped from far-off places, which typically requires expensive shipping and packaging costs. Instead, your food will come straight from nearby farms — a much more environmentally-friendly option.
5 Sustainable Event Ideas
Ready to turn your sustainable event from an idea into reality? Consider these tips that promote sustainability.
1. Partner with Companies that Offer Eco-Friendly Print Products
Partnering with a sustainable-minded supplier like D’Andrea Visual Communications which offers environmentally-friendly signage, and other print products is essential. Our professional design-oriented approach not only ensures that you have the perfect customized event graphics, but we also offer a wide range of eco-friendly materials and display options specifically tailored for companies hosting sustainable events.
When choosing sustainable materials, opt for print products that are 100% recyclable and PVC-free, or products that contain post-consumer recycled content. We’ll work with you to customize your event graphics, displays, and other print products while helping you decide which sustainable materials are right for you. In some cases, we’ll even deliver your printed graphics straight to the event!
2. Offer Public Transportation Options
Unless you’re hosting your event in a major city with significant public transportation options, there’s a high likelihood that your participants will need a vehicle to attend your event. However, that doesn’t mean you can’t promote public transportation in other ways that reduce carbon emissions and promote sustainability.
Consider setting up several central parking locations and connecting attendees with your event via bus. Using buses to transport your participants reduces traffic in the area and can be much less frustrating for attendees worried about parking options.
Organizations can also consider providing carpool options through an event app. Carpooling lessens the carbon emission impact of your event and encourages attendees to partner with other people, which can provide a more social experience and inspire connections.
3. Reduce Reliance on Single-Use Products
Most events include single-use products, like paper cups, plastic straws, disposable cutlery, and food packaging. These items harm the environment, especially when people dispose of them as general waste.
If you must use single-use products in your event, provide your attendees with sustainable disposal options. People are more likely to dispose of their single-use items sustainably when you provide them with multiple ways to do so without causing environmental harm, like using compostable plates and utensils.
Consider placing recycling bins at multiple points throughout your event’s venue, and highlight the importance of sustainability in all your event’s marketing materials. When your attendees see that you value recycling, they’ll be more conscious of how they dispose of their waste.
4. Donate Food Leftovers
You’ll want to ensure your attendees have many dining options, but you’ll likely have a lot of leftover food from your event. There’s no need to throw it away. Instead, consider donating it to local food pantries, homeless shelters, or other organizations in your area that need food.
Do some research to find organizations in your area that could benefit from your remaining event food. You may also find that local farms will gladly accept your scraps — they’ll use them to fertilize crops or feed their animals.
5. Hold a Fundraiser for an Environmental Cause
Is there a notable non-profit focusing on the environment you hold near and dear to your heart? If so, use your event to raise money to support the organization! You can donate some of your event ticket sales profits or ask attendees to contribute.
If you want to reward some of your fundraising participants with a gift, consider holding a raffle or drawing for everyone who donates to the cause. You might give the winner a free product from your company or access to your services.
Let DVC Help You Plan Sustainable Events to Benefit the Environment and Promote Your Company
While eco-friendly event planning may seem a little overwhelming, once you get started, you’ll find it easier than you think. There are many ways to incorporate sustainability into your events, and you’ll feel good knowing that your company is supporting the environment. Use our tips to get started on your next event!
