Sustainability is something we are hugely passionate about. And of course, no business grows without a powerful events strategy. So when we met a leading event sustainability expert at a recent event for Women in Sustainability, we were thrilled for the opportunity to connect over best practices to sustainable event strategies. The outcome - is this guest blog by Randi Zimmerman of Odyssey
When it comes to trends in the business world, ‘sustainability’ is perhaps the most timely trend we’ve seen in a long time. Unfortunately, it is also confusing. What does ‘sustainability’ really mean? And how is ‘sustainability’ relevant to your business? First, the history of sustainable development goes back generations. Indigenous cultures around the world are renowned for having in-depth knowledge of their local ecosystem. Many indigenous populations are adept at preserving the ecosystems they reside in while supporting human needs. According to the first United Nations Commission related to sustainable development, the Brundtland Commission, sustainable development is “development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs”. This definition is widely accepted as the primary purpose of sustainability efforts.
There are a number of ways to improve sustainability efforts through government, business, or in one’s own home. The impact of business operations on the environment is becoming more well-known, largely due to the availability of information on the internet, resulting in a greater emphasis on sustainability efforts as it relates to business. For example, some large companies have developed a reputation for plastic pollution and are consequently attempting to reduce their corporation’s negative impacts by implementing packaging guidelines aimed at reducing single-use plastics. While many companies utilize packaging as an important part of brand awareness, they certainly don’t want to be associated with an empty soda bottle, chip bag, or coffee cup littering a hiking trail or local park.
Sustainability practices can also be good for a business’ bottom line. Sustainability efforts often begin with an evaluation of a business’ current impacts. Energy audits are a great starting point that are often free through the local energy provider. These come with recommendations for reducing energy use, often starting with replacing light bulbs and sealing windows and doors to reduce heat and A/C loss. Savings from these types of programs can range from hundreds to thousands of dollars a year! Implementing these changes can reduce costs, conserve resources, and benefit the company’s reputation.
At this point, you might be asking how this is relevant to your events business. The fact is, events are temporary and often result in significant environmental impacts. In 2017, Coachella Music and Arts Festival generated 107 TONS of waste… PER DAY! While festival organizers are making efforts to improve waste diversion rates and incentivize proper recycling practices amongst attendees, these efforts require tens of thousands of attendees to participate and engage in the process. Below, I’ve outlined some sustainability practices that can improve the environmental impact of any event.
According to Project Drawdown, one of the leading climate solution advocacy organizations, reducing food waste is the single most impactful strategy people can use in their everyday lives to reduce their personal footprint. One way to do this on a larger scale at any type of event is to provide composting solutions for all attendees. Landfilled food waste accounts for 58% of the methane in US solid waste facilities. However when food waste is composted, rather than landfilled, the methane emissions are more than halved! Measuring and quantifying reduced emissions can be a powerful tool for event planners looking to implement more sustainable practices and market their events as eco-friendly.
To do this successfully, partner with a local composting provider who is familiar with the infrastructure needed to pull off a successful event. At Odyssey Event Sustainability, we encourage event planners to work with their municipality or other waste experts to ensure maximum waste diversion at events. Incorporating education into waste management can also help teach the event coordination team and attendees the best practices for your area. Recycling and composting can be particularly confusing due to the variability in municipal waste management infrastructure. We find that the best way to ensure appropriate waste diversion is to have “trash talkers” monitoring waste stations. These individuals can help attendees figure out how to sort through their items and provide tips and tricks for understanding proper waste diversion in the area, avoiding contamination and the need for sorting on the back end.
Transportation is likely the first thing you think of when you hear the words “greenhouse gas emissions”. That is because transportation is a massive contributor to greenhouse gas emissions in the atmosphere. The EPA states that transportation was responsible for 29% of the US greenhouse gas portfolio in 2021, with 58% of those emissions coming from light-duty vehicles (passenger cars and lightweight commercial vehicles). In fact, spectator and employee travel to and from large sporting events is estimated to account for 80-90% of emissions associated with that event. As much as we want to believe that electric vehicles are the answer to this problem, some are concerned that electric vehicles might be solving one problem by creating another due to the excess of materials required for electric vehicle batteries.
So where does that leave us? Project Drawdown advocates for increased use of public transportation, which may or may not be feasible depending on the purpose and location of a given event. As we transition to a lower carbon economy in which public transportation is more easily accessible, especially in rural areas, we hope this becomes more of a norm. For many events, however, incentivizing carpooling through providing free non-alcoholic beverages, parking vouchers, sustainably sourced swag bags for drivers, or other perks could be a great opportunity to reduce your event’s greenhouse gas impact. Carpooling is particularly beneficial when parking is limited and/or alcohol is available to reduce the likelihood of drunk driving. These strategies also give you and your team a way to track and quantify travel trends and emissions so you can understand the effectiveness of those incentives on guest behavior, leading to better experiences and better emissions reporting.
At Odyssey, we have a love/hate relationship with swag. There is certainly value in providing guests and event attendees with items that are useful and increase brand awareness. However, we also recognize that lots of swag gets tossed out shortly after the event is over. How can we guarantee that swag provides a great representation of your brand AND isn’t going to end up in the landfill?
First, be thoughtful about the value your swag is providing. When you provide something that is valuable, memorable, and sustainably made, it signals thoughtfulness to your guests. For example, if your target audience can often be found hiking, camping, and doing other fun outdoor activities, a set of branded reusable bamboo travel cutlery or branded steel camping cups could be a great option. They are infinitely reusable and will keep your brand top of mind when folks are doing their favorite activities. Even better, provide guests and attendees with digital goodies through HubSpot. Leveraging technology like HubSpot to add contacts to your CRM, use a digital business card, and send emails with incentives could be more valuable than any pen or magnet could hope to be. Check out this post for tons of great ideas on streamlining your marketing efforts through HubSpot here.
For guests and event attendees, be mindful of what you accept as free swag. It is okay to take free items that make sense for you and turn down the ones that don’t. You should feel empowered to say “I’m trying to reduce my waste, but thank you for offering”. This not only reduces your personal waste, it signals to the provider that those types of items aren’t really providing any value to you. Voicing that concern to event planners and vendors sends a powerful message about what you expect from organizations you work with.
Incorporating sustainability into your events may seem daunting at first. The world of sustainability means many things to many different people and getting started can feel overwhelming. To start, figure out if your company has identified any sustainability-related priorities. This might include public statements or commitments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, increase waste diversion, source materials from eco-certified organizations, reduce water use, or a host of other goals. Talk to your organization’s sustainability team and if you don’t have one, find someone who is knowledgeable about sustainability issues to help you navigate the space. #OpenDoorClimate on LinkedIn is a great way to connect with Sustainability professionals willing to discuss relevant topics. Most importantly, be okay with making mistakes, it is more important to take the first step than it is to be perfect right away. While we’ve presented a couple of important sustainability strategies for events, every event is different and each initiative should be just as tailored as the event itself.
Please reach out to the Odyssey Event Sustainability team if you have any questions or are interested in creating a plan to achieve your sustainability goals!