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The practice of planning sustainable meetings is not new, but there is a renewed focus on incorporating sustainable principles and practices now that in-person meetings and events are back full force.

In the recent 2023 Global Meetings and Events Forecast, 80% of survey respondents said their organizations take sustainability into account when planning meetings and events, with three-fourths of this group reporting that they already have sustainable program strategies in place. Predictions indicate that this focus will ramp up with the increase in climate reporting metrics, as planners look to choose destinations and venues that promote sustainability.

The benefits of sustainable meeting strategies are extensive, from costs savings to stakeholder engagement. Companies can save on a variety of measures, such as reduced energy consumption, waste management efficiencies and streamlined logistics utilizing digital communication tools. Additionally, adopting sustainable procurement practices, such as sourcing locally grown and organic food, can lead to cost savings and support local economies.

The importance of sustainable meetings extends beyond the event itself, as they contribute to organizational reputation, cost savings and stakeholder engagement. Embracing sustainable meeting practices is an investment in the planet’s well-being and a testament to an organization’s commitment to a greener future.

EIC Sustainability Standards

In recent years, the Events Industry Council (EIC), in Alexandria, VA, has seen greater focus on sustainability and social impact. “More and more, there is an expectation that suppliers will be able to deliver sustainable events and demonstrate achievement of goals with measurement and reporting,” said Mariela Bazán, chief sustainability officer of the EIC Centre For Sustainability and Social Impact. “I’m seeing interest in all sectors, including financial and insurance meetings. In fact, the emphasis on ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) is a long-standing focus for the financial sector as a way of managing risks.”

Last year, the EIC released its Sustainable Event Standards, a collection of eight specific standards that assess events and industry suppliers on a wide range of sustainability criteria in support of environmental and social responsibility. The standards are aligned to the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) — 17 Global Goals, including Climate Action and Reduced Inequalities. Transparency and accountability are provided by third-party verification of compliance with these standards.

There are four levels for the new standards — Bronze, Silver, Gold and Platinum. The standards are a framework for collaboration, and they provide a strong focus on guidance and metrics so that event professionals, at all stages of their sustainability journey, will have the support needed to implement and measure sustainable practices. To reach a certification level, applicants will be required to demonstrate their achievement of the criteria.

“There is a greater awareness of the impact of travel-related carbon emissions, with events incorporating regional or hybrid formats, and being selective about destinations in consideration of the carbon footprint of that option,” Bazan said. “Incorporating diversity, equity and inclusion in supplier selection and program design is also a growing focus. In addition, more events are adopting vegan menus, especially ones that address food allergies at the same time.”

MeetGreen’s Carbon Accountability

MeetGreen, a sustainable event management agency, has been at the forefront of the sustainable meetings and events initiative since 2007. “We help in a couple of different ways — either the sustainable consulting side where we’ll be working with a client and talking about the conference management side, or vice versa,” said Nancy Zavada, founder and president of MeetGreen, in Portland, OR. “The sustainability consulting team has been doing a lot of carbon accounting, so they’re working with bigger corporations to show the carbon footprint for their events and what can be done about it.”

According to MeetGreen, a 1,000-person, three-day event creates 5,670 kilograms of waste, which is the weight of four compact cars. MeetGreen works with clients that want a sustainable in-person meeting but are not sure how to get started. They can work with a client on checklists and the various steps needed to attain their goals.

“We don’t give the client a choice whether it will be a sustainable meeting, but we do give them a choice if they want to go deeper green or how much they want to take on,” Zavada explained. “And then our sustainable consulting arm works with people who already have planning teams for the larger events. Sometimes, they have third-party planners, and we work with them to advise them on how to help push the needle, and then to verify that on-site.”

One of the basic challenges is destination selection, with factors such as distance for attendees and whether the destination requires one or two hops for those flying in. Zavada also notes the benefits of hybrid and virtual meetings. According to MeetGreen, a six-hour online event for 4,000 people causes roughly the same carbon impact as a return flight for one person across the Atlantic.

According to Zavada, attendee travel is 85% to 90% of a meeting’s carbon footprint. Some companies choose to use carbon offsets to make up for the impact of travel. “We believe that you should reduce first. What you can’t reduce, you can take a look at carbon offsets, but also you have to take into account your attendee travel. That’s where the change lies.”

Zavada is a proponent for virtual and hybrid in some cases. “For networking, certainly, in-person meetings make a big difference, but there are also learning opportunities that you don’t actually have to leave home to experience, which makes a big difference for attendees; and for the event organizer, it builds their community,” Zavada said.

MeetGreen offers a digital event calculator which was released during the pandemic, as well as an event food carbon calculator. Some of the latest challenges revolve around food waste. “Getting people to order correctly and not over order, getting attendees to not fill their buffet plates to the very top is huge. Getting the facility to compost, and/or donate. Donate first. Compost second,” said Zavada.

Net Zero Carbon Events

Another industry goal is the Net Zero Carbon Events (NZCE) initiative, coordinated and hosted by the Joint Meetings Industry Council (JMIC) in Belgium. More than 30 major meetings and events industry organizations from across the world are now financial contributors to NZCE, the events industry’s global initiative to address climate change that was launched at Cop26 in Glasgow two years ago. The goal of the initiative is to halve greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 and reach net zero for the industry by 2050. The initiative has the support of more than 500 organizations worldwide ranging from convention bureau, venues and event service suppliers to event organizers and associations.

James Rees, president of the JMIC, said, “It is superb testimony to our industry and the importance of this campaign that we have the support of so many leading organizations and more are continuing to join us. Their involvement is making a vital contribution.”

After the launch of the Net Zero Carbon Events Pledge at Cop26, the Net Zero Carbon Event Roadmap was published at Cop27 last year as a helpful resource. It is available as a Full Report with comprehensive information on how to implement action to achieve net zero, and as an executive summary. Eight workstreams have been identified to deliver on the priorities identified by the Roadmap (Measurement, Reporting, Carbon offsetting, Venue energy, Production and Waste, Food and Food Waste, Logistics, Travel and Accommodation). Groups are currently working to produce reports with recommendations covering each workstream ahead of Cop28 at the end of the year.

Bazan added, “There are currently many different initiatives related to net zero that are relevant for our industry. Importantly, 92% of Global GDP is now covered by some form of net zero target.  As such, alignment with robust, science-based programs will be essential.”

Larger trade shows and events come with increased challenges in aiming for net zero. A two-year study measuring the environmental impact of trade shows and events, “Finding the future, together: Towards a more sustainable B2B trade show industry in the U.S. and Canada,” was released last fall, showing where the industry needs the most work.

The report — produced by independent researchers Little Blue Research and A Bird’s Eye View, and overseen by a task force made up of representatives from 14 leading trade show industry businesses and associations, including the Society of Independent Show Organizers (SISO) and the IMEX Group — measured 2019 emissions for the B2B trade show industry in the U.S. and Canada, and found they were equivalent to the combined annual footprint of 395,000 people in the U.S.

Waste across warehouses and venues — including show-floor waste, catering and other refuse generated during shows — was equivalent to the annual footprint of 140,000 people in the U.S. The third element representing the largest proportion of waste material was booth construction, including materials such as carpet that have limited potential for reuse or recycling.

The biggest challenge to sustainable meetings and events is the travel itself. “The impact of air travel, and options to support aviation’s faster transition to sustainable aviation fuel, needs to be a focus for our sector,” added Bazan. “Ensuring our events are inclusive and accessible, where everyone feels a sense of belonging, is also a priority for our sector and results in better event outcomes.”

The Events Industry Council created The Centre for Sustainability and Social Impact to provide globally relevant resources that champion the adoption of sustainable and socially impactful practices. “Our global events industry has the ability and responsibility to drive meaningful change, create welcoming communities and improve society through our actions,” Bazan said. “Our industry’s ability to deliver sustainable events is essential. With more of our stakeholders making strong commitments to sustainability, there will be increased scrutiny on our ability to deliver this. As an industry, we have an incredible opportunity for event professionals to leverage our ability to inspire and educate our participants to take greater strides for sustainability in their own lives and operations.”   I&FMM