State of the Industry Corporate Report: Taking meaningful steps towards sustainability

Corporate events specialists are adopting a range of measures to increase the sustainability of their gatherings, but venue selection, food and beverage choice and use of public transport were the most popular elements. More than four-fifths (82%) of those surveyed had chosen a venue with sustainable credentials, while more than three-fifths (64%) used public transport such as trains to, from and during events. Another 64% had opted for a sustainable F&B offering, while more than half (56%) specified that they were providing more vegetarian dishes in order to lower overall emissions.Regarding other travel considerations, around half (51%) were using shared transport to, from and during events. Just less than half (47%) were rethinking or reducing flights, while 38% were actively encouraging delegate walking and cycling.Perhaps surprisingly, given all the ongoing industry discussion around sustainable events, only around half of those surveyed (51%) were following an agreed sustainability strategy or KPIs for their events. Meanwhile, around two-fifths (44%) were carbon- offsetting some or all of their event footprint, and just over a third (36%) were building more CSR-led activities, such as volunteering, into their events.Many of those surveyed told us they were still preoccupied with fairly basic steps towards sustainability, such as banishing single-use water bottles or reducing printed materials and signage. It’s perhaps not surprising, then, that some of those in the corporate events world feel there is much work to be done. “I think [sustainability in the industry] is improving all the time, but still has a long way to go,” admitted one respondent. “Pricing of sustainable options is still high, and that impacts its appeal.”Your sustainable prioritiesSo, what other measures were industry professionals prioritising on the sustainability front? “All events need to have clear goals, measurable KPIs and a purpose in advance,” said one respondent. “By having this, we know the event has a reason to exist and all our decisions about waste/recycling/ travel/catering etc. will flow from this. If the event could have just been an email, then don’t do the event.”Many were focused on developing better sustainability reporting data, by “making progress in reporting tangible statistics” or developing “accurate tracking, measurement and parameters”. Rigorously vetting venues and suppliers was also a common priority: “Learn to ask the right questions of suppliers across all aspects of events – it is not just about plastic or no plastic,” said one respondent.Event planners are also using the events themselves as teachable moments, such as “letting attendees know whatsustainable choices we have made, [to help] them make more informed choices” or “focusing content on sustainability,so we are talking about it at our events”.Shaping a responsible industryThose surveyed had plenty of suggestions for how the corporate events industry as a whole could become more sustainable. For some, there was a need for clearer standards and regulations within the sector, such as an “industry-wide sustainability charter”, “accountability [including] public reporting on waste” and “better reporting and making green accreditations mandatory for all event venues”.As one respondent saw it, the industry needs to talk “about the elephant in the room – TRAVEL”. As we’ve seen, nearly half of event professionals are already reducing their use of flights where possible; some are finding other ways to minimise delegate travel, such as “town hall-style linked events with [a] digital interface, not large gatherings”.Others said it was important for the industry to embrace “events with purpose”. For one respondent, rather than simplysigning up to carbon-offset schemes, it was preferable to “offset by delivering events in areas of commercial, health andsocial need, and ensure your event and delegates do things to benefit this, both before, during and after”.Inevitably, not everyone in the corporate events industry is making as much progress on sustainability as others, but there was a sense that the sector as a whole needs to shift the dial. As one respondent put it: “Generally, everyone needs to buy into sustainability – it will not meet standards with just a few taking the lead.”

State of the Industry Corporate Report: Taking meaningful steps towards sustainability

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State of the Industry Corporate Report: Maximising event strategies and data

State of the Industry Corporate Report: Taking meaningful steps towards sustainability

State of the Industry Corporate Report: The future's biggest challenges

State of the Industry Corporate Report: How brand events are putting DEI in the spotlight

State of the Industry Corporate Report: Maximising event strategies and data

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