Hundreds of events, congresses, festivals and meetings of all types and sizes are held around the world every day, some of which have a negative impact on the environment and also on people. Although it is in our hands to reduce this effect, it is key to understand that sustainability in events changes the world with small actions.
It is no news that in recent times there is a remarkable and wider awareness of the need to apply sustainable actions in events, we can state that at least 80% of consumers have taken into account environmental considerations for the organization of their event, but is sustainability in events really a priority nowadays?
¿Cómo podemos definir exactamente la idea de un evento sostenible?
According to the United Nations Environment Programme – UNEP, a sustainable event is “an event that is designed, organized and developed in a way that minimizes potential negative environmental impacts and leaves a beneficial legacy for the host community and all those involved”.
Can we prove that developing a sustainable event is related to higher cost events? Contrary to what most people think, the organization of sustainable events does nothing more than produce savings in costs and time, since we are controlling and reducing the consumption of resources, which makes the production process of our event more efficient.
More and more suppliers, agencies, hotels or pioneering congress centers are promoting this movement, thus establishing a new trend that enables the transformation of the sector.
But will the organization of sustainable events ever be a prerequisite? Some countries such as the United States, England, Germany or Denmark are already beginning to include contractual conditions where the criteria in question are applied when organizing and designing events.
¿La sostenibilidad en eventos nos hace ser más competitivos?
The fact of designing and carrying out this type of more sustainable events is for us an added value for the outside world, serving as a showcase to raise awareness and generate a positive change. This gives us a clear competitive advantage over other agencies or suppliers because we are differentiating ourselves and positioning ourselves in a coherent manner in accordance with our company values and principles.
Is a sustainable event based only on preserving the environment or does it have other possibilities?
From the choice of catering (organically grown products) to avoiding waste such as packaging, to the use of LED lighting reducing carbon footprints or directly from natural light, the use of appropriate air conditioning, etc …. The options are multiple in terms of techniques to be more sustainable.
As we can see, sustainable events generally encompass aspects that take into account not only the environment but also society and the economy. These could be considered the three legs of sustainability as it is applied today in the industry in question.
‘La suma de muchas pequeñas acciones puede hacer la gran diferencia’
Therefore, we would like to present the first Learning Breakfast organized by Valkiria on February 15, where Guy Bigwood, facilitator of change, sustainability pioneer and expert in sustainable events will talk about the subject. For Valkyrie. sustainability in events changes the world.
Don’t you want to miss the opportunity to learn more about high-performance sustainable events?
Guy will explore the nuances of how to implement an advanced sustainable event. From strategy to implementation, measurement and communication, you’ll gain practical advice on how to innovate and use sustainable event strategies to increase employee wellbeing, improve delegate experience and environmental performance while increasing event profitability and brand reputation.
Más sobre Guy Bigwood…
Bigwood’ s background is in consulting services focused on helping cities, governments, corporations and associations intensify, expand and accelerate their sustainability programs. His work has been recognized with 21 sustainability awards, including the Events Industry Council’s Pacesetter Award.
He is a recognized expert in creating sustainable destinations through multi-stakeholder collaboration and co-creation. In 2015, Guy launched the Global Destination Sustainability Index to accelerate the development and performance of sustainable business tourism destinations.
From 2006 to 2018, Guy was the Chief Sustainability Officer of MCI, the world’s largest events, communications and association management agency.
Thanks to the collaboration of various sectors and the joint work of organizers, sponsors, suppliers and participants, together we can change the world, save resources, time and money and enjoy a healthy environment.
“Less conversation, more action”
Guy Bigwood
Contact Valkiria’s team to organize your own event and make a positive impact on people.
