Posted on December 18, 2023

14 Ways to Host Sustainable and Eco-Friendly Events in 2024

Many businesses are prioritizing sustainable initiatives in 2024. These businesses are looking for ways to make their events sustainable.

Fortunately, there are many ways to make your events more sustainable, from adjusting how you handle swag to opting for a virtual “venue.”

Without further ado, let’s explore 14 ways to host more sustainable and eco-friendly events in 2024.

1. Go Digital

An easy way to promote sustainability at events is to go digital whenever possible, starting with marketing and continuing through your event. For example, you can opt for digital marketing instead of sending mailers and distributing flyers to conserve paper.

Even for in-person events, you can use digital communication to reduce the need for travel during the planning process. Event planners can seamlessly collaborate with teams from different locations using tools like TeamViewer alternatives. This saves time and resources and significantly reduces carbon emissions associated with transportation.

2. Host a Virtual Event

What’s more sustainable than an online event? With a virtual event, people don’t have to travel – reducing the carbon footprint of vendors and attendees alike. It also saves energy and potential waste from using a large venue.

You might think that online events aren’t as effective or impressive as in-person events, but successful brands like Tailor Brands conduct online events successfully and show significant results. Thanks to efforts like this, more people understand that webinars are just as effective and engaging as seminars.

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3. Leverage Telecommunications

Small-group discussions and networking opportunities are essential parts of events that many people believe they’ll miss out on by hosting eco-friendly virtual events. However, this gap can be bridged with telecommunications.

Virtual team-building events are becoming mainstream in the 2020s. Many remote teams show incredible results and even outperform traditional, in-office teams. 

One example of such companies is Hims, with their popular sildenafil and other health solutions. People often wonder how a brand in the health and well-being industry can work properly without live meetings. 

The truth is that Hims earned a respected place in the telehealth industry because they know it’s possible to conduct virtual, sustainable events and still have happy employees, a well-connected team, and excellent results. Other medical-based businesses have even gone the extra mile by moving most of their operations online. For example, an obstetrician and gynecologist clinic may use OBGYN medical billing software to complete the billing process without the need for a physical paper trail.

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4. Offer Hybrid Options

Hybrid events are a great solution for those who want to host greener events but still want an in-person component. This makes it possible to use a smaller venue, requiring less energy to power, without cutting the size of your guest list.

In addition to being better for the environment, hybrid events are convenient since they accommodate both those who want to attend in person and those who prefer to tune in online. It also makes them accessible to those unable to travel to the event.

5. Get Smart with Food

Getting strategic with the food you serve and how you serve it can help you host green events. For starters, consider serving sustainable food choices, including plant-based and locally sourced.

In addition to the food itself, it’s essential to consider the plates, napkins, cups, and utensils you’re using. Steer clear of single-use items as much as possible, but if it’s necessary, opt for a compostable or eco-friendly option.

Another option is to donate leftovers to a local organization that feeds those in need. This significantly reduces food waste and helps make a difference in the community.

6. Keep Swag to a Minimum

Swag and branded merch are fun parts of many events. However, the trinkets you give away often end up in the trash. 

Instead of giving participants a variety of random little things, consider giving participants one or two high-quality items they’ll use. Another option is to give guests a voucher to pick an item they’d like to take as a souvenir. This way, only those who want the items will take them.

7. Choose Like-Minded Sponsors

Sponsorships are a key part of hosting successful events. To keep the mission of sustainability going, it’s crucial to partner with like-minded sponsors who maintain eco-friendly values and use practices to back them up.

For instance, you can collaborate with brands like VRAI, which creates lab-grown diamond jewelry that focuses on transparency and innovation. VRAI’s diamonds are grown in their zero-emission foundry and certified by the International Gemological Institute. 

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Inviting this type of sponsor to participate in your event lets you showcase their stunning and ethical jewelry and learn from their expertise and experience in lab-grown diamonds.

8. Hire Sustainable Vendors

Another part of hosting sustainable events is hiring sustainable vendors. You can determine how sustainable a vendor is by asking how they incorporate environmental consciousness in their business practices. 

This will give you a good idea of whether each vendor’s values and position on sustainability align with your brand.

9. Choose an Eco-Friendly Venue

If you’re planning an in-person event, you can make it more sustainable by choosing an eco-friendly venue. Some ways that an event venue can practice sustainability include:

• Cleaning with environmentally safe supplies
• Implementing water-saving mechanisms
• Using energy-saving outlets
• Using green energy
• Using LED lighting

Like with vetting vendors, you can ask venues about their initiatives for prioritizing sustainability.  

10. Host the Event at an Accessible Venue

An easy way to cut carbon emissions for your event is to host it at a venue that’s easily accessible to participants. Consider venues easily accessed by foot, bicycle, or public transportation. 

Venues that don’t require people to drive their personal vehicles will reduce the need for fuel and cut down carbon emissions. Helping ‌guests reduce their collective carbon footprint is undoubtedly a sign of a sustainable event experience.

11. Be Intentional with Waste

Even if you aim for a low-waste event, some waste is unavoidable. Two easy ways to mitigate the amount of waste produced by your event are encouraging recycling and composting when applicable.

Making receptacles for recycling obvious is a good first step. Beyond that, it’s important to ensure that any single-use waste is either compostable or recyclable.

For example, if you have to use disposable plates for serving food, opt for plates made of bamboo or palm leaves rather than plastic or styrofoam. The same goes for disposable silverware and cups.

12. Encourage Digital Note-Taking

Note-taking is very popular at many events, especially those with educational segments or workshops that warrant personal reflection. In the past, many events supplied notebooks and pens for participants to write in. Unfortunately, many people throw these away or don’t use them.

However, in the spirit of going green, you should avoid buying notebooks and encourage digital note-taking instead. This helps to avoid waste, and it makes the notes more accessible for future reference to those who do enjoy note-taking.

You could take this a step further by providing a digital template for notes with prompts and info that corresponds with various workshops and talks throughout the event. Another option would be to provide a QR code that navigates to the syllabus or notes provided by the speaker.

Plenty of note-taking tools are available to help attendees take notes on their chosen devices. Such tools and apps include Google Keep, Evernote, and Microsoft OneNote. 

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13. Plan for Sustainable Data Processing

On July 31, 2023, the European Commission did something big. They gave the thumbs up to the European Sustainability Reporting Standards (ESRS). This is a game-changer, as it’s on track to become ‌law, impacting all 27 EU member states. Companies in the EU will need to get cozy with these new rules, and they’ll have to start reporting under them as early as the 2024 reporting period.

Now, when planning a sustainable and eco-friendly event in 2024 for your business, you’ve got to be on your toes. Being eco-friendly isn’t just for show during events. It’s year-round.

Especially for large corporations and enterprises‌ — ‌it’s vital to weave data center sustainability into your daily routine to back up your eco-conscious claims. It’ll also come in handy for your ESG report later. 

14. Make Your Sustainability Goals Known

Some sustainable practices, such as cutting back on merch or being more intentional with food, may come across as cheap if participants don’t understand the intention behind them. For example, people may be confused if you had a fully loaded swag bag last year and only offered an item or two this year.

However, by sharing your mission to reduce your event’s carbon footprint, attendees are more likely to get on board. Plus,  awareness of the mission will help more people get on board and show support for the cause.

Conclusion

Creating more sustainable experiences and event spaces is an important initiative accessible to businesses and event hosts at any scale. No matter what resources you have, it’s possible to make small shifts that’ll add up to larger movements toward environmental consciousness.

How will you make your future events more sustainable and improve environmental impact?

The author Emily Krings is an SEO content writer and strategist with a knack for storytelling. She specializes in helping B2B businesses create blog content that connects with their audiences.