Replace all single-use plastic, e.g. straws, plates, cutlery. Have water fountains available for delegates (see giveaways) Greener alternatives are available e.g.

These are often not used and are quickly discarded. Everything has a carbon footprint. Don’t include them, or at least replace them with a greener alternative that will be repeatedly used after the event. Consider a branded reusable water bottle that delegates can use each day and take home with them.

Think how you can encourage them to play their part. Ask them about their sustainability and acknowledge those that are taking action with a badge on your website. Ask them to support your green initiatives and collaborate with you. Find creative ways to raise the issue of sustainability around the conference.

Your venue has a significant role to play in helping you make your event greener. Ask them what their eco-friendly policies are and what they can do to help make your event more sustainable. Have you considered smaller satellite events rather than one big one? This can really help reduce travel and so reduce the overall carbon footprint of your conference.

Delegate travel can have a high carbon footprint. A levy of around $/€20 per person would go a long way to offsetting this, diverting the funds to a reputable offset scheme. The site below gives you a quick way to calculate a journey. Why not add the supplement to the event fee? Make it transparent why you are doing it, no one will complain! Alternatively, ask one of the sponsors to take on this cost, many are getting very switched to the environment.

Eliminate brochures in favour of an online resource or app. For any paper that you supply, make sure it comes from a renewable source. Considering lanyards? These are often made with plastic, a by-product of the oil industry.

A virtual event clearly has a much lower carbon footprint compared to an in-person meeting. The transport, hosting, and activities are the major part of your footprint. Yet, we know that the personal connections made are so often what makes our events so memorable. Why not give all delegates the option to have full access to all the sessions virtually at a reduced price. Brand this option as green, because it is!

Make it possible for some speakers to present virtually at your event. This demonstrates that you are willing to include speakers who wish to participate but who are reluctant to take a big journey for one engagement. Don’t portray to delegates that these sessions as in some way inferior. Celebrate that these adaptations are helping to green your event.

What can you do to reflect your green credentials in your pricing? Can you offer discounts/benefits to delegates who are themselves taking green action?

If you know what your footprint is you can set a target to reduce it by X before your next event. The tool below will give you a broad indicator of your event’s emissions.

Give an additional opportunity for all delegates to learn about sustainability and why it is so important for our industry. Invite a key advocate from our sector to have a stand at your event. This demonstrates that you want everyone to have the knowledge and tools to make green changes.

Designate one speaker slot to sustainability in our industry. This gives you a chance to get the key messages out to all the delegates. It actively demonstrates that you take this issue seriously and that you want others to do so too. We are happy to help you find the right engaging speaker.

Strongly promote what you are doing that makes your event sustainable, it is part of your brand and it will add value. Let delegates, staff, suppliers, exhibitors and sponsors know what you are doing and why. Encourage their participation and seek their support.

Part of sustainability is also about how we treat our local community and how we buy responsibility Can you find products and services that come from the local community? Can you source products that are sustainably made or where the company gives something back to support the community?

Wasting food that is not consumed reduces your sustainability (and increases your costs). Talk to your venue or caterer about how you can work together to reduce wasted food. Can it be passed on somehow? Can any benefit be made of it?

Choose a location with excellent transport links Think about how delegates can arrive at the venue in the most sustainable way. Consider what greener transport options are available. Is there a good train connection? Can you assist people with the last part of their journey with lower carbon transport? e.g. electric buses from the station/airport. Remember travel is one of the big areas of carbon emissions.

Accommodation is sometimes linked to the venue, so ask the venue about their eco-policies. Ask alternative accommodation providers what steps they are taking to host with a lower carbon footprint. If you are impressed, recommend them to your delegates. There are specialist OTAs who focus on eco-friendly accommodation.

If you want to cover every aspect of sustainability for your event then the true gold standard is ISO 20121, the international standard on sustainable event management.

If you want to explore more (beyond these steps) about how you can make your event more sustainable contact an expert who can best advise you.

Yes, you are busy, we get it. The important thing is not to say 'yes I must look at that next year.' Start now, even if you can only tackle a handful of topics at this stage. We are here to help you.