Planning sustainable events? 5 smart ways to meet

With in-person events and global travel back on the agenda, sustainability is back in the spotlight for event planners.

This is according to the 'Ready, get set, go green!' white paper produced by the Singapore Tourism Board together with American Express Global Business Travel. Launched at the recent IMEX Frankfurt, the white paper examines the strategic ways meeting planners can organise face-to-face meetings and reduce the sector’s negative impact on the environment.

Start with your choice of destination
By selecting a destination which adheres to the UN Sustainability Goals, planners will have access to a wider range of ‘green’ certified providers in the supply chain. The white paper suggests this will help planners to follow ethical business practices and give them access to accurate data, such as carbon emissions.

Sustainability goes beyond ‘green’
Planners are encouraged to integrate wider environmental, social and governance (ESG) goals within their events programme, which could range from proactive management across the supply chain to embracing ESG topics such as diversity, equity & inclusion, environmental, and socio-cultural impact.

Consider the 3Ps: Planet, People, Profit
The whitepaper says that many corporate companies are planning their travel programmes around the idea of ‘Planet, People, Profit’, which refers to environmental sustainability, employee wellbeing and cost management. Understanding how a destination performs across these three ‘pillars’ can take a meeting planner a long way towards identifying the greenest or a greener destination for their event.

Get support from those in the know
By working with relevant local government agencies involved in tourism and events, such as destination management companies and convention bureaus, meeting planners can benefit from initiatives that are already in place, and which can support their sustainability goals.

These could include low or no-carbon ground transport, such as hybrid and electric vehicles, a choice of venues and hotels with green certification from a recognised provider or selecting local food suppliers to reduce food miles.

Don’t overlook the value of hybrid
Despite the increase in face-to-face meetings, the whitepaper says hybrid formats will remain important tools for meetings professionals. They can also support a sustainable strategy; adding a virtual component to an in-person meeting enables meeting owners to accommodate attendee preferences and reduce the amount of time travelled.

The white paper can be viewed here.