“Well, your sustainability bullshiting is finally over,” uttered a colleague under his breath, with tongue in cheek. A year or two ago, the same colleague fervently believed every sustainability story out there. This occurred during a preeminent event in our industry, just as a key industry trend was being unveiled – the sustainability recession. I have written about the research takeaways before.
That same week, I felt as if I was transported back to 2013 whilst reading a pompous article by a Slovenian PR and event agency. The agency boasted about the release of a guide for sustainable event organising after two whole years of developing and refining it. They even received recognition from the EU for this grand “achievement”, thus becoming the only Slovenian event agency with this prestigious certificate. This recognition, they wrote on LinkedIn, will reaffirm their leading role in sustainable tourism and organising events in Slovenia and abroad. I do not doubt colleagues from Umanotera prick up their ears when hearing such pompous statements read aloud. Their legendary “Guide for organising sustainable sports events” was issued as early as 2013. Truth be told, even ChatGPT is capable of writing a roughly similar guide in less than ten minutes these days.
Yet, my time-travelling voyage was not over just yet. Slovenia’s central event in sustainable management was supposed to present best practice cases. Although the content was intriguing, not a word was said on the event’s sustainable organisation. The event took place in a hotel outside the city centre, yet the organisers did not offer any possibilities for attendees to arrive by sustainable modes of transport. The carbon footprint of the attendees’ mobility doubtless was not negligible. Not a single sentence about the event’s sustainable design or execution was present in the invitations or the event’s communication campaigns. Umanotera’s team, which organises every event with utmost care and planning, would probably get grey hair if this happened to them.
Did an organisation, proclaiming to be a market-leader, measure the carbon footprint of the event or attempt to acquire a sustainability rating of the event? Far from it. When we offered a helping hand, they refused without sparing a second thought. Momentarily, it became clear why – because it is far easier to discuss sustainability than to live sustainably. This philosophy was reflected in the programme. Although the event touched upon sustainable management, strategic growth models, resilience and the role of leaders, it did not include a single article on the sustainable organisation of the event itself. Nor were there any signs of sustainable mobility, carbon footprint calculations or planning according to the principles of the circular economy, even though this event was supposed to be a trailblazing conference and best practice case. In reality, it was organised as yet another business event without noticeable sustainable elements.
Scientific facts cannot be denied
The list of flops could go on, but I refuse to be a Calimero that incessantly complains about the sustainability recession and gives up, saying nothing can be changed. On the contrary, such situations incite me to persist. Scientific facts cannot be denied. If I do believe in something, it must be the annual report by the Stockholm Resilience Centre. Their studies are based on the concept of planetary boundaries, presented by Johan Rockström, Will Steffen and a group of scientists in 2009. They identified nine planetary boundaries, within which we can safeguard a stable and safe environment for humankind to survive. Should we surpass these boundaries, we risk immediate, irreparable changes that can seriously threaten life on Earth. This year, the state is even more concerning. According to data from the latest »Resilience Science Must-Knows«, we have already surpassed seven out of nine planetary boundaries. In other words, our planet’s safety net has been seriously damaged.
Scientists warn that we risk destabilising systems that support modern civilisation if we turn a blind eye and do nothing.
Yet, the report does not end with warnings only. It concludes with nine key recommendations for transforming our relationship with the planet and strengthening global resilience. These are not utopian ideas, but science-based guidelines for stakeholders, organisers and society as a whole. Here are the recommendations, adapted for the world of event organisers:
Think systematically
Events are far from isolated moments. They are part of the broader societal, environmental, and economic systems. When designing an event, event organisers must consider the holistic impact: selecting the location, suppliers, managing mobility and waste, and fostering societal effects. The question that should be asked is: What is the entire carbon footprint of the event?
Reduce risks
Event organising must include assessing risks – not only security ones, but also environmental risks (such as CO2 emissions and efficiency of sources) and societal (such as the exclusion of socially vulnerable groups). Encouraging attendees to minimise these risks becomes an obligation, not just an add-on.
Promote fair decision-making
Events should include diverse speakers and audiences, enabling everyone to access the event, even those with fewer opportunities. The content should address various societal perspectives. Open forums and inclusion of young generations, NGOs, and local communities are all examples of a transparent and fair decision-making process.
Reduce social inequalities
Event organisers can reduce societal inequalities by opting for local suppliers, supporting charitable companies, including marginalised groups, and ensuring events are affordable for all. Exclusive, luxury “green” events are not the solution.
Strengthening local resilience
Events should be designed to strengthen local capacities, helping local teams gain know-how and experience. In addition, they should focus on promoting local knowledge and culture. This way, they become a tool for resilience, not just promotion.
Invest in natural biosystems
Every event should strive to have a negative impact on the environment – the organisers should choose an apt location, use sustainable materials, champion a zero-waste policy, save energy, and reduce or completely ban plastic. Carbon compensation or offsetting must be carefully planned and transparent.
Encourage innovations to achieve a transformation
Events are platforms for innovations – not only technical but societal. Event organisers should seek new formats (such as hybrid formats and regenerative venues), test solutions, and foster dialogues that eclipse existing frameworks.
Measure what is important
The success of an event must not rest only on the number of attendees or likes. We must measure its environmental impact, societal effects, accessibility, and long-term benefits. KPIs for sustainability and resilience must become a part of an event’s evaluation.
Learn from the past and work for the future
Every event has a phase of reflection: what did we do well, where did we fail? How will we become more sustainable the next time around? Best practice cases should be shared, not hidden from competitors like a top-secret file.
In short, if events aim to become a true catalyst for change, they must be organised sustainably, inclusive of society, and environmentally responsible.
Every conference, festival, or business event can be part of the solution or part of the problem. The question is what we choose.
Upon reading the study, I felt relieved. The effort, energy, and persistence of the past decades were not in vain. If some can proudly boast about their guide for sustainable event organisation, I too can proudly highlight our project, Planet Positive Event. I can do this not because it sounds great, but because we are pushing the envelope for the organisation of the largest global sports events.
Today, I received a message that truly moved me. A client told me that we are developing a world-leading sustainability tool for sports and events. He said we are not merely creating a trailblazing tool, but a platform that no one will be able to contradict, not even the most established global experts.
Real change happens when sustainability becomes a daily act
These are not only praises made out of courtesy. This is confirmation that changes are not only made at conferences or in PowerPoint presentations. Real change happens when sustainability becomes a daily act. It occurs when we go beyond words and build something that has a tangible, long-term effect.
Sustainability is not about guides that remain blanketed with dust on half-empty bookshelves, but a tool that pushes the limits of what is possible.
Still, we must understand that there are clients, event organisers, attendees, and all stakeholders who are not always in the same development phase. Some are more advanced than others. At a recent meeting, I explained the phases as follows:
| PHASE IN THE “REAL” WORLD | PHASE IN THE EVENT WORLD | FEATURES | TOOLS |
| Denial until 1990 | No sustainability | Events without any sustainable idea; denying impact, zero measurements and no sustainability reports. | No tools |
| Sustainability between 1990 and 2005 | Damage control | Elementary measures: recycling, reducing waste, local food, and saving energy. | Sustainable guidebooks, control lists |
| Implementation between 2005 and 2015 | Implementation of sustainability practices | Established standards, internal policies, sustainability guides, procedures and educational programmes. | ISO 20121, EMAS |
| Net zero from 2015 until today | Measuring and compensating the carbon footprint | Events with a calculated CO2, partial or full carbon footprint compensation, and renewable energy sources. | Carbon footprint calculators |
| Circularity from 2017 until today | Upcycling, recycling, etc. | Reusing elements, upcycling, digitalisation of materials and opting for local and circular suppliers. | Zero waste, cradle to cradle |
| Resilience from 2020 until today | Resilience and flexibility of events | Events resistant to crises (weather, pandemics); using local sources. | Tools for crisis management |
| Regeneration from 2020 until today | Events that leave a positive legacy | Events that actively contribute to the prosperity of the environment and society, strengthening the community and fostering a sustainable legacy. | Planet Positive Event |
Following the publication of the Brundtland Report in 1987, the concept of sustainability slowly spread at events, primarily through principles and pledges. A breakthrough occurred with the implementation of the ISO20121 standards in 2012, which laid the foundations for sustainable event management. The Paris Agreement (2015) further galvanised the movement for carbon neutrality and emission measurement. By adopting a circular economy, the European Union also began actively supporting the closure of material flows for events. Following the pandemic, two trends emerged: the resilience of events and their ability to adapt and thrive in a time of crisis. Lately, regeneration has been in the limelight. Regeneration champions events that not only reduce their impact but also generate positive effects for the community and the environment.
There is no other choice than regeneration – everything else is just a prolongation of the past at the expense of the future.
The table is, in fact, a tool that helps us understand and rationally explain why it makes sense to organise events sustainably. It shows how our perception, practices, and responsibilities evolved in the industry. Events have tremendous impact and power to set an example. In my opinion, there should be no debate about which way to head. There is no other choice than regeneration – everything else is just a prolongation of the past at the expense of the future.
Power to the meetings!
Editorial by Gorazd Čad
