Sustainable Events

We are going through difficult times, in a reign of uncertainty and apprehension – deprived of the holding face-to-face events – but we believe we will soon return to a reality of greater proximity. When the time comes we will be better prepared for the organization of events with less negative environmental and social impacts – sustainable events.
What do we understand as a sustainable event?
Events can generate impact on the environment, overloading natural resources through the waste of energy, logistical and food resources.

You can distinguish your event by using more eco-friendly solutions and encouraging a circular economy – do it by making it a shared mission among all stakeholders, therefore paving the way for a better future with a more sustainable social, economic and environmental impact. 

We leave some tips that may encourage you to organize a sustainable event. 

1 – Materials 

Most of the time we use materials that we do not reuse, such as printed material (programs, badges, diplomas, communication book, signs, decoration, furniture, etc) .
We leave you some tips to reuse/recycle these materials, making your event more sustainable.

Paper program – can be replaced by a website or app – where it is available for consultation, along with all the event information;

Abstract book – available in digital format on the site or app itself;

Signs – can question the location of the event if there is a stock of reusable signs – and who knows maybe create pressure so that it can become a common practice;

Advertising – encourage sponsors to make their brochures available in digital format or only at their stands;

Furniture – you can rent it if you have this possibility;

Consumables – create conditions for participants to have reusable material at their disposal. 

2- Food

If you are going to provide a welcome reception, coffee break, lunches, dinner, and so on, be sensitive to food waste. You can avoid this serious problem by choosing: 

• Track closely the number of participants;
• Calculate in time the distribution of participants in the various activities of your event;
• Buy food that is local to the conference venue;
• Buy food and drink that are served in bulk (avoiding the use of disposable materials);
• Provide plates, cutlery, glasses and other glass containers, porcelain and/or metal containers that are non disposable;
• Provide cloth napkins and towels;

3 – Water

Offer participants reusable bottles of water and distribute water sources or drinking fountains around the venue so that they can refill. Alternatively, encourage them to bring refillable bottles to the event.

4 – Venue and partners

It is essential to choose a location and partners who share the same concerns – so you will work in harmony and ensure environmental sustainability.

It is important to alert suppliers to the practices that the event intends to adopt.

5 – Technology

To organize a sustainable event is to re-evaluate all the most efficient and economical forms of management and communication. Technology is undoubtedly a great ally in an event of this nature.

Solutions like Sci-Meet allow you to communicate your event in a sustainable and efficient way. We implement automated processes – which save you a lot of time -, and make available to participants documents (certificates and invoices) as well as the scientific/social program in digital format – decreasing paper dependency.

You can try our software for free and make your next event more sustainable!