Event Sustainability

Events can have a significant impact on the environment, from literature, to travel, to lighting used in the conference room. Understanding your supplier’s position on sustainability can help you to limit the environmental impact of your event.

With environmental concerns regularly at the forefront, businesses within Birmingham are encouraged, by Marketing Birmingham, to source locally, to recycle where possible, to have an energy audit and to encourage visitors to walk around the city rather than using their cars to get from place to place.

Tips to make your event green

• Make use of online resources to promote the event and keep printed literature to a minimum
• Use USBs to distribute literature on-site where possible, rather than giving out hard copy literature
• Where printed literature is necessary, use environmentally friendly paper and suppliers
• Encourage ‘greener’ travel by suggesting car sharing or use of public transport – 47% of visitors to Birmingham arrive by train
• Return any leftover literature to the office after the event for future use – do not throw away

British Standard for sustainable event management

The British Standard Institute has developed a new British Standard for the events industry, aimed at helping the industry to operate in a more sustainable manner. The standard defines the requirements for a sustainable event management system to ensure an enduring and balanced approach to economic activity, environmental responsibility and social progress.

The Standard is relevant to:

• event organisers or individuals involved in overall co-ordination of the event
• event venues including hotels, convention centres and sports venues
• suppliers and contractors of key activities relating to the events industry
• industry associations and councils

For further information, click here to visit the British Standard Institute website.