Sustainable purchasing, reuse and recycling

Consider the ethical and ecological consequences of all purchases. Think about your office with printers, computers, desks, etc., all the way to your event with stage construction, trade show construction, flooring, and more. Sustainable purchasing also means that you should not make any purchases that lead to deforestation, soil or water pollution or human exploitation!

Certifications such as the Blue Angel help you select materials. Minimize packaging waste. Avoid useless disposable promotional gifts from sponsors or similar and use recycled materials when purchasing.

If purchasing new materials is on the horizon, check to see if the ethical sources are certified and if there is a plan to reuse or recycle them.

For unavoidable waste, provide clearly, color-coded, multilingual containers for easy separation, including food waste. And provide information about what can and cannot be collected for recycling. Strive for a closed loop of materials and a high recycling rate.

Always stay up to date: Are the artists' riders and the requirements of all trades still up to date and specific to your event? Ensure transparency. Inform all trades as well as the audience about the waste separation processes at events and maximize the effectiveness of your sustainable efforts. 

This is how your actions pay off on the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs for short):

• SDG13:Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts - Reduce your CO₂ footprint.*
  Goal 13: Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts 
• SDG8: Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all - Question the source of your working materials.
• SDG8.4: By 2030, progressively improve global resource efficiency in consumption and production
  and aim to decouple economic growth from environmental degradation, in line with the Ten-Year Program Framework on Sustainable Consumption and Production Patterns, with developed countries taking the lead
  Goal 8: Promote inclusive and sustainable economic growth, employment and decent work for all
• SDG12: Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns
• SDG12.2 Achieve sustainable management and efficient use of natural resources by 2030
• SDG12.5 By 2030, significantly reduce waste generation through prevention, reduction, recycling, and reuse
  Goal 12: Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns
• SDG14: Goal 14: Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development.
• SDG14.1 By 2025, prevent and significantly reduce all forms of marine pollution, in particular from land-based activities and notably marine litter and nutrient pollution
  Goal 14: Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources
• SDG15: Protect, restore and promote the sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, manage forests sustainably, combat desertification, end and reverse land degradation, and halt biodiversity loss.
• SDG15.2 By 2020, promote sustainable management of all forest species, end deforestation, restore degraded forests, and substantially increase afforestation and reforestation worldwide
  Goal 15: Sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, halt and reverse land degradation, halt biodiversity loss 
• SDG17: Strengthen means of implementation andrevitalize the global partnership for sustainable development - sustainability is a collaborative effort, leverage partnerships, collaborations and networks.
  Goal 17: Revitalize the global partnership for sustainable development
• SDG4: Share your knowledge.
  Goal 4: Quality Education

Why sustainable procurement is so important for events

Sustainable purchasing is an essential aspect in the event industry to promote environmental, social and economic sustainability. By considering the entire lifecycle of products and services as event organizers, you can make more informed decisions and reduce your environmental footprint.

One of the key benefits of sustainable procurement is waste reduction. By procuring products and services that are reusable or recyclable, you as event organizers can reduce the amount of waste generated at events. This not only benefits the environment, but also reduces the cost of waste disposal, which can often be significant for event organizers.

Another benefit of sustainable procurement is the promotion of a circular economy. By choosing products made from recycled materials or materials that are easily recyclable, event organizers can support the circular economy by reducing the amount of waste that ends up in landfills and conserving natural resources.

Social and economic benefits of sustainable purchasing

In addition to environmental benefits, sustainable procurement can also have social and economic benefits. By selecting products and services from suppliers with ethical and sustainable practices, you as event organizers can promote social responsibility and support fair labor practices. This can lead to positive public relations and increased customer loyalty.

In addition, sustainable procurement can also have economic benefits. By selecting products and services that last longer or are more energy efficient, event organizers can reduce their operating costs over time. This can lead to significant cost savings and increased profitability in the long run.

In summary, sustainable procurement in the event industry is of great importance in promoting environmental, social and economic sustainability. By considering the entire lifecycle of products and services, event organizers can reduce waste, promote a circular economy, support ethical and sustainable practices, and achieve long-term cost savings.

Examples of sustainable purchasing in the event industry

Glastonbury Festival:

Glastonbury Festival is a well-known music festival in the UK that has made sustainability a core part of its operations. The festival has implemented several sustainable sourcing practices, such as using compostable cups and plates, sourcing food locally, and working with ethical suppliers.

Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games:

The 2020 Tokyo Olympics aimed to be the most sustainable Games to date. Therefore, the organizers implemented several sustainable purchasing practices to achieve this goal. These included the use of recycled materials for medals and the implementation of strict sustainability requirements for all suppliers.

Green Meetings Industry Council (GMIC) Conference:

The GMIC Conference is an annual event that brings together event industry professionals to discuss sustainability and best practices. The organizers have implemented sustainable purchasing firmly into the conference. For example, the use of locally sourced food and the selection of environmentally friendly decorations are part of the event.

Sustainable Brands Conference:

The Sustainable Brands Conference is an international event focused on sustainability in business. The organizers have implemented sustainable sourcing practices, such as using recycled materials for conference materials and working with ethical and sustainable suppliers.

The Ocean Conference:

The Ocean Conference is a United Nations event that aims to promote sustainable development and protect the world's oceans. The organizers have implemented sustainable procurement practices, such as using environmentally friendly materials for conference materials and sourcing sustainable seafood for catering.

Now it's your turn - how do you implement sustainable purchasing at your events?

Let me know how you have already increased sustainability when purchasing for your event or how you plan to increase it.

• Do you think about choosing sustainable materials or products when you shop?
• Do you reuse stage designs, carpets, exhibition stands, advertising banners and the like?
• Do you proactively inform your audience which waste is separated how and where? 

Discuss with me - for example directly on my LinkedIn profile.

Do you know the free Sustainability Rider? Discover what you can already do today for sustainable events - from purchasing to execution.

You can also learn more about sustainable procurement in Step 3 of the "16 Steps Initiative".