Making your business event more sustainable
Sarah Healy from Venues Wellington shares ways to help event planners make the most of their business events and conferences and meet sustainability goals.
Business Events Industry Aotearoa took big strides forward this year to make its flagship event MEETINGS more sustainable. Following the June event at Tākina, it has achieved Toitū net carbonzero event operations certification.
For those keen to embark on a similar journey, MEETINGS event manager Chris Peak shares his tips.
Plan early
When participating in a certification programme, capture data early and incorporate it into existing touchpoints. Include details like distances and modes of travel for attendees during registration. This will help streamline the process and ensure you gather a complete set of data.
Early engagement with venues, caterers, and other suppliers is also vital. It allows you to alert them of any data you need and ensure they can provide you with it soon after the event ends.
Consider the costs
Build the costs of a certification programme or other initiatives into your budget. Include an allowance for the costs of credits for carbon offsetting.
Ask your certification provider if they offer different carbon credit pricing options. Be sure to check this in advance.
Communicate with stakeholders
The people involved in your event will want to know it is contributing to more sustainable outcomes. You will need their support to ensure your initiatives are effective.
Provide information on changes you have made to the event, what they can expect, and how they can help. It may be as simple as encouraging the use of reusable drink bottles and returning name badges. Or it may be more complex, such as setting building requirements for exhibitor stands.
Review and analyse
A benefit of working through a certification process is having an accurate and detailed breakdown of your event’s carbon emissions. You will see the effectiveness of certain initiatives.
If your event is annual, use this opportunity to drill down into the numbers. Find opportunities for the biggest gains and take action in the following years to further reduce your carbon footprint.
Looking for more?
At start of items
Sustainable events
Wellington is ambitious when it comes to addressing climate change. Here are some suggestions for hosting a more sustainable event.
A memorable milestone for Water New Zealand conference
Tākina Wellington Convention & Exhibition Centre was a key factor in the success of WaterNZ's largest conference to date, with more than 1,600 delegates.
Life Sciences Summit achieves breakthrough
Now in its second year, New Zealand’s Life Science Summit aims to create a better government understanding of the biotech sector.
Attracting delegates from the Asia Pacific region
ICMSA’s Emma Bowyer shares strategies for attracting Asia Pacific delegates to your conference and growing the attendance at your Wellington business event.
Women in medicine build networks
The New Zealand Women in Medicine Charitable Trust’s Wellington conference united medical wāhine to tackle industry challenges and build a stronger community.
Giving delegates a new perspective on wellbeing
Keynote speaker, Jehan Casinader, a survivor of depression and suicidality, talks about putting wellbeing at the heart of your conference experience.
Sustainability initiatives part of NZIEC KI TUA success
Sustainability was top of mind at the New Zealand International Education Conference KI TUA held at Tākina Wellington Conference and Exhibition Centre.
Engaging Māori culture in business events
Integrating Māori practices into events is no longer just a symbolic gesture. It is a meaningful reflection of an organisation’s cultural capability.
Navigating conference budgets in an uncertain economic climate
Organisers need to stay financially agile to deliver successful events without compromising quality. Here are a few tips to help plan conferences in Wellington.