Spotlight on sustainability: top tips for planning a gold green standard event

April 29, 2025 Event industry numbers are huge: according to the Australian Business Events Association 43.7m people attended an event in 2019 in an industry which is estimated to be worth $36bn a year and employs an estimated 229,000 people.

It comprises tens of thousands of businesses ranging from multinationals to sole traders; it is far more than convention centres and event organisers.

How many think that’s an opportunity for sustainable development?

Debbie Shearer, an Events Manager within CSIRO’s Agriculture and Food Research Unit, and her team recently embedded sustainable planning into AgCatalyst, CSIRO’s biennial Agriculture and Food showcase in Brisbane.

“Kermit the frog knew it so well. It’s not easy being green,” Shearer told Cosmos.

“Virtual events are hands down the most sustainable option. For instance, CSIRO runs plenty of virtual and hybrid events because they’re efficient and good for the environment.

“But let’s be honest: after the pandemic, we all know that nothing quite replaces the energy of in-person interactions. People want and need face-to-face connections, and that’s not going to change.”

AgCatalyst, CSIRO’s biennial Agriculture and Food showcase event, typically attracts 500–600 delegates from Australia and beyond.

Shearer says when planning the 2024 event, they saw an opportunity to embed sustainability as a key driver and to develop processes that could be replicated for other CSIRO events.

“The event was a great first step towards a perfect sustainability score and an opportunity to build on that success for future events,” she says.

Key initiatives included:

Partnering with a waste management company to save waste from landfill.

Establishing a Sustainability Group within the planning committee.

Where possible, repurposing rather than buying new items.

Selecting suppliers such as a venue, caterer and exhibition builder with sustainability at their core.

A sustainability report for CSIRO by Closed Loop, an environmental consultancy, showed that 88% of all waste at the event was saved from landfill – about 311kgs. The report said: “A large portion of recyclables had to be placed in general waste as they had been contaminated with grease and other foods.”

Shearer has some “Top tips for hosting a sustainable event” for event planners.

Commit – Set a commitment to sustainability from the start by appointing someone to the planning committee who can provide a sustainability lens on all aspects of the event. Make sustainability updates a recurring action item in planning meetings.

Choice of venue – Choose a venue with strong environmental policies, such as renewable energy use, waste management and water conservation. Choose a venue within walking distance of accommodation or public transport.

“Delegates are often time poor so if the public transport option is lengthy – they will use a taxi or ride share so prioritise walking distance from local hotels when making your choice.”

Go paperless – no brochures, no single-use pull-up banners, no menus or programs. “Use an event app and QR codes.”

Choice of caterers – Ask delegates to select their lunch choice in advance as part of the RSVP to avoid food waste, use seasonal and locally sourced food for menus, and ensure all crockery used is compostable, biodegradable or reusable.

Waste management – Consider partnering with a waste management company to ensure all waste from your event goes to the correct place. They will also work with local depots to clarify which items they take and can often collect plastic waste for you.

“To help your delegates put their waste in the correct bin, create labels on the waste bins which match the exact items at your event. For example: “Coffee cup, coffee cup lid, plate, cutlery, cans/bottles, food waste.”

Vet your suppliers – select partners dedicated to environmental responsibility, particularly your exhibition builder and professional conference organiser if you are using one.

“The setup of an event usually generates the most plastic and non-recyclable waste, so ensure they understand your objectives to prevent them from bubble-wrapping every item brought on-site.”

Registrations – print the delegate badges at the venue to avoid printing for any no-shows. Ensure the label is of a re-cyclable material. Avoid dates on your event lanyards and collect them afterwards to wash and reuse them. “Delegates will thank you for saving them from disposing of them in their hotel waste bin.”

For free-of-charge events, the attendance drop-off can be as much as 40%-50%. To reduce this number, send several email or text reminders to delegates who have RSVP’d giving them the option to cancel their ticket if their plans have changed.

“This will ensure you are not catering for delegates who will not be there on the day and will open up your tickets to ensure you have a full house on the day.”

Map the items you bring to your event – Map and record the journey of every item purchased for your event to ensure it has been sustainably sourced and will be re-purposed or sustainably disposed of. Where possible reuse existing items rather than purchasing new ones. Create a log/document in your planning files to map items to show where they came from and where they will go after they have fulfilled their purpose at the event. This log will also help you with budgeting as you can see what is being purchased.

Bring your exhibitors and delegates on the journey – Make sure you communicate your goals and targets with them through event communications, ask exhibitors to avoid single-use plastic items, and consider sustainable giveaways such as coffee cups and water bottles.

Let people choose to take them rather than providing every delegate one as part of the registration pack. Request that people bring their own water bottles and coffee cups to the event and provide them with water stations and places to wash cups.

“Give it a try – and shout about your success to encourage others. Every effort to create a more sustainable event is a step in the right direction,” Shearer says. “By embedding these practices into our event planning efforts, we can make meaningful strides toward sustainability while maintaining the engagement and connection that in-person events offer.”

Source: cosmosmagazine.com