From its reforestation program to preservation of its reefs, Hawaii is dedicated to sustainability. © Hawaii Tourism Authority (HTA) / Vincent Lim

“Sustainability” has become an industry buzzword, but regardless of its potential for overuse (or misuse), it is an important aspect of event planning, given the sheer number of U.S.-based conferences, conventions, meetings and incentive trips.

The good news is that due to the volume of events being held in this post-pandemic era, planners have a unique opportunity to make a positive impact by incorporating sustainable practices into their events and including sustainability mandates into their RFPs.

According to the United Nation’s World Commission on Environment and Development, “sustainable” is defined as: Meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.

As definitions go, this one is spot-on when applying it to creating, and attending, sustainable events. With many attendees feeling overwhelmed when it comes to fulfilling expectations, what are planners doing to ensure the venues they select are following sustainable practices?

It all starts with, “Who?”

It goes without saying that, for planners, attendees are front-of-mind when it comes to asking, “Who does this benefit, and what are they expecting or hoping for at this event?”

Equally as important is taking into consideration the local community, which can range from employees at the venue, to local vendors or food purveyors, to those working at charitable organizations in the surrounding neighborhood.

With an emphasis being placed on community engagement and social responsibility, planners can respond by partnering with properties to ensure their groups are being mindful of things like utilizing public transportation, purchasing locally grown, raised or prepared consumables, or reaching out to community leaders to support clean-up efforts or donate a portion of the event proceeds.

Magaret Tesky, president of Taste Catering in San Francisco, CA, has been in the industry for 25 years. While “sustainable” has become a touchpoint for many, she notes that while a venue might emphasize their role in the mission, it’s often the provider who bears the greatest responsibility for accomplishing certain mandates.

“As a caterer, we combat food waste by coordinating with ‘runners’ in the areas we serve,” says Tesky. “They pick up and redistribute surplus food to nearby communities, which helps support a diverse array of people.”

Bridget Switzer, director, design studio and environmental strategy at Maritz, in Fenton, MO, supports that ethos of donating to those in need and takes into consideration unused perishables. Says Switzer, “As a team we ask ourselves: ‘Does the venue have a donation program in place for excess food or leftover materials?’ And we want to understand their procedure for waste.”

In the case of Taste, relying on compostables (versus disposables) for food service is an area they’ve responded to by using safe-certified bamboo, palm leaf or other biodegradables. Another option they offer is a service called ‘Light Touch,’ which includes the use of ceramic platters the company picks up after the event.

“In California, we have to meet standards set by the California Department of Resources, Recycling, and Recovery (CalRecycle),” Tesky explains, “as well as by agencies such as the Biodegradable Products Institute (BPI). Using products that are free from certain chemicals (like BPA) also fall under those mandates.”

Tesky also notes a shift away from planners selecting meat-heavy menus and using portion-controlled servings instead of open buffets or offering plant-based food options. “This really resonates with our clients” she says, as does selecting seafood that’s been approved by the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s ‘Seafood Watch’ list, and selecting meat from farms that adhere to humane standards for livestock.

“We’ve seen the rise in more vegetarian meal options, too,” she adds. Taste recently catered several gala dinners that ranged from 250-to-1,000 guests, and they prepared and served 100% plant-based meals, which the event organizers asked for.

“Where” should we hold the event?

After the “who” part of the equation has been addressed, the “where” aspect comes into focus.

In terms of venue selection, it isn’t just about the facility; it includes the destination. While it might be easy to deduce that larger West Coast cities such as San Francisco, Portland and Seattle, would have LEED Platinum Certified convention centers and provide best-in-class city-wide recycling, other cities across the country are equally mindful and deserve a seat at the table.

So, where to begin in terms of finding, comparing and selecting a desirable locale?

Rachael Riggs is the general manager, environmental strategy at Maritz, and worked to create a practical tool to assist the team in making initial decisions regarding the “Where?” part of the puzzle.

Explains Riggs, “When I first started in this role, I created a Sourcing Decision Tree for our team. First, we look at the city and ask, ‘Are they considered sustainable?’ There are several indexes [for determining that], but we use the CDP Cities A List.”

The Carbon Disclosure Project, or CDP, recognizes cities that have been named as leaders in environmental action, ambition and transparency. Started in 2018, the list recognizes cities that celebrate their achievements, vision and commitment in the fight against climate change.

Once a city has been identified using the CDP’s “A List,” Riggs and her team members, which includes Switzer, turn their attention to what venues a city has that meet certain criteria, including sustainability certifications (like the aforementioned LEED-grade). “In my opinion,” says Riggs, “they must have a certification of some kind; it takes work to become certified, and that demonstrates commitment.”

“Properties that have integrated sustainability into their design are those that stand out,” adds Switzer. “It’s not just one or two things; it’s part of their DNA. [The places] that have publicly declared their mission and set targets show they are serious. When I go to a property where every person who works there practices what they preach, it stands out.

“We also want to know if they’re willing to partner with us and be flexible if they don’t already have measures in place that we want to see. Ultimately, we want the whole event to lean into sustainability — so location does make a difference.”

“When” is it the best time to go?

Perhaps no other location in the U.S. has had to grapple with environmental concerns and a focus on sustainability more than the island-state of Hawaii. As we all witnessed during the devastating fires that swept through the town of Lahaina and Upcountry Maui last August, it was impossible not to track the environmental impact. But it’s equally important to consider the sustainability of the people — who are also part of the local environment — and how important it is to them that planners keep them on their radar. In other words, there’s no better time than now to consider planning an event on the island of Maui.

“In terms of sustainability, consider that we’re smaller than more populated places like Honolulu/Waikiki, so we have a smaller footprint in terms of visitor count, aircraft arrivals and departures, and rental car fleets,” explains Sam Spurrier, director of sales and marketing at the Westin Maui Resort and Spa, Ka’anapali. The design of the property intentionally includes hardy native plants and several species of ferns to create a natural, sustainable garden. The resort also coordinates beach cleanups and uses discarded pillowcases in place of plastic trash bags, which are washed and reused.

“We’re TripAdvisor ‘Green Leader’ certified,” says Spurrier, “which validates our adherence to following sustainable practices such as efficient water and energy use, sensitive waste management, and purchasing from responsible vendors.”

When the County of Maui banned the use of sunscreens that were detrimental to the health of the reef systems, the property partnered with Project Reef, a local sunscreen company to provide mineral-based sunscreens.

If an organizer is looking to add a teambuilding component to their itinerary, the state of Hawaii has a plethora of options designed to support their sustainability strategy. Lynn Whitehead, vice president of global MCI sales and marketing, explains that the Events Industry Council (EIC) has created a “best practices and standards around sustainability” that planners can access and use as a resource.

“Explore what green practices are part of a venue’s business strategy that your program can tap into,” says Whitehead. “Many of these are free of charge or available at a low cost.” For instance, the Malama Hawai’i program offers activities that directly benefit the environment, such as clearing away debris from forested lands or eradicating invasive species, and can include an educational walk through the tropical landscape. These types of activities can easily be transformed into teambuilding endeavors that give attendees a chance to experience the local landscape, firmly cementing the “where” part of the sustainability picture.

“What” are some particulars to pay attention to?

It might be redundant to mention things like the use of energy-efficient lighting, recycling and composting, using electronic versus printed signage or steering away from handing out swag that nobody really needs. But, what about considerations like transportation?

For instance, does the venue offer shuttle service, and if so, is it a hybrid or electric vehicle? Is there a practical way to utilize public transportation? Can you encourage walking, biking or carpooling, or is there an opportunity to select a walkable city to cut down on the need for fossil-fuel vehicles?

Another aspect to consider is the transportation mode each attendee will use to get to the host city. With airline industry goals of reaching “Net Zero” carbon emissions by 2050, the race is on to reach that mandate.

When asked what would be different this year at the Singapore Airshow in February, Leck Chet Lam, managing director of the events’ business Experia, responded, “Sustainability, sustainability, sustainability.” But with plant-based fuels, such as sustainable aviation fuel, costing upwards of five-times the amount of traditional, there’s a deep divide on how to achieve net-zero and continue to keep airfare costs within reach of the average flyer.

Jody Brandes, HMCC, CMM, and CMP-Fellow, is associate director, internal meetings and strategy at Gilead Sciences in Foster City, CA, and serves on the board of the Society for Sustainable Events. When asked about her focus as it relates to getting attendees to an event, Brandes responds, “Whenever possible, we select venues that are close to the majority of our attendees. However, we no longer provide airport transportation [to the venue] because we’ve found that people are impatient and prefer the flexibility of rideshare apps. Since our attendees prefer that option, we’re saving costs and decreasing our carbon output as we’re not running empty shuttles to-and-from the venue.”

When planning events for Maritz, Switzer is equally focused on transportation from an attendee standpoint. “It can be a huge factor when determining where we want to host an event,” she says. “For instance, if I look at my attendee list and 90% are from the East Coast, I’ll prioritize finding a venue that’s close to them.”

Technology is a frequently overlooked aspect of sustainability, but whether it’s reducing paper waste by leaning into electronic means of communication, such as an app specifically for the event, planning hybrid or totally virtual events to reduce a meeting’s carbon footprint or making sure that energy-efficient lighting and HVAC systems are in place, it all adds up.

Generating data about sustainability performance is key to understanding how successful your choices have been. Another aspect to consider is how to evaluate your success rate. Some key performance indicators might include tracking CO2 emission levels, overall energy consumption, water usage, waste reduction, compliance with established sustainability standards, social impact or transportation reduction.

“Why” be concerned with sustainability?

We can all agree that Earth is the only home we’ve got, so it’s important to keep that in mind when considering how impactful an event is going to be ecologically and environmentally. Notes Switzer, “It starts with education and taking little steps, which turn into big steps, and before you know it, you’re running. Look at your event and do the easy things first, such as eliminating plastic wherever possible or having recycling bins available. Then, pick the next thing that aligns with your goals and implement that. And be sure to have conversations with your partners and vendors so they’re aware of your sustainability goals.”

Ali Collins, director of meeting planning at Goldman Management in Tampa, FL, suggests that when you conduct site inspections, ask what the property is doing to make a difference onsite as well as in their community. And include your sponsors.

“I did a meeting in Phoenix and had a sponsor for a refillable water bottle station that drove traffic to their booth because they had the only one in a room of 30 exhibitors,” says Collins.

When a hotel partners with a worldwide nonprofit, it has a global impact. Collins discovered this firsthand when working with a hotel that partners with Clean the World, an organization that collects and redistributes lightly used soaps and toiletries. “It goes a long way towards the ‘Reduce, Reuse and Recycle’ philosophy, but it also provides for people in need or hit by disaster, and shows me the hotel is looking for additional ways to improve our world. When a hotel cares about making the world a better place, they care about the people that work for them, which in turn creates happiness and better overall service.” C&IT