The State of Sustainability in the Event Sector: A Responsible Perspective

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Exploring the current state of environmental, social and governance (ESG) factors in the event sector.

Being delivered live at the Sustainable Event Show Friday, 7th November 2025, London.For a graphic-only version, click here. White paper and video versions will be published shortly.

The event sector is a highly diverse & transactional yet creative sector. We include sporting events, cultural, community, conferences, experiential, corporate and brand activity within our remit. We deliver tens of thousands of experiences, every single day. Yet each event is different and individual. This poses both opportunities and challenges in sustainable product and delivery, unlike any other sector.

Despite initial and continued enthusiasm, and whilst the appetite for sustainable solutions is undiminished, financial realism and logistical pragmatism are driving many decisions in event planning.

event:decision’s “State of Sustainability in the Event Sector” offers a snapshot of how the sector is performing across environmental, social, and governance (ESG) dimensions — and what must come next.

Confidence and Sentiment

 

Across the UK, EU, and US, planners’ confidence in sustainable practice varies but shares a cautious optimism. While European professionals express stronger conviction in ESG progress, UK media reports uncertainty and financial pressure on planners. Across 2025 sector media continues to show sustainability as a top priority, over other factors such as Experience and Connection, AI && Tech, Financial concerns and Inclusivity.

Planners in the US show a reduction in appetite for sustainable solutions from 7/10 to 5/10, the only region to do so.

These findings reveal a sector in motion: sustainability is clearly valued, yet implementation lags behind ambition.

What You Want: The Priorities of Event Professionals

 

Data from the AMEX GBT M&E 2026 Forecast, based on insights from over 600 meeting professionals, identifies where event planners are focusing their attention.

  • Destinations and venues unsurprisingly continue to dominate decision-making
  • However, AMEX data suggests a tension between aspiration and practicality — most professionals want to host greener events but struggle to translate desire into measurable outcomes. Sustainability is not yet the new normal.

Despite planner optimism, sustainability still competes for attention against more traditional pressures. Of course it does. According to the AmexGBT report:

– Only 25% of event professionals currently track emissions. That means 3 in 4 do not.
– Just 28% plan to prioritise improvements to sustainability metrics in 2026. That means 2 in 3 do not.
– And while 38% have sustainability written into policy, 28% still classify it as a “pending initiative,” trailing behind cost reduction and attendee engagement in priority.

This measurement gap is critical. Without reliable data, it’s impossible to quantify progress, justify budget spend, or demonstrate ROI — all of which are essential for making the business case for sustainability.

In ‘The Value of Values”, Daniel Aronson quotes a global CFO as saying “only two department come into my office and ask for money with no numbers – HR and sustainability”.

In other words, we’re all still stuck at the stage of good intentions without consistent proof. The will exists, but the pathway remains fragmented. Eventprofs must keep sustainability in mind across the planning process; there are very few decisions needing to be made, in which sustainable options are not available.

What The Sector Does: Headlines

Agency Performance

Based on the Power 30 Most Sustainable Agencies campaign in conjunction with micebook 2024-5.

Geography: UK only

  • 94% of agencies have a defined sustainability lead within the business.
  • 50% hold an Ecovadis accreditation, and 50% of these hold at Silver level
  • Almost half (47%) hold ISO14001 accreditation for their own businesses.
  • Half of this number (22%) hold ISO 20121 for their event planning processes
  • Only 1 in 5 of the most sustainable agencies hold a B Corp certification.

You can see this and additional related information in the Power 30 Most Sustainable Agencies 2024-5 output.

Event Performance

Based on event:decision’s Impact: Responsible Event Review data, which is based on over 5,500 data points from:

Event date range: Jan 2024 – Oct 2025

Geographies: US, EMEA, APAC

Event types: Conferences, sporting tournaments, exhibitions, experiential, incentives, meetings & stand-builds

Sectors: aviation, education, energy, tourism, events & hospitality, finance, banking, insurance, government.

Reviewers are invited to detail their adoption of factors within E, S & G. Here we highlight those factor adopted most and least, by the industry.

Users are able to benchmark their event performance against global, regional, type and sector performance.

Here we evaluate how the event sector performs in three pillars, highlighting the three most and three least actioned factors within each of ESG channels:

Environmental Factors

  • Strengths: Reported growing adoption of event carbon reporting, and increased attention to venue certifications and responsible food and beverage sourcing.
  • Opportunities: Limited action on pushing venues towards energy efficiency and the collection of delegate travel data — two of the most significant contributors to an event’s carbon footprint.

Social Factors

  • Strengths: A reported focus on delegate wellbeing and promoting events for all.
  • Opportunities: Persistent gaps in auditing supplie  living wage policies, event legacy planning, and collaboration with social enterprises to deliver impact.

Governance Factors

  • Strengths: Solid foundations in contractor insurance, sector codes of practice, and risk assessments (RAMS).
  • Opportunities: Rarely is ROI linked to sustainability KPIs, few events appoint an event-ESG lead, and certification of internal (agency)ESG systems remains underdeveloped.

In short, while the frameworks are forming, most organisations are still at an early stage of integrating ESG rigour into everyday decision-making.

What about carbon emissions reporting?

 

Whilst reporting of Social and Governance factors is somewhat scarce, without doubt, emissions reporting of events is the most commonly actioned reporting tactic. Yet carbon impact remains one of the sector’s most pressing issues.

We believe that even combining the data of all popular event carbon calculation platforms & services, the sector is barely scratching the surface of rigorous, audit-worthy measurement and reporting at any significant scale.

Questions for the industry:

  1. Travel. Whilst Greenhouse Gas Protocol states that if emissions are created due to an event, they should be calculated and reported – there appears a reticence within the event sector to include travel-related emissions within reporting.

 

  1. As hotel, conference & convention centre product is potentially less variable than the events they deliver, greater progress has been made on certifications and accreditations. Both agency and in-house teams should reward venues which have invested in these standards by actively considering them in their decision making, moreso than is seen in current sector reporting.

 

  1. Food & Beverage. Whilst public sentiment and (literal) tastes are changing, it is apparent that longer events (1 days+) still encounter some challenge in offering solely plant-based menus.

 

  1. Materials & Freight: whilst ideally re-used / re-purposed materials and local supply is ideal, rarely is the infrastructure in place to deliver. In a live event scenario, confidence in supply often outweighs sustainability considerations, especially in the technical environment.

 

  1. There is still demand for swag. Usually mass-produced some distance from the event site and airfreighted. The event sector needs to work harder in convincing clients that there are more viable and valuable alternatives. Should multi-$m corporations needs cheap swag to entice prospects to engage on exhibition stands?

Track Reports from event:decision are the #1 global event-focussed carbon reporting service, providing planners with:Event carbon footprint |  Industry benchmark | Travel Capture tool | Specific mitigations | Offset values.

 

 

The School Report: How Events Compare

 

When benchmarked against other industries, the event sector earns a mixed grade. There are signs of life — strong momentum in awareness and engagement — but progress is uneven. Environmental measurement is advancing, whilst social sustainability trails behind.

Sectors such as aviation, automotive, pharmaceuticals, energy and finance are more highly regulated, financed and deliver greater supply chain integration. As such, it can be argued that progress towards a more sustainable product is more advanced.

The message to #Eventprofs is clear: intent is no longer enough. The next chapter must focus on execution and evidence.

What’s Next: A Call to Action

 

The closing elements of the report outline seven crucial lessons — each a call to action for planners, agencies, and brands:

  1. Destination & venue choice is critical – sustainability begins with where and how you host. Travel accessibility, especially by public transport / mass transit is the largest factor.
  2. Ownership matters – it’s up to you to drive responsible practice. Step up and take the credit, if you’re delivering sustainable value. event:decision can provide you with simple metrics to demonstrate.
  3. Optics count – it matters what things look like, even if the emissions effect is relatively small, communicate sustainable choices transparently and authentically.
  4. Easy wins exist everywhere – small steps (local sourcing, digital materials) add up fast.
  5. The social benefits of events are under-used; relative to environmental tactics. Integrate local supply, social enterprise supply (there are more of these than you think), align with multiple UN Sustainable Development Goals (they are hard to argue against) and legacy into your event DNA.
  6. Responsible options are abundant – from certified venues to low-impact catering, digital swag, swag-swap tables, local & sustainable suppliers; more sustainable choices are accessible. Impact: Responsible Event Reviews will point you directly at conscious supply-chain.
  7. Set an objective and take the first step — progress begins with measurement. Every small tactic delivers a more responsible event.

Conclusion

 

The 2025 landscape for event sustainability is one of potential meeting accountability. The event sector has never been more aware of its responsibilities – yet has never needed clearer leadership to translate intent into impact.

If the sector can embed sustainable thinking and practice into more decisions – from destination selection to delegate travel, supply chain integrity to ROI, the events of tomorrow will not only bring people together, but do so responsibly.

The event:decision State of Sustainability 2025 is being delivered live at the Sustainable Events Show 2025, with accompanying data from event:decision’s Track & Impact tools, Amex Global Business Travel Annual Meetings & Events Trends 2025, Oxford Economics Global Risk Survey and The Business of Events 2025 Annual Planner Sentiment Survey.

Sustainability is not the new normal…

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Sustainability is not the new normal – despite many wishing it so.

It’s easy to believe that sustainability has become the default for present-day events. After all, every RFP mentions “green initiatives,” and many planners can proudly point to sustainably labelled menus or the removal of overt single-use plastics. Yet, as both event:decision data and the Amex GBT 2026 Global Meetings & Events Forecast shows, sustainability is not quite the new normal — not yet.

The data tells a more nuanced story: one of strong intent, rising expectations, but slow implementation and limited evidence.

The positive shift: sustainability as an expectation

There’s no doubt that the mindset has changed. The Amex GBT 2026 Annual Meetings Forecast notes that “sustainability is no longer optional,” especially as younger generations expect events to reflect environmental and social responsibility as standard practice. Nearly one in four meeting professionals say attendees now demand visible sustainability actions — from reducing plastics to sourcing local and plant-based food and drink. That means that 3 in 4 do not.

For 38% of organisations, sustainability is already embedded in their event policies. That’s a major step forward — it signals that sustainability is moving from one-off gestures towards some systemic integration.

Eloísa Urrutia, Head of Sustainability at Amex GBT Meetings & Events, says: “Sustainability is a business and social imperative, but it is also personal. It’s emotive, drives loyalty, and inspires.”

When done well, sustainability initiatives not only reduce environmental impact but can massively increase social value associated with an event; and actually enhance engagement and brand value.

You can see this in action. There’s a 3pt increase in responsible and sustainable event delivery over the last 12-months’ data from event:decision’s Impact: Responsible Performance Review tool (May ’24 – May ’25). But of all global events, the sample is small.

The reality check:

Despite planner optimism, data shows that sustainability still competes for attention against more traditional pressures. Of course it does. According to the AmexGBT report:
– Only 25% of event professionals currently track emissions. That means 3 in 4 do not.
– Just 28% plan to prioritise improvements to sustainability metrics in 2026. That means 2 in 3 do not.
– And while 38% have sustainability written into policy, 28% still classify it as a “pending initiative,” trailing behind cost reduction and attendee engagement in priority.

This measurement gap is critical. Without reliable data, it’s impossible to quantify progress, justify budget spend, or demonstrate ROI — all of which are essential for making the business case for sustainability.

In ‘The Value of Values”, Daniel Aronson quotes a global CFO as saying “only two department come into my office and ask for money with no numbers – HR and sustainability”.

In other words, we’re all still stuck at the stage of good intentions without consistent proof.

What’s Working?

The AmexGBT report does show some encouraging movement toward practical implementation. Event professionals are making tangible changes, such as:

– 38% have introduced sustainable meetings and event policies.
– 34% are minimising disposables and prioritising sustainable materials.
– 33% are offering local, seasonal, and plant-based catering.
– 31% prioritise sustainable venues.
– 30% implement waste avoidance practices, like food donation programs.

This means that roughly two-thirds of us do not. Therein is an opportunity for venues and agencies looking for commercial advantage.

These are meaningful shifts — they demonstrate that sustainability is not purely a buzzword. Our industry is starting to innovate, adapt and learn. The event sector is highly fragmented but the tools available to do this are not. They will cope with events of any size, scope, format and geography. They are consistent, practical and cost-effective.

Bridging the gap: from goodwill to normal practice

If our industry is to make sustainability truly “the new normal,” three things must happen:

1. Measurement must mature. Social value tracking & carbon reporting, need to become as common as budgeting and attendance reporting. Why would people want this? Because events deliver value, and this value can be tracked.
2. Sustainability must drive creativity, not limit it. As budgets tighten, and let’s face it, they are, sustainability should be inspiring smarter, more meaningful experiences rather than adding constraints.
3. Legacy should become a benchmark. The question shouldn’t be “was the event sustainable?” but “what lasting positive value did my event leave?”. Every organisation can choose whether to purely deliver cash to its shareholders or to do so with purpose.

Legacy is often linked to the ‘People’ part of People, Planet, Profit, or the ‘S’ in ESG. Did you know you can benchmark the ‘S’ in your event with event:decision’s Impact Review tool?

What next?

The Amex GBT 2026 Forecast paints a hopeful picture. Sustainability is becoming more expected – but it hasn’t yet become standard. Far from it. Sustainability is still an aspiration rather than an assumption.

The event sector started strong but momentum is in danger of stalling: sustainability is embedded in policy, sometimes visible in practice and now increasingly recognised as a driver of attendee engagement. But until it’s measured, budgeted for, and benchmarked, it won’t quite be the “new normal.”

The events industry needs to mature – to deliver good strategic advice allied with sound tactics to our stakeholders – advice and tactics based, not on menus and plastic bottles, but on real numbers.

Business Travel Growth Forecast

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Business Travel Growth Forecast: what impact for events?

Almost half of corporates to spend more on business travel in FY26, is the forecast by FCM Travel. Excellent news if you’re in the business of travel, and for that matter, probably if you’re in the business of meetings and events.

It indicates more opportunities for face-to-face engagement, collaboration, and the overall growth of the events sector. However, it also raises questions about sustainability, as increased travel is traditionally associated (read, absolutely associated) with higher carbon emissions, hence event carbon footprints.

How does this square with oft-quoted event planning agencies promising reduced environmental impacts?

This is exactly where event:decision Impact: Responsible Event Reviews are crucial. Impact Reviews help ensure that even as volumes of events and travel increase, sustainability is embedded and demonstrable.

How you show your events are responsible:

  1. Measure Beyond Carbon

Impact Reviews assess events across environmental, social, and governance (ESG) factors, not just carbon emissions. This includes venue sustainability, catering choices, accessibility, certifications, waste reduction, supply chain responsibility and event legacy. Balancing travel impacts with positive social and governance measures.

  1. Benchmarking & Improvement

Each event is benchmarked against industry performance and previous events. You can demonstrate year-on-year improvement, even if travel volumes rise, by showing better destination & venue sourcing, reduced waste, increased local supply and stronger community benefits.

You can benchmark by region, by industry sector and/or by event-type also.

  1. Offsetting & Mitigation

event:decision tools highlight opportunities for carbon reduction and offsetting, such as virtual attendance options, low-carbon menu choices, and more sustainable transport alternatives. In fact, only with event:decision’s Track Carbon service do you receive a curated low-carbon door-to-door travel plan, specifically for your event.

 This ensures travel impact is acknowledged but managed in line with best practice.

  1. Transparency & Reporting

An Impact: Responsible Event Review provides a clear, third-party validated framework that you can use in sustainability reporting. This helps counterbalance any criticism that “more travel = less sustainable,” by showing that events are planned responsibly, transparently, and within ESG frameworks.

The big picture

Even as corporate travel spend rises, responsible event design can ensure that events are still responsible & sustainable. The key is to show stakeholders — through Impact: Responsible Event Reviews — that the event is measured, benchmarked, and actively improved, time after time.

Better by design

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How to win and deliver better events

Audiences, stakeholders, and regulators increasingly expect events to deliver positive outcomes for both people and the planet. Meeting these expectations requires more than good intentions; it calls for collaboration, insight, and action. That’s where a strong partnership between event:decision and trusted suppliers makes all the difference.

Last week event:decision and PSP showed how this is done.

How did it go? We’ll let the stats speak for themselves:

  • 100% attendance rate
  • 95% retention rate for the whole event.

Appetite from event agencies is there. A good start all round.

What did they learn?

  1. The event sector is improving. Projects that event:decision report from May-24 to May-25 show an average of 3pts improvement across ESG over this period.
  2. That major regional differences still exist. No surprise really, given geographical, political and economic drivers behind event sustainability. More info here.
  3. Client sectors also vary. More info here. 

The Engines of Improvement

At the heart of this collaboration are Track and Impact, event:decision’s leading tools for responsible event management.

Track is the leading global carbon reporting and advisory service for events. It enables organisers and suppliers to measure the emissions of each event with precision, revealing where improvements can be made. From venue energy use to delegate travel, Track provides the data to identify hotspots and guide meaningful reductions.

Impact, meanwhile, takes a broader ESG approach. It evaluates the environmental, social, and governance aspects of an event, offering a comprehensive Responsible Event Review. Impact benchmarks performance across key areas—such as locality, accessibility, and community / social engagement—helping teams set goals and track progress over time.

Together, these tools turn every event into an opportunity for improvement. By measuring, benchmarking, and reporting on performance, Track and Impact transform responsibility from a one-off exercise into a cycle of continuous learning.

Why Partnership Matters

A joint event:decision and supplier partnership ensures that data and action go hand in hand. Suppliers receive clear, actionable insights, empowering them to adapt their services and reduce impact. Organisers gain confidence that every element of the supply chain is working toward the same goals. The result? Events that not only meet sustainability targets but also inspire audiences and stakeholders with tangible proof of positive change.

Every event—large or small, live or virtual—can be better than the last. By partnering with event:decision and leveraging Track and Impact, suppliers and organisers can demonstrate leadership, deliver responsible events, and build a legacy of continuous improvement.

Introducing ‘Factor-30’ Benchmarking

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Factor-30 Industry Benchmarking

At event:decision, we’re committed to giving you the tools you need to make your events not only successful, but also responsible and sustainable.

An Impact: Responsible Event Review already gives you a comprehensive view of how your events and your organisation performs across environmental, social, and governance (ESG) measures. Now, we’re taking that insight even deeper.

‘Factor-30’, granularity to drive change

Impact Review’s latest feature enables you to view your performance across 30 individual ESG factors. Rather than seeing sustainability and responsibility as a single overall event score, you can now see precisely where your event excels – and where there’s room to improve.

This means:

  • Clear visibility into performance across all three ESG pillars – from carbon and waste management to supply-locality, well-being and governance practices.
  • The ability to pinpoint priority areas, making your action planning more focused and effective.
  • A more balanced perspective, recognising successes in some areas even if others need further attention.

Industry Benchmarking – see where you stand

We’ve also introduced comparisons against industry performance for each factor. This means you don’t just see how you’re doing internally, you understand how your event measures up against the wider industry landscape.

Key benefits include:

  • Ability to fine-tune your event, your bid or RFP for success.
  • Benchmark confidence: Knowing where your event outperforms the industry builds confidence in your responsible event strategy.
  • Competitive insight: See how you stack up against your peers and where you can create differentiation.
  • Evidence for stakeholders: Concrete, comparative data makes it easier to communicate progress and justify investment in sustainability and responsibility initiatives.

From data to action

The real value of this update lies in the ability to translate insights into tangible improvements. With clarity across 30-factors and a clear view of industry benchmarks, you can:

  • Set targeted improvement goals.
  • Share clear, compelling reporting with sponsors, clients, and internal teams.
  • Demonstrate a genuine commitment to continuous improvement in responsible event delivery.

Why It Matters

Events have the power to connect, inspire, and create change – but they also carry responsibility. By shining a light on performance at the factor level and providing meaningful benchmarks, Impact Reviews now make it easier than ever to make better, more responsible choices.

As an event industry, you have already demonstrated improvement from 2024 through 2025.

Here’s your chance to accelerate this positive change.

(Oh, and it’s already included in your Impact Dashboard Reporting at event:decision, at no extra charge)

At event:decision, we believe that performance, authenticity and responsibility go hand in hand. With Impact Reviews, we’re helping our industry take another step forward, making your events just that little bit better, time after time.

Sustainability in focus

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Who’s leading (and who’s lagging) in events by sector.

At event:decision, we’ve seen sustainable event planning take a leap forward in 2025 -not just in ambition, but in measurable outcomes. With more organisations benchmarking their events across Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) factors, we’re gaining a clearer picture of where the industry is maturing, and where it still needs a nudge.

But the real story lies in the sector-specific differences. Here’s what the data shows about which industries are pushing the boundaries, and which are falling behind.

Top performer: Events & hospitality

This year’s biggest leap came from the Events & Hospitality sector, particularly in environmental impact. From energy use to food sourcing, this group is turning intent into action.

Why they stood out:

  • Greener menus: More plant-based, local, and seasonal sourcing.
  • Sustainable venues: Prioritising those powered by renewables.
  • Waste control: Advanced recycling plans and zero-to-landfill targets.

Environmental scores rose sharply compared to 2024, making Events & Hospitality the standout sector for sustainable progress this year.

Second in line was Finance and Legal…

While Events & Hospitality led the environmental charge, Finance and Legal sector events stood out for their exceptional Governance performance – making them the second-strongest overall.

Why they ranked high:

  • Clear ESG accountability: Governance practices from core business operations are mirrored in event planning.
  • Rigorous supplier due diligence: Preferred partnerships with accredited vendors.
  • Policy-driven decisions: Events aligned tightly with internal compliance and risk protocols.

Governance scores were consistently high across Finance and Legal events, pulling their overall ESG performance into the top tier.

Lowest performer: Retail & Consumer goods

Despite facing the public eye daily, the Retail and Consumer goods sector ranked lowest overall in sustainability performance, especially in governance and social impact.

Key challenges:

  • Short planning cycles, leaving little room for ESG integration.
  • Budget sensitivities, with sustainability still perceived as a cost add-on.
  • Low measurement adoption, meaning missed opportunities for improvement.

Without clear measurement or set goals, many events in this sector failed to meet even baseline expectations.

What the gap tells us

This contrast shows just how vital measurement and mindset are. The Events & Hospitality sector proved that with intention, planning, and the right tools, major progress is possible, even in complex environments. Meanwhile, Retail’s slower shift suggests a need for sector-specific support, clearer ROI messaging, and more accessible sustainability solutions.

Where we go from here

We know that when planners measure, they change. And now, with better reporting platforms, smarter advisory support, and real-time benchmarking tools like Impact and Track, event professionals can act with confidence – not guesswork.

Let’s make 2025 the year every sector finds its stride.

Region watch: US & EMEA

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Who’s leading on event sustainability in 2025?

As more organisations commit to responsible event delivery, 2025 has become a landmark year for measured progress. At event:decision, our data tools – including Track and Impact Reviews, provide a uniquely detailed view of how event sustainability is evolving across industry sectors, event types, and geographies.

This time, we’re zooming in on the regional picture. Specifically: how do events in the US compare to those in EMEA?

The answer isn’t just a matter of who scores higher. It’s about what’s driving performance, what cultural and structural factors are influencing results and what both sides can learn from each other.

EMEA leads the way, for now

In 2025, EMEA emerged as the highest-performing region overall, driven by stronger results in Environmental and Governance pillars.

Why EMEA events stood out:

  • Stronger supply chain transparency, particularly in the UK, Netherlands, and Nordics.
  • More established ESG reporting culture, with sustainability metrics often mandated internally at client-board-level.
  • Higher event planner awareness, especially among agencies serving European or global clients.

EMEA events scored significantly above average in Governance – with consistent use of certified suppliers, carbon goal setting, and more detailed post-event reporting.

US: Strong intent, but gaps in execution

US-based events demonstrated real commitment to sustainability in 2025 but scores were more variable, particularly in the Social and Governance dimensions.

Key challenges for US events:

  • Lower consistency in carbon tracking, especially for travel.
  • Less structured supplier vetting, often driven by speed and budget.
  • Underuse of measurement tools, leading to lower benchmarking confidence.

That said, there are bright spots. Some corporate event teams in the US are piloting portfolio-wide ESG frameworks, a sign that momentum is building.

We see US-corporates pushing their agencies hard for benchmarks and pathways, especially in CDP &/or Ecovadis products.

The biggest hurdle? A lack of enforced standards. Where EMEA planners often face regulatory or procurement-driven requirements, US teams rely more on voluntary adoption, making measurement and improvement patchier.

Regional takeaways: What we’re seeing

Factor EMEA US
Average ESG Score Higher Lower (more varied)
Governance Strong – compliance driven Inconsistent – depends on team maturity
Environmental Strong in travel, waste, sourcing Variable – hybrid models help, but gaps in tracking remain
Social Improving, esp. around wellbeing & access Patchy – DEI efforts exist but aren’t always measured

What EMEA can learn from the US: Greater innovation, especially in hybrid and tech-led formats.

What the US can learn from EMEA: Standardise measurement and make ESG mandatory.

What’s next: Closing the gap

Sustainability isn’t a static factor. What we’re seeing now is a regional maturity curve and with the right tools, both EMEA and US-based planners can keep advancing. The difference? EMEA is starting to treat ESG as a business necessity. The US is still treating it like an opportunity, risking inconsistent delivery.

That’s where event:decision comes in.

  • Track your event performance, not just in carbon but in social value and governance process
  • Benchmark against regional peers, but also in client-sectors and event-types
  • Act with confidence, not guesswork.
  • All for less than the price of a single hotel room.

Every story has a number, every number has a story

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Great at Stories. Awful at Numbers. That’s #Eventprofs for you.

Let’s face it: as an industry, event planners are brilliant at crafting a compelling story.

We can take a spreadsheet of logistics and turn it into an experience that moves people. When it comes to sustainability, we know the right things to say. We talk about reusable cups, compostable lanyards, local vegan food. We highlight our commitments to people, planet, and purpose. The story sounds great in the sustainability report—and better still in the pitch deck.

But here’s the problem: we’re great at the story, and frankly, terrible at the numbers.

Ask most event professionals to quantify the carbon savings of switching to LED lighting, or the measurable social impact of using a local vendor network, and the numbers just… aren’t there. At best, we see vague metrics or arbitrary benchmarks. At worst, we see none at all.

And yet, numbers matter. They bring credibility to our sustainability narratives. They turn well-meaning gestures into accountable action. They make the difference between “we tried” and “we achieved.”

That’s where Impact: Responsible Event Reviews come in.

Impact Reviews give event planners a clear, evidence-backed framework for assessing the sustainability and social responsibility of an event. No fluff, no guesswork—just meaningful insights grounded in ESG principles. It evaluates dozens of data points across your planning decisions, scores them against international performance, and provides a simple, shareable report that tells both the story and the numbers.

In fact, many of our clients start with a great narrative—but it’s Impact that brings it to life with substance. It shows where you’re doing well, where you can do better, and what progress looks like over time. It’s not about catching anyone out. It’s about making better decisions, every time.

So let’s keep telling great stories. Let’s keep showing that our events can be a force for good. But let’s also bring the numbers. Because every story has a number. And every number, a story.

Ready to back your sustainability story with numbers that matter?

Get in touch to try Impact today.

 

* Aswath Damodaran, a finance professor at NYU Stern, is associated with the phrase “Every number tells a story, and every story has a number” although this is not a direct quotation.

Who should pay for sustainable events?

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Who pays for sustainability?

If you’re in sales, account development, client direction or the owner of an events agency here’s a simple guide to growing your business.

You’re always asking us “Who should pay for the cost of our environmental and social efforts? Should we increase prices so the customer pays, or should we absorb from within our margin?”

The answer is that neither you nor the customer should pay — make your competitors pay.

Improving your own event performance, and making sure customers know that, naturally increases customer preference for your proposition.  We’re always being told that RFPs now include mandatory sustainability sections, in fact we answer a few of them for agencies ourselves.  Now is your chance to turn this section into a bid-winner.

You win market share.

Who pays? Your competition.

Particularly laggards. And there’s plenty of them.

“We’re too busy to look at sustainability” we heard only this week. Good for you & good for now. They’ll get found out. Let’s hope that agency owner sells up while they still can.

“Can you help? All our incoming RFP’s demand proof of sustainability, but when push comes to shove, we don’t actually know what we’re doing”, we were told in Frankfurt recently by a large well-known global agency.

This is exactly as it should be — those who are not keeping up in terms of acting on published responsibility & sustainability values also shoulder the resulting costs.

Global research from PWC shows that big business knows & demonstrates what it’s doing in respect of responsible business practice and sustainability numbers:

  • Low carbon products are considered<25% more valuable. And yes, event can be termed low-carbon products, if you engineer it as such.
  • Twice as many companies are strengthening sustainability targets as are weakening them (yes, even with macro-political environments)
  • 9x more companies have carbon targets than did only five years ago.

So to prove how good you are at delivering responsible & sustainable events (beware, this tool really does sort the wheat from the chaff), try an Impact: Responsible Event Review.

Demonstrate how good your proposal is compared to your peers. Tell the compelling story and accompany with independent, expert, verifiable benchmarking.

Or else it’ll be you paying.

1st & 2nd Quarter 2025 – Sustainability Review

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Raising the Bar: What 2025 is teaching us about responsible events

It’s been just over a year since event:decision started benchmarking responsible event delivery, using an E, S and G framework. Already, the movement is positive. What began as a handful of forward-thinking planners asking the right questions is fast becoming embedded in the planning process across regions, sectors, and event types.

In 2025, we saw the number of organisations choosing to measure their event sustainability, grow significantly – and not just in carbon. The insights speak volumes, not just about how we plan, but why measurement matters if we want to deliver meaningful change as an industry

At event:decision, we provide proof points for responsible planning, by measuring the sustainable performance of your event. Our proprietary tools and services with which we support the industry, are:

  1. Track, event carbon audit & advisory services.
  2. Impact: Responsible Event Reviews provide ESG assessments, benchmarking and certification for responsible event planning.
  3. Evolve, show, association, and services, including our Exhibitor Sustainability Recognition scheme.

All three widely used by event agencies, planners and corporates, driven by commercial factors, by legislative demand and, dare we say, a moral imperative to deliver events ‘better’.

Coming soon: a new way of working for Corporates. Think more strategic, campaign-led, integrated sustainability across event portfolios – more on that to follow in July.

2025 In Numbers – What’s Changed?

Compared to 2024, 2025 events made a noticeable leap in average sustainability scores. Social impact, in particular, saw a step-change. Meaning more organisations are embedding locality, wellbeing, and community values into how they deliver.

“In just 12 months, we saw total scores rise by more than two points on average.”

Here’s where it gets interesting…

Across all events, the average sustainability score in 2025 rose notably over previous years, with improved performance in environmental and governance pillars in particular.

On average, events achieved a total score of 19.07, up from 16.95 in 2024.

What the Data Shows – and Why it Matters

This unique breakdown gives us real insight, not just into where performance is improving, but where the opportunities still lie.

  • By Region – EMEA events led the way overall — likely helped by stronger reporting culture and supply chain transparency.
  • By Sector – Finance and legal firms’ events hit high governance scores. But it’s the events & hospitality sector where we saw the biggest environmental progress, from smarter menus to greener venues.
  • By Event Type – Internal meetings led overall, but exhibitions were more varied. That said, when expos did engage with measurement, they often scored well, particularly on governance.

Beyond the Numbers: What Needs Attention

We still see some barriers holding organisers back. Here are a few we’re keeping an eye on:

  • Travel emissions remain the biggest contributor, and often the hardest to influence. (Hint: you can get to grip with Travel using event:decision’s Track reporting. We’re the ONLY provider of the leading travel demand management platform for destinations, venues, and live events, You.Smart.Thing.)

  • Social enterprises are still underused. The appetite is there, but more visibility and guidance would help to avoid the ‘but this is how we’ve always done it’ mindset. Many planners are unaware of where to source & vet potential providers in this space. (Hint: there are several within our Impact Review tool)

  • Budgets are getting tighter and with the perception that sustainability is more expensive, this is often a barrier to measurement. (Hint: the real answer to “Who should pay for sustainable events?” is simple. Make it your competition.

  • Fewer than 25% of events set an impact or carbon goal before delivery – a huge missed opportunity. Agencies in particular, should note.

Nudging Change, Together

If there’s one thing this year confirmed, it’s this: when planners measure, they change.

That might mean swapping suppliers for social enterprises. Often on price parity. It might mean thinking differently about travel and accessibility. It might just mean asking more of your venue.

And we get it – change isn’t always easy. But we make it much, much simpler.

What’s Next: Act with Confidence, Not Guesswork

Event:decision will continue to add value to the event sector with Impact Reviews, in use globally and across all sectors.

Did you know we now give you real-time guidance on each and every factor you review as you progress through the review tool? So you can see who’s doing what and how you compare…

We’re focusing more on partnerships, not just platforms. Now, with more tailored support for corporate programmes, increased awareness, better reporting tools = better “real” data, more precision in benchmarking, you can tie metrics to your overall ESG goals and make adjustments that have real impact.

Contact us for more information on how we can help you measure your next event.