Is event planning a science or an art?

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Is event planning a science or an art?

There’s a long-running discussion in the industry that splits neatly down the middle. One camp insists event planning is an art – that the people who do it best work on instinct, simply create emotions within the room and craft moments of magic from a feel for narrative, design, and human energy. The other camp insists it’s a science – that great events come from logistics, measurement, frameworks, and discipline, and that the people who do them best are operations professionals who happen to work in marketing.

Both camps are right, of course. But neither is enough on its own.

The art case

The art is real, and it matters. A good event opens with a precisely judged silence; a great one ends with a moment guests are still talking about, perhaps years later. That doesn’t come from a checklist. It comes from creative direction, narrative instinct, an eye for room dynamics, and the kind of taste that takes a decade to develop. Events that win awards win them on these grounds.

Without the art, you have a meeting.

The science case

But art alone doesn’t get you to smooth, engaging events. Art alone doesn’t tell you whether your suppliers pay a living wage, whether your delegate travel mix is improving year-on-year, or whether your sustainability narrative is something you can defend in front of a client’s ESG team. Art alone doesn’t survive a Freedom of Information request from a sustainability journalist or a procurement question from a Fortune 500 buyer. For that, you need science: measurement, evidence, frameworks, repeatable methods.

We had a bit of fun recently – laying all of our responsible-delivery factors out in the style of the periodic table of elements. Ninety factors, three rows of thirty, colour-coded against the three ESG pillars. It looks the part. It is also, deliberately, a joke at our own expense – nobody is going to use a wall chart to plan a conference. But the chart makes a point that’s harder to argue with once you see it written out: there are ninety different things that quietly underpin a single sentence in a sustainability report. Carbon and travel. Power and lighting. Local supply chain and food approach. Locality and accessibility, wellbeing and fair pay. KPIs and risk assessment and named accountability and lessons learned. That’s the size of the science problem – across the whole event ecosystem.

Now both the art and the science can be measured.

But here’s the relief: no single person is running ninety decisions. The ninety divide cleanly into three sets of thirty, and which thirty you own depends on your role. An event planner owns one set. An AV or production supplier owns another. A venue operations or sales planner owns the third. If you’re any one of those people, you’re running thirty small decisions, not ninety. Which is a much more manageable science problem to start with.

Three lenses on the same event

The ninety factors don’t all sit with one team. They sit with three. event:decision’s Impact suite is structured as three lenses on the same event – each tool covering one of those three sets of thirty factors, each pointed at one function:

Impact: Event is the lens for the event itself. Carbon, attendee and crew travel, waste, food approach, biodiversity, locality and inclusion, wellbeing, legacy, KPIs and ROI, sustainability leadership, governance and accreditations. This is the tool for event organisers, in-house event teams, brand experience leads, and the agencies running events on their behalf. If you commission, design, or run the event, Impact: Event is for you.

Impact: AdVantage is the lens for the Technical Production and AV chain. Power and lighting specification, project carbon, vehicle movements, reusable build, subcontractor briefing, welfare provisions, local crew, fair pay, working hours, RAMS, compliance documentation, named accountability. This is the tool for production agencies, exhibition contractors, AV suppliers, stand builders, freight and logistics partners – the people who turn the brief into a physical reality. It gives suppliers a structured way to evidence what they’ve done, and gives organisers a clear standard to procure against.

Impact: VenueLens is the tool for the venue. Mass transport access, renewable energy, water management, single-use plastics, F&B approach, delegate accessibility, venue fair pay, inclusion hiring, community projects, surplus distribution, public reporting, supplier due diligence, ESG targets. This is the tool for venues themselves – operators, conference centres, hotels, stadiums, exhibition halls. It lets venues show with evidence what they actually deliver, and gives organisers a like-for-like way to compare venues at the procurement stage.

Why three tools, not one

Because both spend and responsibility in events don’t sit just with one party. The event organiser commissions and pays for the show. The suppliers and agencies deliver it. The venue hosts it. Each controls a different slice of the impact picture, and a single tool aimed at any one of them would miss most of the footprint.

Between them, the Impact suite covers approximately 98% of event spend – the client commission, the supplier delivery, and the venue cost together account for nearly every pound that flows through an event. The remaining 2% is the long tail of incidental costs that, even if measured, would not materially change the conclusion.

So — science or art?

Both. Always both.

The art is what makes an event worth attending. The science is what makes it responsible and sustainable. The art delivers the moment of magic in the keynote, the goosebump from a perfectly cued lighting state, the gasp at the reveal. The science delivers the carbon report your client’s CFO can put in their annual filings, the accessibility statement your delegate community can trust, the legacy figure your sponsor can quote to their board.

You don’t choose between them. You do both – or you fall behind the audiences, the clients, and the regulators who increasingly expect both.

And it turns out that both looks a lot like thirty small decisions for the planner, thirty for the supplier, thirty for the venue – and ninety in total across an event that used to run on instinct alone.

Get in touch at hello@eventdecision.com.

Answers to your own questions (yes, really…)

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At the Event Industry News Sustainability Breakfast, in April 2026, as expected, the panel ran short of time answering audience questions.

As promised, we asked panel to come back with their thoughts to every question posed.

Here are the panel’s responses.

  • Matt Grey Founder & Director at of event:decision
  • Chrissie Beck, Founder & Sustainability Director at Worlds Better
  • Aarron Mcgurk, Culture & Operations Lead at agency Chorus, now part of Brands At Work.

 

What if your client isn’t really interested in sustainability?

Matt:    If the commercial sense, optics and audience engagement metrics on a sustainable experience are not enough, it’s entirely your choice as to whether you want to work with that client?

Chrissie: Try to understand your client’s goals and objectives and then tweak your response to speak their language. Try to influence their decision by explaining the strategic importance of sustainability (whether that’s brand differentiation, reputation management, risk mitigation, ROI, cost efficiencies) – depending on their role and goals. Explain that there’s an expectation now that events are delivered sustainably. This isn’t a ‘nice to have’ anymore, it’s a strategic necessity.

Aarron: Sustainability doesn’t have to be an add on, you and your business can still operate sustainably. This would mean the operations in Scope 1 and 2 (which are controlled by you) can still be done sustainably with out needing client buy in.

 

What’s your take on “greenwashing”? Too many people act to look good in public, but have very little or no positive impact.

Matt:    I think this is a valid point, and applies to all channels, not just events. Legislation is coming on Green Claims, but I suspect despite a lot of noise, that few events will be impacted.

Chrissie: Like Matt has said there’s a new piece of legislation coming in September 2026 (Empowering Consumers for the Green Transition Directive/ECGTD) that has been developed to eliminate greenwashing. You won’t be able to claim you have ‘delivered a sustainable event’ or are a ‘sustainable supplier’ without having robust data or (audited) certifications to back it up.

Aarron: I don’t come across greenwashing that much to comment. Which could be positive?

 

For venues with low budgets where there isn’t resource for measurement, consultancy, certification, training & where management say no due to cost. What do you do?

Matt:    Measurement or certification by an external party will cost money, of course. But you could start by simply counting the number of meetings & events at which you deliver sustainability service a, b or c, and demonstrate this as a % of your portfolio?

Chrissie: There are a lot of (free) resources and tools available online that you can investigate (SDG’s, SME Climate Hub, event:decision, Greengage, isla, Sustainable Event Guide etc) – these might include industry white papers, toolkits, webinars – educate yourself to understand what makes sense for you to focus on first and start there. Also keep coming to events like the Sustainable Events Lounge to meet others in your position and hear what they’ve done! Worth noting to management that you’re likely losing business to other venues that have solid sustainability strategies/credentials.

Aarron: This sounds like there is not much wriggle room. It might be that your only choose is to make some positive steps independently which could be small for now. Things like a roster of equipment and energy ratings, how often appliances like dishwashers run and how much water is used and start to build these things as a business case to take to management eventually and try and get buy in then.

 

You asked before who was responsible for calling out supplier claims that may not be true. My question is how we can do that robust verification as an agency?

Chrissie: As part of your procurement process you should be conducting supplier assessments when you start working with them (check their documentation & commitments). When you work with them conduct regular reviews of their services and progress towards their targets – this may need to include on site audits of their facilities, or of them delivering services for you on site to check they are doing what they claim. The reality is; as an agency you are responsible for your supply chain. You should have processes in place to assure your suppliers are verified.

Aarron: Less about calling out and more about bringing in and alongside. Work closely with procurement and specifically obtain evidence of claims e.g. full policy or certificate. After review of these which can be a bi monthly cadence you can either rank suppliers and change approach or meet with them to see how things are developing.

Matt:    Some agencies we work with deliver just this. Gathering certifications and metrics on delivery at project-by-project level. If you’re a client or agency, using Impact: AdVantage and (shortly) Impact: VENUEmark will aid this process greatly.

 

What do you think is the best way to educate clients about sustainability before starting event planning?

Aarron: Use their orgs ESG statement and create approach to helping the marketing or other department align with the overarching goals, include in pitches etc. Explain how you are solving their problem with the event you are producing at the same time how the way you work aligns them with their own ESG. Sort of flipping it on the head a bit.

Matt:    Embed a measurement, benchmark or certification within your process. Likely you won’t have time to deliver education to clients on each & every project?

 

Would love to hear panel’s thoughts on getting the ‘badge’ and progress then slowing down. Is that true?

Matt:    I mentioned this in the keynote. There is evidence that the achievement of higher-level accreditations (gold, silver, bronze level etc.) is not increasing amongst the agency sector. See the Most Sustainable Agencies 2026 campaign. I would say there is evidence of increasing numbers of accreditation across the agency sector, yet less evidence of associated behavioural change in event outcomes.

 

What do you think is the biggest current challenge in the events industry regarding sustainability?

Matt:    Understanding that sustainability is a growth and resilience driver, not a cost-center

 

The problem is you all assume everyone thinks like you. Insulting everyone who doesn’t won’t help your cause.

Matt: I’m sorry if you feel insulted. If you would like to put forward an alternative view of sector behaviour in sustainability please get in touch separately & we’ll be glad to give you a platform?

Aarron: I hear you, the session was a little less 101 this time around – with some more advanced thinking. Our intention was to shake things up a little to make the sessions more engaging and offer more value, please do reach out to us for more help and resources that could match where you are on your journey.

 

What’s happening with recycling? It seems hotels and venues have regressed since Covid. Shouldn’t guests have multi-colored bins in their rooms.

Matt:    Not an area of expertise for me, but one hopes that bedroom waste is streamed at contractor level within the process & that separation of streams at a bedroom level is not cost effective.

Aarron: Recycling is a bite archaic now and invisible. As Matt said its happening at service level, e.g. first mile sorting center. Its quite hard to know exactly what makes it through the process especially when some types of packaging are not washed or bagged incorrectly.

 

If you had a magic wand, what is one thing you would like to see change, or be implemented in 2026/2027?

Matt:    Opening the eyes of event sales and account directors that they can use existing tools to drive new and retain business.

Aarron: Slow down! Making travel part of an experience.

 

Where does human sustainability stand in your business and for your clients?

Matt:    A vital part of the responsible event mix, I believe the S in ESG is hugely underplayed and under-reported.

Aarron: Front and centre. Its People, Planet, Partners & Profitability. People kind of top of the hierarchy but it is a blend. We can do anything if the people aren’t trained, rested or understood.

 

Is [the above] in conversations and being actioned for clients and your internal teams?

Matt:    Not as much as it should be, suspect it is an expected function of event supply. The tools are ready for you to start quantifying Social Value.

 

In a smaller company it can be harder to make sustainable choices when you’re working on tight financial boundaries, esp from Senior management.. any advice?

Matt:    There’s always an easier and cheaper way to do things. Ultimately it’s up to you to be accountable for the product you want to deliver. I would challenge whether margins are necessarily tighter in a smaller company than a larger one – overheads can be fewer in smaller entities.

 

Is it wise to assume everyone shares your perspective on sustainability or what it looks the same to them? If prescription doesn’t work, what would you suggest?

Matt:    Sustainability perspectives differ as much as views on any subject, but there does appear to be a direction of travel.  If prescription doesn’t work, probably best to engage in constructive dialogue. Not all suppliers and clients are meant for each other? That said, many of the decisions in event sustainability align strongly with commercial decisions, so you may be delivering some pretty good outcomes already?

 

Sustainability is a matter of culture. How can we influence decision makers to see sustainability as an added to our offer?

Matt:    I think sustainability and responsibility is more than culture, it’s a proposition and a function of the service or product you offer. It’s hard to argue against delivering a responsible product and demonstrating so, with tools such event:decision’s Impact.

 

You mentioned food leftovers during the events. Many clients don’t allow bringing food to anyone due to potential issues. Is there any way to work around this?

Matt:    Yes. Professional (whether charity or for profit) organisations that deliver food redistribution service should have indemnity policies, ask them, this hurdle has been overcome many times.

 

As a venue, especially without budget for formal tools or consultancy, how do you realistically measure sustainability and track progress?

Matt:    Measurement or certification by an nexternal party will cost money, of course. But you could start by simply counting the number of meetings & events at which you deliver sustainability service a or b and demonstrate this as a % of your portfolio?

 

The new 20211encourages us to align our goals with the UNSDG that we can support. Do you align your offerings accordingly? What has been the client response?

Matt:    Yes. event:decision’s Impact: Event directly references UNSDGs.

 

The menu thing is annoying. Loads of places have decided to impose vegan menus on clients who are paying. Have the option but don’t force it on people.

Matt: Exactly, forcing choices is not a choice at all.

 

Any ideas for sustainable event gifts/ swag?

Matt:    There are many options and suppliers who offer them – but a popular one is to give away digital memberships, publications or donations to a cause the user can choose, rather than physical items that may (or not) have a use and a lifecycle.

 

 

Event sustainability data. Worth more than you think.

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…but only if you can prove it.

Watching VC activity in the event agency sector from the outside is exciting. What must it be like when in the room?

And what value can event:decision bring to you, as a humble supply-side partner?

Brand value…risk…data… benchmark – specifically, whether you have structured, verifiable evidence of how your business performs against the metrics that buyers, investors, and enterprise clients now treat as non-negotiable.

ESG data is no longer a reporting obligation to be managed. For the agency with ambition – whether that means growth, acquisition, or investment – it is becoming one of the most underleveraged valuation assets in the sector. Here is why.

  1. Product responsibility data is a valuation asset, not a compliance cost

Buyers and investors are running responsibility due diligence as standard. PwC’s ongoing M&A research series documents the extent to which responsible performance has moved from a screening question to a pricing factor – with MSCI’s foundational work on ESG investing demonstrating a consistent link between benchmarked ESG scores and valuation multiples.

EY’s research reinforces the same point: agencies that walk into a transaction with two or three years of auditable, benchmark-calibrated responsibility data have converted what most treat as a cost centre into a documented asset. event:decision’s Impact suite and Track carbon measurement tool exist precisely to build that asset base – systematically, across every event, every client, every market.

  1. Due diligence readiness is a negotiating position

M&A valuations may discount when ESG data is missing or assembled in a hurry. Deloitte’s guidance on ESG due diligence in transactions is unambiguous: gaps in environmental and social data create risk flags that buyers price into offers, and that retroactive data assembly – conducted under time pressure in a live process – rarely produces the quality of evidence that structured ongoing measurement does. KPMG’s research echoes this, noting that the cost of getting ESG data right after a process has started is substantially higher than the cost of building it before. Having portfolio-wide Impact and Track data already structured means you control the narrative in the data room rather than reacting to a buyer’s risk assessment.

  1. Consistent, responsible performance across your portfolio signals scalable process

One of the most common discounting factors in transactions is client concentration risk – the concern that the business’s value lives in one or two relationships rather than in repeatable, institutionalised capability. Investment banking sector reports from firms including Results International and Clarity Acquisitions consistently identify revenue concentration as a valuation discount, and ESG performance breadth is an increasingly recognised proxy for the same underlying concern. An agency with strong, consistent Impact scores across multiple clients, event types, and markets is demonstrating something that a buyer cannot easily fake: that its operational quality is embedded in process, not dependent on individuals. That is a different kind of story to tell.

  1. Verified ESG data opens transatlantic commercial doors

US corporates entering the UK market and UK agencies expanding into the US are encountering ESG procurement requirements that are no longer aspirational – they are regulatory. The SEC’s finalised climate disclosure rules, the UK’s FCA Sustainability Disclosure Requirements, the EU’s Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (in force from 2024–25), and California’s SB 253 – which requires Scope 3 reporting from companies with over $1 billion in revenue operating in the state – collectively mean that large corporate event clients on both sides of the Atlantic are under legal or regulatory pressure to account for their supply chain emissions and social value performance.

  1. ESG reporting delivered as a managed service creates a revenue line that buyers price differently

Project revenue and retained, recurring revenue are valued differently in agency transactions – typically by a multiple of one to two times EBITDA, according to Results International’s Agency M&A Barometer. Impact and Track reporting delivered to clients as a managed service – structured assessment, verified scores, benchmarked annual comparison, carbon reporting – creates a subscription-adjacent revenue stream: low churn, scalable delivery cost, and high perceived client value. Forrester’s coverage of sustainability-as-a-service as an emerging managed service category identifies exactly this dynamic. A buyer calculating EBITDA multiples sees recurring ESG reporting contracts as a fundamentally different asset from event project revenue. Building that line now is not just a commercial opportunity. It is a valuation strategy.

The compounding case

Beyond the first five, the argument compounds. Private equity buyers with their own LP-level ESG obligations will find a clean, data-generating agency substantially easier to acquire and integrate – and some funds with explicit ESG mandates will actively prefer it. Agencies that have embedded event:decision’s methodology for two years or more hold a benchmark position that a competitor cannot buy quickly; that accumulated head start is a competitive moat, and moats are priced into multiples. In a people business, a visible and evidenced ESG commitment attracts and retains the senior talent that buyers need to see in place post-transaction. As Scope 3 reporting obligations tighten, Impact data across a client portfolio turns the agency into a solution to the client’s own compliance problem – deepening dependency and increasing switching costs, both of which increase the value of the client book to any buyer.

And finally: owners approaching investment or sale needs a coherent, credible growth narrative. “We have measurable, benchmarked responsibility performance across X events, Y clients, and Z markets – with verified data and independent Impact scores” is a sentence that closes conversations in a room full of people who have never heard a competitor say it.

That sentence is worth more at the deal table than any single operational metric. event:decision helps you write it – and more importantly, prove it.

event:decision is the responsibility performance platform for the events industry. Impact and Track give event agencies the structured, independently verified data they need to demonstrate value, satisfy enterprise procurement requirements, and build the evidence base for growth. eventdecision.com  

 

Eventprofs Hackathon Results

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Eventprofs Hackathon Results

By event:decision | April 2026

View the white paper here

What happens when you put experienced event professionals under pressure? Not a panel discussion, but a realistic challenge with consequential decisions and trade-offs? That was the question event:decision set out to answer at the EIN Sustainability Lounge 2026, held at BMA House, London.

Eight teams of practising event professionals worked through a hackathon challenge. To plan the fictional ‘FinReach Global Launch’. A structured exercise requiring each team to design a major corporate event across six sequential decisions, each carrying cost and ESG consequences. The scenario: a values-led fintech brand, institutional investor scrutiny, and a global NGO threatening to publish a public review of delivery decisions. The results were striking.

Not a single team chose a traditional destination. The field is split between Nairobi and fully virtual, with teams prioritising either credible community proximity or carbon efficiency. On community representation, six of eight teams independently landed on the same split: 40% community delegates, 60% investors. On programme design, seven of eight rejected the traditional gala format entirely – choosing instead community co-design, impact ceremonies, and formats where the event’s narrative matched the brand’s mission.

The most significant finding came on social value verification. Every team, independently and without communication, chose the same approach: timely, light-touch independent verification published within 24 hours. Across six options, unanimous agreement by chance is statistically implausible. It reflects a latent professional consensus: that credibility requires independence, specificity, and timeliness.

The one notable blind spot was production. No team selected the most ESG-efficient option – cutting production to redirect savings – despite it also being the cheapest. Professional conditioning around production values appears to override both financial and environmental incentives simultaneously.

The conclusion is important: the events industry does not have a values problem. It has a framework problem. These professionals already understand what good looks like. They simply lack the tools to prove it.

The full white paper is available at eventdecision.com

Ten reasons why measurement gives better outcomes than certification

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Why Measurement Beats Certification in Event Sustainability

Sustainability expectations in the events industry are rising fast. Clients, agencies and brands are no longer satisfied with policies, pledges or logos on a website. Increasingly, they want to know what actually happened at their event — and what difference their suppliers made.

That shift is why independent, event-level measurement is becoming commercially more powerful than self-certification alone. event:decision’s Impact Reviews provide credible, comparable insight into real event performance, delivering value that static credentials simply can’t.

Here are ten reasons why:

  1. Measurement turns sustainability from claims into proof, showing real outcomes rather than intentions.
  2. Measurement answers what buyers now ask for – measurable impact, not marketing statements.
  3. Measurement makes suppliers easier to select, feeding directly into agency and brand reporting requirements.
  4. Measurement reduces greenwashing risk, sharing responsibility through independent assessment.
  5. Measurement enables fair comparison, based on how suppliers perform in live events.
  6. Measurement supports preferred supplier status, encouraging repeat business and long-term relationships.
  7. Measurement shifts conversations away from the lowest price, helping suppliers justify quality and value.
  8. Measurement accelerates improvement, highlighting which actions genuinely reduce impact.
  9. Measurement aligns suppliers with agency and brand KPIs, supporting portfolio-wide ESG reporting.
  10. Measurement future-proofs businesses, preparing them for increasing scrutiny and regulation.

Certifications still matter, of course. They set the baseline. But on their own, they rarely differentiate or drive commercial advantage. Measurement does.

By participating in Impact Reviews, venues, hotels, agencies, production and AV providers move from saying the right things to demonstrating real performance. They become easier to buy, easier to recommend, and better positioned in a market that increasingly rewards evidence over assertion.

In today’s events industry, sustainability isn’t just about what you promise.

It’s about what you can prove.

 

Putting ‘sustainability’ in a silo is costing you money (and clients)

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Putting ‘sustainability’ in a silo is costing you money (and clients)

For too long, sustainability has been treated like a side project. A report. A checklist. A post-event appendix that no one in sales ever reads.

And that’s exactly why it’s failing to deliver real value.

If sustainability lives in a silo, it doesn’t change decisions.
If it doesn’t change decisions, it doesn’t change outcomes.
And if it doesn’t change outcomes, it’s a cost, not a competitive advantage.

If ‘sustainability’ doesn’t change outcomes, frankly, what’s the point?

The uncomfortable truth: sustainability isn’t a “team issue”

The biggest mistake organisations make is assigning sustainability to one function and expecting it to magically influence the rest of the business.

Responsible and sustainable products and services are not owned by:

  • a sustainability lead
  • a post-event report
  • a compliance requirement

They are owned by:

  • Business owners
  • Heads of Events
  • Account Directors
  • New Business & Sales teams

Why? Because these roles shape strategy, design, budgets, supplier choices, and client conversations. That’s where sustainability either creates value – or disappears entirely.A

A global agency recently said, about a specific project, “the client hasn’t decided whether they’ll do sustainability or not“. Err, ok. Just what value is the agency adding here?

Sustainability that doesn’t win work is just overhead

Clients are no longer asking if events are responsible. They’re asking how, how much, and what impact it creates for them.

Yet many agencies and organisers still:

  • collect sustainability data after the event
  • store it in internal folders
  • never use it in pitches, renewals, or growth conversations

That’s wasted insight.

“Consumers now expect proof, not promises with the shift from “say you care” to “show your work.” says Julien Le Bas, SVP, Executive Creative Director & Global Head of Sustainability

If you deliver responsible and sustainable events, you should be using that proof to win more business – not hiding it in a dashboard no one sees.

Data changes the conversation – from cost to commercial value

When sustainability is embedded into commercial roles, something powerful happens:

  • Account teams can prove performance, not just promise intent
  • Sales teams can differentiate in competitive pitches
  • Event leaders can show progress year-on-year, not one-off gestures
  • Businesses can link responsible delivery to brand, risk, and ROI

But that only works if the data is clear, credible, and comparable.

This is where most event organisations get stuck

Even the best-intentioned teams struggle with:

  • inconsistent sustainability metrics
  • reports that aren’t client-ready
  • data that can’t be benchmarked or explained simply
  • insights that don’t translate into commercial stories

The result? Sustainability stays “our top priority”… but disconnected from growth.

Turning responsible delivery into a sales advantage

event:decision’s Impact Review tool is designed to break the silo.

It transforms responsible event performance into structured, ESG-aligned insights that business leaders, account directors and sales teams can actually use.

Not just to report – but to:

  • demonstrate responsible leadership to clients
  • support tenders and new business conversations
  • benchmark events across portfolios
  • show measurable improvement over time

In short: to win more work because you deliver better events.

Sustainability belongs where decisions are made

If sustainability only shows up at the end of the process, it will always be a cost.

When it’s embedded into:

  • how events are designed
  • how accounts are managed
  • how success is measured
  • how stories are told to clients

…it becomes a commercial asset.

Responsible and sustainable events are no longer optional.
But wasting the value of the data behind them absolutely is.

Stop putting sustainability in a silo.
Put it where it belongs: at the centre of your business growth strategy.

(If you’ve not twigged, Impact: Responsible Event Reviews do just that.)

 

Impact: Responsible Event Review, Event Industry Update

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Impact Review Q3 2024 event industry sustainability performance update

Oct 2024 in event:decision, Impact

 

The second of event:decision’s 2024 Impact updates on event industry sustainability performance brings you a summary of the state of sustainability.

Who are event:decision?

A team of EventProfs now providing data to over 200 event and agency brands. 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.
  3. Evolve, association, congress and exhibition sustainability services.

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

 

Industry Performance

The event:decision Impact tool quantifies event sustainability performance by the number of factors within each of Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) that individual events and planners are actioning.

These statistics are the results of self-assessment by event owners, directors and producers, scoring if <30 factors across ESG are (1) being actioned (2) not being actioned or (3) not applicable to event type.

An audit on each submission is carried out to ensure that responses provided align with the nature of the event being delivered.

Here is where we stand across the event sector on ESG as a whole, from April to October 2024.

 

 

What does this mean?

Environmental factors actioned have fallen very slightly, from 61% actioned, on average, to 56% actioned. This is not a significant* reduction.

Social factors are consistently actioned at a lower level than environmental factors, but show a rise from 31% to 37% actioned, on average. No surprise given the relative youth of serious discussion regarding the social benefit of events in many areas of the event industry.

Governance (event organising processes) ranks the highest, as befits a professional industry at 66% at the end of Q3-2024.

 

Focus

We highlight some of the most noticeable factors, by virtue of being well-covered by planners, or the opposite of such, as defined by Impact: Responsible Event Reviews:

Environmental factors

  • Over 80% of planners state that they are reporting the carbon emissions related to their events. This appears high given data reported by major carbon calculators, potentially as users of Impact: Responsible Event Reviews demonstrate an appetite for sustainability inherent in their planning.
  • 3/4 planners consider F&B menus from an environmental perspective, demonstrating an awareness that menu-choices are a factor over which there is direct control.

Social factors

  • Diversity, Equity and Inclusion within an event is a factor considered by more planners than any other social factor.
  • Fewer than 1 in 4 planners are consciously measure the economic impact to the local area when planning an event.

Governance factors

  • Ensuring that event supply chain has relevant insurance cover is a top priority for planners in planning governance.
  • Being able to provide event-related emissions data to ESG analysts under environmental reporting regimes, both active and incoming, is a factor under consideration by only 4 in 10 planners.

 

How do we improve both Environmental and Social metrics?

Take a look at the ESG metrics under assessment within the event:decision Impact tool.

You can do so with no commitment or financial charge, simply by Creating A Profile on event:decision. After all, our aim is to support the transition of the event industry toward a more sustainable future.

There are other resources available, both free and paid, including the UN SDGs and an updated ISO for event planners in 2024-5. To understand and benchmark your own events, event:decision provides proof points for responsible planning, by measuring your event sustainability performance.

For more details about both Track (carbon) reporting, Impact (ESG) Assessments and Evolve (Exhibition and Association events) get in touch.

*(Significance at the 95% level for given SD and n)