Special dinner venues, unique activities, independent hotels –
the elements which make outstanding events. These suppliers require sound business models - sustainability focuses on spending to support local economies.
Resistance to sustainability initiatives often focuses on them being anti-business, that policies are designed to curtail enterprise. This couldn’t be further from the truth - sustainability is all about reducing inequalities, eradicating poverty, creating good jobs, and furnishing local economies through local supply chains – it is pro, sound development. Admittedly, this shouldn’t come at the expense of the environment, but sustainability is all about beneficial development. What makes an event destination and its suppliers completely unsustainable are financial flows which aren’t retained locally, where products are produced outside of the locality and hotel, activity, and restaurant profits flow out of the region. The sustainability framework is absolutely clear on this matter, and the UN devotes several goals to the economic sustainability issue – from basic poverty alleviation to quality of employment.
A concise explanation of sustainable practices is that they build & maintain a local socio-economic fabric for future generations. The memorable aspects of an event experience are often the first-class service in independent hotels, experiencing regional cuisine in local restaurants, or understanding the culture and nature of an area through immersive activities. These destination-specific experiences are only available as long as the local enterprises are profitable. Consider the impact that Amazon has had on local retailers – the same decimation of local enterprise is evident in numerous unsustainable destinations around the world. The key difference however is that Amazon sells like-for-like products, whereas local event supply chains offer something unique and priceless. The onus is on event planners to use local suppliers, not out of charity, but because they offer something so valuable.
ECONOMICALLY SUSTAINABLE EVENTS - WHAT TO EXPECT
SUSTAINABILITY CREDENTIALS
Good for the sustainable economy, good for the environment – sustainable restaurants offer an illustration of what can be achieved by sustainable supply chains. Michelin is synonymous with fine dining, yet this stalwart of gastronomic excellence now offers a Green Star system for sustainable restaurants. The Green Star is awarded to Michelin restaurants which (amongst other things) use local produce and supply chains, working directly with local fisherwomen / men and farmers. In the leading sustainability frameworks, hotels are unable to obtain sustainable accreditation unless they work with local supply chains – accreditation being the best way to ensure compliance and the continual ratcheting of standards.
SUSTAINABLE PLEASURES
The beauty of embracing sustainability is that its ethos ties you fundamentally to a destination. Eating reindeer in Chamonix would be ridiculous, whilst a fondue in Tromsø would be absurd. Not only would it be economically disadvantageous to the local supply chains, but it would also result in missed cultural experiences. An event is the sum of many parts and fully embracing a destination in sustainable ways, leads to a richer experience. Think of coasteering in Spain, cycling in the Netherlands, surfing in Portugal, caving in Italy, or land yachting in Belgium. Local supply chains, offering activities indelibly linked to the regional identity and whose revenues are retained within the local economy.
WHY PLAN A SUSTAINABLE EVENT?
There is some debate amongst business ethicists as to the role charity plays in a corporate social responsibility scheme. Some argue that CSR isn’t about charity, but instead about making sound spending decisions in the supply chain. There is no more powerful supporter of economic sustainability than spending on local supply chains, and companies can have considerable impact on local economies by simply making choices to work with sustainable suppliers. Whether it is a CSR issue or not, charity should complement, not replace economic sustainability through contracting with local, sustainable suppliers.
The remarkable aspect of pursuing a sustainable event strategy is that the outcome is often far better for the client, in addition to the all the socio-economic and environmental good it can do. Using local suppliers often takes the client far closer to the genuine destination experience, in locations with enviable local cultures and lifestyles. Sustainable events are the polar opposite of the dull, homogeneity that our globalised world is hurtling toward. Event planners who embrace sustainability will never look back.
MORE SUSTAINABILITY CONSIDERATIONS FOR EVENT PLANNERS
Truly credible sustainability accredition, in the form of national eco-label schemes all have the UN sustainable development goals as their starting point.
As well as the environment, social and economic factors determine the sustainability of an event. You can find more information on sustainability frameworks and topics below.
Organise a sustainable corporate event with Jagged Horizons.
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