The events industry is under pressure to showcase its sustainability credentials but it’s vital to ensure the claims you make are genuine to avoid ‘greenwashing’.

You’ve most likely heard of greenwashing before, but if you’re not sure what it is, a simple example is when an organisation presents an image of environmental responsibility which makes it seem like they’re doing more than they really are.

Sustainability is increasingly important to event attendees and stakeholders – and they’re aware of greenwashing. So event planners should ensure they’re going beyond surface-level gestures – and adopt authentic practices instead.

Examples of greenwashing at events include:

• Exaggerated claims – for example, promoting a ‘zero waste’ event without a robust plan for waste management
• Selective transparency – highlighting sustainable aspects of an event while ignoring less eco-friendly practices
• Making token gestures – for example offering reusable water bottles or compostable cutlery without addressing broader sustainability issues like transport emissions or energy use.

Alex Palmer, founder of Kina Events, said:

In most cases greenwashing is not done on purpose, but rather through lack of knowledge and misunderstandings – we’re all learning how to create truly sustainable events. 

“But failing to meet the expectations of your attendees and stakeholders can damage your reputation and erode trust, so it’s really important to be honest about where you are on that journey – and if you don’t have all the answers yet, then it’s okay to say so. Just show that you’re trying and improving.”

Here are our tips to avoid unintentional greenwashing:

Set clear and measurable goals

• Outline specific sustainability targets, such as reducing carbon emissions by a set percentage or diverting a particular amount of waste from landfill. 
• Avoid vague language like ‘eco-friendly’ or ‘green’ without providing measurable actions.
• Use established standards like ISO 20121 which provides a framework for sustainability management specific to the events industry.

Be transparent

• If certain aspects of your events can’t be fully sustainable yet, be open about that and explain the steps you’re taking to improve. For example, if a venue uses non-renewable energy, acknowledge this and highlight your efforts to offset the environmental impact.
• Whenever you make a claim about your sustainability practices, back it up with data wherever you can. So if you’re planning a carbon neutral event, share how you calculated the carbon impact and explain how you’re offsetting that.

Work with certified suppliers

• If you can, choose suppliers with recognised sustainability certifications, such as the Soil Association for organic food, FSC for sustainable wood products or BREEAM for sustainable buildings. This not only verifies the authenticity of their claims but also supports businesses that prioritise sustainability.
• Where this isn’t possible, ask suppliers for evidence to back up any sustainability claims – and if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
• Consider using local suppliers to reduce transport emissions and support the local economy.

Engage your attendees

• Encourage everyone attending your event to participate in your sustainability efforts by encouraging them to travel by public transport or bicycle.
• Offer incentives to those who bring reusable items or rewards for offsetting carbon emissions from their travel to the event.

Let people know how you did

• Create a sustainability report for each event that details its environmental impact and the measures you’ve taken to reduce it. Include data on energy use, waste diversion and carbon emissions. 
• Be honest about any challenges you faced and outline plans for future improvements. This transparency can help build credibility and show your commitment to sustainability is genuine.
• It’s all about telling a story and letting people know why you’ve made decisions.
  

If you have any questions about greenwashing or would like some help planning your business events, please contact the Kina Events team on 0207 205 7901 or send us an email.