Sustainability Matters: How Green Choices Create Better Events Today and Tomorrow

August 28, 2017

Jessica Glenn

Jessica Glenn is the Sustainability Manager at Freeman, where she works to raise awareness and develop best practices for sustainability that make financial sense in light of corporate responsibility goals.

Managing events requires planning and foresight to ensure the fruit of our efforts is a fantastic brand experience that exceeds expectations and delights audiences. The same can be said for sustainability. Making better event planning choices, even small ones, can make a difference. By planning ahead and thinking long-term about our actions, we’re in a better position to create not only a better event, but also a greener future for our industry and the world.

We’d all like to be lean and green but sometimes the process can feel a bit lofty. The good news is it’s easier than you think. Let’s look at the big picture and see how eco-conscious decisions truly make an impact.

Here are three reasons to go green today: 

Green begets green

It’s a common misconception that sustainable practices are expensive. In truth, it’s quite the opposite. Being sustainable is all about strategy and efficiency. And we all know sound strategy and careful planning saves money! Start today by incorporating a sustainability model (one that works for your organization) into your event planning process from the beginning to avoid last-minute, tack-on ideas that can ding your budget.

Remember to look at every aspect of your event plan and ask the three-R question: Where can we reduce, reuse, and recycle? Take signage, for example. Are you using too much directional signage? Can you reuse some signs you’ve used before? If not, is the substrate recyclable? Finding those answers and making swift decisions brings green to the bottom line.

Investing in humanity

Think of green choices as your organization’s way of investing in a sustainable future that includes our industry and the world. Sure, being green is the right thing to do for the earth, but it’s also good for events and our collective livelihood. As the saying goes, we don’t inherit the world from our parents, we borrow it from our children. Smart environmental choices allow us to maintain resources, bolster economic activity and contribute to thriving societies of future generations. And besides, being green today for tomorrow’s event planners (and their children) feels good!

Eco-consciousness elevates brand experience

The best brand experiences immerse audiences in personalized interactions that highlight the brand in meaningful ways. Satisfied audiences leave with a smile (because you made it fun!), a deeper understanding of products and services offered, and ideally, a sense of what the brand truly stands for. By incorporating sustainable practices into events and experiences, you put your values in the spotlight. That transparency and openness lets your customers gain new perspective about your organization and may inspire them to start their own sustainability plans in the process.

You can take it a step further and invite audiences to join the cause. Include information and suggestions about recycling efforts, what products they could reduce or eliminate from showsite, sustainable products they could use as an alternative, and potential local charities to donate giveaways and materials that would otherwise end up in the trash.

Empowering your messages with green calls to action can leave attendees with a positive feeling because they helped make a difference. Today’s audiences value sustainability and charitable efforts; they prefer brands who share those same values. Highlighting your green practices can lead to more brand loyalty as well as an enhanced experience that’s more meaningful because you’re helping audiences contribute to the greater good.

Every little green effort helps. Each sustainable decision makes a difference that’s good for our world and good for business. Making a few simple changes and building on that effort will lead to more meaningful events today and tomorrow.

 

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Overview: The award-winning Orange County Convention Center (OCCC) goes the extra mile to make every day extraordinary by offering customer service excellence and industry-leading partnerships. From their dedicated in-house Rigging team to their robust Exhibitor Services, The Center of Hospitality brings your imagination to life by helping you host unforgettable meetings and events. With more than 2 million square feet of exhibit space, world-class services and a dream destination, we are committed to making even the most ambitious conventions a reality. In October 2023, the Orange County Board of County Commissioners voted to approve allocating Tourist Development Tax funding for the $560 million Phase 5A completion of the OCCC. The Convention Way Grand Concourse project will include enhancements to the North-South Building, featuring an additional 60,000 square feet of meeting space, an 80,000- square-foot ballroom and new entry to the North-South Building along Convention Way. “We are thrilled to begin work on completing our North-South Building which will allow us to meet the growing needs of our clients,” said OCCC Executive Director Mark Tester. “As an economic driver for the community, this project will provide the Center with connectivity and meeting space to host more events and continue to infuse the local economy with new money and expanding business opportunities.” Amenities: The Center of Hospitality goes above and beyond by offering world-class customer service and industry-leading partnerships. From the largest convention center Wi-Fi network to custom LAN/WAN design, the Center takes pride in enhancing exhibitor and customer experience.  The OCCC is the exclusive provider of electricity (24-hour power at no additional cost), aerial rigging and lighting, water, natural gas and propane, compressed air, and cable TV services. Convenience The Center is at the epicenter of the destination, with an abundance of hotels, restaurants, and attractions within walking distance. Pedestrian bridges connect both buildings to more than 5,200 rooms and is within a 15-minute drive from the Orlando International Airport. The convenience of the location goes hand-in-hand with top notch service to help meet an event’s every need. Gold Key Members The OCCC’s Gold Key Members represent the best of the best when it comes to exceptional service and exclusive benefits for clients, exhibitors and guests. The Center’s Gold Key memberships with Universal Orlando Resort, SeaWorld Orlando and Walt Disney World greatly enhance meeting planner and attendee experiences offering world-renowned venues, immersive experiences and creative resources for their events. OCCC Events: This fiscal year, the OCCC is projected to host 168 events, 1.7 million attendees, and $2.9 billion in economic impact.  The Center’s top five events during their 2022-2023 fiscal year included:  AAU Jr. National Volleyball Championships 2023 200,000 Attendees $257 Million in Economic Impact MEGACON 2023 160,000 Attendees $205 Million in Economic Impact Open Championship Series 2023 69,500 Attendees $89 Million in Economic Impact Sunshine Classic 2023 42,000 Attendees $54 Million in Economic Impact Premiere Orlando 2023 42,000 Attendees $108 Million in Economic Impact