Why organising a sustainable event matters now

For most events, transport accounts for 60 to 80 per cent of total CO2 emissions. That's far more than catering or energy use. If you want to change one thing, start here.

Practical steps: choose a venue that's easy to reach by public transport. Communicate actively about train and bus, but also about cycling. Arrange collective transport for groups coming from far away. Avoid flights for events that are reachable by train.

Carpooling works better when you facilitate it. Think of a matching tool in the invitation, a shared departure point and a small incentive. People are happy to travel together when you make it easy.

Take suppliers into account too. A caterer driving 200 km counts as well. Work with local or regional suppliers wherever possible. That lowers emissions and strengthens your event's local roots. More about event transport →

A sustainable event venue has a few recognisable features: green energy sources (solar panels, a heat pump), a good public transport link and options for waste separation. Preferably with a certificate like Green Key or BREEAM certification.

But choosing a venue is more than a certificate. A venue that already exists has a lower additional footprint than a temporary marquee. After all, we build that marquee specially for your event. A venue in the centre, reachable by bike, weighs differently from an out-of-town location only reachable by car.

Sometimes the choice is simple. The most sustainable venue is one that already exists. Preferably central and multifunctional. Sometimes it takes more weighing up. We help you make that call with knowledge of what's on offer and the real impact of each choice. More on choosing a venue →

Catering is the second big impact item. Meat has a much higher footprint than plant-based alternatives. Food waste shows up at almost every event. And suppliers from far away drive refrigerated lorries that guzzle energy.

What works with sustainable event catering: a plant-based main menu with meat as an option rather than the other way round. Working with a caterer who buys seasonally and regionally. Planning realistically on numbers, no excess. And clear agreements about what happens to leftovers: send them home with guests, donate them or compost them.

A sustainable menu doesn't have to be boring. The best plant-based catering we know beats the average meat buffet. It's about quality and care, and certainly not about going without.

Events produce waste. That's a given. But how much waste, and what kind, you can steer.

Reusable cups and cutlery have become standard at events of any size. Single-use plastic has to go. But paper too: programme booklets nobody reads and gift bags full of things that end up in the bin at home.

Choose digital communication and navigation. Give guests one useful item, rather than ten disposable trinkets. And make sure the styling gets a new life after the event or goes back to the rental supplier. Waste separation stations are indispensable and standard.

We work as standard with suppliers who have reusable materials. That's not an extra option. It's how we work.

The most stubborn misconception about organising a sustainable event: that it comes at the cost of the experience. That the venue would be less beautiful, the food less good and the atmosphere a touch restrained.

That's not our experience. The events we organise with sustainability as the starting point score equally high or higher on guest satisfaction. Because the attention that goes to sustainable choices also goes to quality. Because good catering, a beautiful venue and smart programme design don't clash with green ambitions.

We're IDEA-certified and build sustainability into our production process. Not a tick-box, but a real part of how we work. We help you make the choices that truly count and that your guests will also recognise as serious and meant.

Plan an introductory meeting with Live Impact. We ask the right questions and map out your event's footprint. Together we make concrete choices that combine sustainability and experience.

Call us on 085 401 40 14 or send an email to hello@live-impact.nl.

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