Feeling overwhelmed when it comes to weaving sustainability into your meeting? Romina Kwong, a Toronto-based sustainable event planner and consultant, shares her tips on where to start.

 

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Not sure where to begin when it comes to planning more sustainable events? I know first-hand that it can be overwhelming. As a Toronto-based sustainable event planner and consultant for organizations on a mission to do better, here are my top tips to get you started. And remember: sustainable event planning takes time. There are a number of ways to reduce the carbon footprint and environmental impact of your event; pick one or two and just start!

 

1. Identify and plan your event with your organization’s eco-values in mind

Does your organization or client have Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) that they’re working towards? Or perhaps they have sustainability policies already in place? Start there when developing the eco-values to prioritize at their event. Once you figure out your eco-values, they will become your North Star. It will support you in making decisions throughout the event planning process. 

For example, if responsible consumption and production (SDG Goal 12!) is a priority, you will perhaps prioritize reusable or rented items to avoid and divert waste from landfills. And where not possible, finding compostable alternatives that were made locally here in Toronto. 

Or if preserving land is a focus (SDG Goal 15), consider minimizing or avoiding beef, soybeans, palm oil and pulp—four major contributors to global deforestation—when talking to your Toronto caterer and selecting your menu.

2. Organize green transportation options to help reduce the carbon footprint of attendee travel

One of the largest impacts of an event’s carbon footprint is transportation. This includes attendees flying into the city, as well as travelling within the city while they’re here for a conference. Factors to think about including in your planning include:

By limiting the number of attendees using a single car, you will drastically reduce your event’s carbon footprint.

3. Choose venues that have already implemented sustainability initiatives

When searching for a venue to host your event, there’s already a number of factors to consider such as capacity, number of spaces and proximity to hotels. In order to implement sustainability into this search process, choose venues that prioritize the environment. There are several LEED-certified, centrally located venues in Toronto such as the Metro Toronto Convention Centre, Exhibition Place, 1 Hotel and Evergreen Brickworks, plus Green Key Global-certified hotels such as Westin Harbour Castle and Sheraton Centre Toronto Hotel.

Don’t know if the venue has sustainability policies? Start by looking at the venue’s website. From there, you can ask questions like:

  • Is the venue accessible by multiple modes of transportation? i.e., Can attendees walk, bike or take public transportation from their hotel or place of residence?
  • Is the building LEED-certified? Or for hotels, recognized by Green Key Global?
  • If it doesn’t have any certifications, does the venue space have any energy efficiencies such as LED lights, low-flow toilets or Energy Star-certified appliances?
  • What sort of waste management is on-site; do they have organics, recycling and garbage bins?

(Sign up for my free Venue Sustainabiliy Checklist here!)

4. Work with caterers who minimize food waste and partner with food recovery organizations

Depending on your chosen venue, you may have to utilize an in-house or preferred caterer. Or perhaps, you have the option and budget to select your own. Either way, you want to determine where ingredients are coming from and where leftovers and scraps will end up. Here are some factors to consider and questions to ask potential caterers:

  • Are ingredients local, organic and in-season?
  • What does their food waste plan look like?
  • Do they partner with food recovery organizations or local food banks?
  • And in terms of meal selection, are there substantial number of vegetarian and vegan options?


Caterers such as Oliver & Bonacini Catering, Marigolds & Onion or Jayne's Gourmet have solid food waste plans and local partnerships in place. And in case your caterer of choice doesn’t have this, look into partnering with organizations such as Second Harvest and La Tablée des Chefs.

5. Hire Toronto-based decor and rental companies with eco-friendly practices

To bring an event theme or sponsorship activation to life, decor and rentals are vital. In order to keep items out of landfill, it’s best to borrow, rent and reuse. To help you with this, many Toronto decor and rental companies, like Black Label Decor Rentals, Event Rental Group and Higgins Event Rentals, limit rental deliveries to within the city as well and divert single-use items away from landfills. Some factors and questions to ask yourself as the planner includes:

  • Is the decor item you’re thinking of using absolutely necessary?
  • If yes, can it be reused at the same event?
  • What sort of ingredients are used; are they natural i.e., soy or beeswax candles?
  • Could you rent the item or something similar rather than purchasing or ordering it last-minute? 

6. Partner with waste management companies so you know what exactly goes into each bin

The final proactive action to take in planning your eco-friendlier event is to partner with your waste management provider like the City of Toronto, ReThink Resource or GFL. You want to work with them directly—or through the venue—to figure out what bins are available on-site and what items are accepted into each bin. This will help you understand how each item can be disposed of versus relying on the label or packaging.

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