7 Inspiring Ways to Make Your Event More Sustainable

When it comes to event planning, incorporating sustainability involves more than ticking a few boxes. Making conscious choices that minimize environmental impact and inspire positive change is just as important as picking the right venue and finalizing the speakers list. But what’s the best way to do that? 

“A sustainable event focuses on three things: making it low carbon, inclusive and impactful,” says Annie Ewing, Community Engagement Manager at Destination Toronto. “What is the long-term positive footprint that your event is leaving behind?” From cutting food waste to ditching the swag, here are tips for planning more sustainable events.

1. Cut the carbon

Start by scrutinizing all areas where your event might produce greenhouse gas emissions, such as travel, energy use, waste and catering. “Look at all the different ways that the event can be carbon-producing, and then look for ways to flip some of those things around,” says Annie. For example, if your travel greenhouse gas emissions are high, choose a location that's closer for most attendees or offering a virtual attendance option. Additionally, encourage attendees to carpool, take the train, use public transit or bike to the event. Carbon calculators, such as Climate Smart or Climate Vault, can help ballpark these impacts, set realistic targets and track your progress.

“By educating about efforts, you help attendees feel good about their impact just by participating in the event.”

– Annie Ewing, Community Engagement Manager, Destination Toronto

2. Vet the venue

Scout out spaces with strong environmental policies and certifications, such as Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED), a green building certification program used worldwide. And, ask prospective venues about their energy-saving initiatives. 

For instance, Exhibition Place, Canada’s largest venue for entertainment and business events, uses wind, solar and geothermal energy to heat, cool and power its spaces, as part of a pledge to achieve net zero by 2050. “Exhibition Place [also] has an excellent waste diversion program,” says Annie. “Their team has spent a lot of time figuring out how to reduce the amount of garbage that goes to landfills and making sure that they’re composting organic products.”

The Metro Toronto Convention Centre (MTCC) is the first convention centre in Canada to offer customers the option to invest in Bullfrog Power, a fund that produces renewable energy from cleaner sources, such as wind and solar farms, low-impact hydro and green natural gas producers. That energy is then used somewhere in Canada, as a way of offsetting the energy outputs from an event at the MTCC. Plus, its South Building also features a seven-acre green rooftop park to lower energy use, cut cooling costs and enhance the cityscape.

Annie adds that Evergreen Brickworks, an old brick quarry that was thoughtfully rewilded into the Don Valley Brick Works Park, is doing great work in this area. “They’ve done a lot to reduce their carbon emissions and also do amazing conservation work,” Annie says. “For event clients who want to tie a message of environmental stewardship into their event, Evergreen provides a number of educational opportunities, from info signs around the property to guided tours run by staff.”

3. Assess accommodation options

When picking a hotel, keep an eye out for certifications like LEED or Green Key, which indicate a high commitment to eco-friendly practices. The Radisson Blu Toronto Downtown and Pantages Hotel Toronto Downtown are both Green Key-recognized hotels. 1 Hotel Toronto is a LEED Gold-certified building, and uses smart systems to save energy by adjusting heating and cooling based on light, occupancy and conditions. Plus, biophiles will appreciate how the hotel brings nature indoors with 3,000 plants and furniture made from reclaimed local trees.

You can also check if the hotel has a sustainability policy that aligns with your environmental goals. And if you can’t find anything online, ask about energy-saving efforts. “The Germain Hotels just released a new company-wide sustainability policy with some exciting components, such as hiring a sustainability manager and plans to eliminate 70 per cent of plastic bottles across all their properties,” Annie adds. (There are three Germain hotels in Toronto: Le Germain Hotel Maple Leaf Square, Le Germain Hotel Toronto Mercer and the Alt Hotel Toronto Airport.)

Another important consideration is to choose accommodations that are within walking, biking or public transit distance to the venue to reduce reliance on gas-powered vehicles. For example, The Fairmont Royal York is steps from the MTCC and Toronto’s subway system. Plus, it recently completed North America’s largest heritage hotel retrofit, achieving zero carbon certification and cutting over 80 per cent of its annual carbon emissions—equivalent to removing 1,558 cars from the road.

4. Tap into greener transit

If walking to the venue isn’t an option, encourage attendees to use public transit as much as possible. Share information on nearby stops, routes and schedules, and partner with local transit for discounts or passes. “With the UP Express—the train between downtown Toronto, Union Station and Toronto Pearson Airport—groups can get discounted tickets,” explains Annie. The seamless system of subways, buses and streetcars makes getting around the city a cinch. GO Transit also provides inter-regional bus and train services, connecting Toronto with surrounding areas. There’s also Bike Share Toronto, a network of public bikes throughout the city.

5. Consider the catering options

There are lots of ways to put sustainability on the menu! Opting for plant-based dishes can lower the event’s environmental impact, as does curating locally sourced, seasonal ingredients. “MTCC has an amazing local food program,” says Annie. “Most ingredients are sourced from within a certain radius of Toronto, supporting local farms and producers.”

Toronto has a thriving sustainable dining scene that blends delicious flavours with climate-conscious choices. Chef Douglas Trudeau at 4Winds Catering celebrates traditional Indigenous cuisine with locally sourced ingredients, like wild game and white fish. The Goods, a plant-based eatery and caterer, reduces food waste by sourcing locally and in bulk and offers a range of delectable vegan dishes. Other culinary innovators include 1 Kitchen Toronto, Avling and Antler.

Also, think strategically about how to reduce food waste. Use biodegradable, compostable or recycled materials for food packaging. Donate leftovers to local charities or food banks and carefully plan meal portions. “There tends to be less food waste with pre-plated meals,” explains Annie. “Smaller plates at buffets also result in less waste, as people typically take less food.”

6. Switch (or ditch!) the swag

Swag has long been a staple at events, but the environmental impact can be enormous. Often consisting of single-use plastic items, cheap trinkets and promotional materials, a lot of stuff gets tossed in the trash. It’s leading conscious event planners to rethink traditional marketing tactics. “Make no-swag the default option,” says Annie. Instead of trinkets, you could give experiences, make donations to worthy causes or allow guests to choose a gift. “This ensures they receive something they truly want rather than an item they might not use,” Annie says.

7. Educate and engage attendees

Don’t miss the opportunity to tell your sustainability story. Share the eco-friendly choices you’ve made for the event with your attendees—and get them involved. “By educating them about these efforts, you help attendees feel good about their impact just by participating in the event,” says Annie. 

Recently, the Tourism Industry Association of Ontario (TIAO) hosted IMPACT Sustainability Travel and Tourism—Ontario, a conference on sustainable tourism. Aside from the inspiring content, the event planners found creative ways to engage the attendees in the conversation. 

“The chef spoke each day about the local origin of the ingredients and how they were selected for seasonality,” says Annie. “A ‘Day of Impact’ preceded the event, where attendees could sign up for a field trip to visit and learn about several of Toronto’s most sustainable attractions. We stopped at the Toronto Zoo, Rouge Valley National Urban Park, Evergreen Brick Works and the brand-new Arcadia Earth.”

Encourage attendees to share their experiences and insights on social media using event-specific hashtags. Partnering with a community group or a non-profit organization like #MEET4IMPACT could also help create a legacy for your event. “Consider the assets your event brings to the destination, such as industry experts, networking opportunities for local students, or attendees willing to support local causes.”