How to throw a sustainable event: 10 eco-friendly tips and tricks

Event planners are placing more emphasis than ever on the sustainability of their events, not only to ensure they're minimising their carbon footprint, but to educate and inspire their audience to carry sustainable initiatives into their own lives. Sustainability is no longer just a trend – it's vital that everyone does their bit to ensure the longevity of the planet, and the events sector is one area that can make a real, meaningful difference.

So, whether this is your first time hosting an event, or you’re a seasoned planner, our guide to hosting a sustainable event will arm you with a wealth of essential tips and tricks to ensure your next one is as eco-friendly as possible.

If you’re looking to minimise the environmental impact of your event, you'll need to evaluate its entire lifecycle - from planning and marketing to on-the-day activity, as well as any follow-up actions you plan to make. There are plenty of areas where you can make improvements than just the day itself, whether that’s by sending out digital invites instead of paper ones, or recruiting a waste management system to responsibly dispose of waste once your event is over.  

While most in-person events will have some sort of environmental impact, large-scale events in particular can cause the most damage, whether that’s through excessive water use, leftover food, or producing a large amount of non-recyclable waste.  

The good news is there are several steps event planners can take to reduce how much waste they produce. This applies to everything from meetings and conferences to trade shows, office parties, gala dinners and networking sessions.  

To help you organise environmentally conscious events in the future, we have compiled a list of handy tips and tricks to ensure your next one is more sustainable. You can also scroll further down to discover a few of London’s best sustainable venues, which are all available to hire for meetings, conferences, team-building sessions and more.  

How to plan a sustainable event

Looking to clean up your act? From choosing a conscious caterer to eliminating single-use plastics, these simple but effective ideas will go a long way to ensuring your next event is more sustainable.

1. Set your goals (and make them SMART) 

Before you dive into planning, we always recommend setting some clear goals first to keep yourself accountable. Rather than trying to tick every box in one go, give yourself some achievable targets that you genuinely think you can hit - perhaps three to five considerations – ensuring they’re SMART. They should be: 

Specific 
Measureable 
Achievable  
Realistic 
Time-bound 

This could be reducing carbon emissions by 20%, eradicating single-use plastics completely, minimising water usage or upping the vegan options on your menu by half. Once you have some clear goals, you can start to think about taking the necessary steps to achieving them.   

2. Choose a sustainable venue

The Barbican has committed to reducing its carbon emissions to net zero by 2027 

An easy win when it comes to hosting sustainable events is choosing a venue with eco-friendly credentials. The venue you choose will have a huge impact on your event’s carbon footprint, so this should be first on your agenda when you’re ready to start planning.  

Make sure to ask prospective venues about their sustainable practices - do they have any sustainability accreditation? How does their in-house recycling system work? Do they use renewable energy sources? 

Other important factors to consider include whether the venue is close to accessible transport links, and whether they have all the facilities you need to host an end-to-end event, to reduce the need to outsource extra resource.   

You can check out a few sustainable venues at the bottom of this article, or use SquareMeal’s free venue-finding concierge service to help you find a space that’s right for you.

3. Go paperless

We live in a digital world, so it might seem a little obvious to suggest opting for paperless communication, but you’d be surprised just how much paper waste is still produced from events. Things like flyers, itineraries and programmes are just a few culprits, and can easily add up, particularly if you have a long guest list!  

Going paperless is a smart, achievable and cost-effective way to minimise your environmental impact. This might include choosing paperless invites, creating a dedicated website or app to host important information, and encouraging interaction and communication on social media.  

There are plenty of free tools that allow you to create your own website or e-vites, for example - check out our guide to the best hassle-free websites for paperless invites to get you started. And even if you don’t feel comfortable using an online builder tool, you can't knock good old-fashioned email as a reliable way to communicate with guests.  

4. Encourage green transport

When it comes to planning a sustainable event, you don’t just need to think about what happens on the day - you also need to consider how people will travel to and from your event. Transport can have a major impact on how sustainable your event actually is, particularly if the majority of your guest list is coming from further afield.  

When venue-sourcing, take into account whether your chosen venue is close to accessible transport links, and include suggested walking, bus or train routes in your digital invites.  

To incentivise attendees to take public transport, you can offer discount codes with brand partners or additional extras in goodie bags, if they can provide proof of travelling in an environmentally friendly way. You can also set up group chats to arrange walking buses or carpools, or provide shuttle buses to ferry groups to and from the venue. 

5. Think about your catering

IET London: Savoy Place offers sustainable menus courtesy of British caterer Searcys

Food is a major driver of climate change, so using green catering services will have a major impact on the sustainability of your event. Make sure to choose one that uses local, British ingredients, follows similar sustainable principles to yourself, and limits waste as much as it can across its supply chain.  

Choose a supplier with sustainable values: this could mean they source their ingredients locally or from regenerative farmers, use organic vegetables, or create their menus using seasonal ingredients.  

Opt for plant-focused dishes: try to offer a good number of vegetarian and vegan options, focusing on reducing meat and increasing plant-forward dishes.  

Reduce portion sizes: we’re not trying to be mean! Serving people accurate portions will help reduce food waste and you could always donate any leftovers to food banks or charities.  

Don’t chuck leftovers: even if you do have a small amount of leftover food, consider composting any biodegradable produce, or donating items with a longer shelf life to a food bank.  

Top tip: many sustainable event venues already have in-house caterers that practice and promote the same eco-friendly values as they do, so you don’t need to source an external supplier. Easy! 

6. Strike a balance between in-person and virtual events 

Techspace - The Lightwell is set up for hybrid conferencing with AV equipment and live streaming capabilities

We assume you landed on this guide because you want to know how to throw a more sustainable in-person event. However, if you organise regular events, we suggest taking a look at your annual calendar with a broader lens, thinking about how you could incorporate more virtual or hybrid events into your schedule.  

We’re not suggesting you eradicate physical events completely, but you might find that certain occasions lend themselves just as well, if not better, to a virtual meet-up. Of course, this comes with a host of sustainable benefits, from eliminating transport to and from your event, to producing almost zero physical waste. Consult our guide to planning a hybrid event for all the information you need to throw a successful one. 

7. Reduce waste 

Events will undoubtedly have an element of waste attached to them, but you can keep this to a minimum with a robust waste management plan. Following the mantra 'reduce, reuse, recycle' is a good start, and there are plenty of initiatives you can follow to reduce unnecessary waste at your event. Here are a few simple ideas that will make a big difference: 

Ban single use plastics: this one’s a no-brainer, but removing single-use plastics from your event should be high priority on your list of sustainable goals.  

Place recycling bins around your venue: make it easy for your guests to recycle by placing plenty of clearly labelled recycling bins around your venue.  

Train staff: ask staff to remind guests to recycle waste where possible, arming them with as much information as possible so they can help guests make informed choices. 

Work with a dedicated waste management company: if you're throwing a large-scale event, it might be a good idea to work with a company that specialises in sustainable waste removal. Companies like Biffa, Bywaters and GWR are reputable businesses that specialise in diverting waste away from landfill and working towards a circular economy. 

Encourage guests to be eco-conscious: be open and honest about your goals from the off, reminding guests to recycle where possible, sharing eco-friendly strategies, and raising awareness about the importance of looking after our planet – long after your event is over!  

8. Use eco-friendly materials

Offer glass water bottles instead of plastic ones, as the team have here at Sadler's Wells

We’d urge you to focus on reducing waste across as many areas of your event as possible, but if you do need to use supporting materials – like signage, tableware, or gifts – then make sure everything can be recycled later on, and is made from sustainable materials.  

Forego plastic water bottles for paper cups: instead of handing out plastic water bottles, offer drinks in glass bottles or cans, or hire water dispensers with paper cups.  

Cutlery: make sure it’s reusable or recyclable – no plastic forks here!  

Signage: Use recyclable or biodegradable signs, opt for digital banners instead of paper ones, and think about renting materials that can be used again by someone else.  

9. Don’t forget goody bags 

Freebies are often used as an incentive to encourage more people to attend corporate events - who doesn’t love some free sweets or a shiny new pen? If you’d like to give your guests a goodie bag at the end of your event, make sure to include products that promote sustainability, or are made from sustainable materials. Notebooks and journals made from recycled materials, canvas tote bags or miniature potted plants or seed packets are a few suggestions. You don’t want to send people home with plastic keyrings!  

10. Measure your impact 

Remember when we spoke about setting SMART goals before your event? Now it’s time to assess them! Look back on the sustainability of your event with a fine-tooth comb, thinking specifically about the targets you set yourself at the start. Did you increase the number of vegan options on your menu? Did you disseminate enough recycling bins? How many people walked or cycled to your event? You might want to send a feedback survey to attendees after the fact to gather a little more information about how they interacted with your sustainability goals.  

Note down everything you learned – both the successes and areas for improvement – so you can adjust your approach for next time.  

London's best sustainable venues

Choosing the right venue is one of the most important decisions you'll make when it comes to achieving your sustainable goals. Below, we've included a selection of some of the best sustainable event venues in London, including why they should be on your venue shortlist.

1 Hotel Mayfair, Mayfair 

Why: Seamlessly combining sustainability with luxury, 1 Hotel Mayfair pays close attention to its carbon impact, implementing numerous systems to ensure it’s constantly working to be greener. This newly renovated venue prioritised reconstruction over new construction when it came to its remodel, allowing it to use 80% of the building’s existing structure and saving about 4,200 tonnes of carbon in the process. Many of the materials throughout the hotel are organic or reclaimed, and all its dining outlets use seasonal or local ingredients from regenerative farmers. While its in-house restaurant Dovetale offers dedicated plant-based and Chef’s Market menus. 
Where: 3 Berkeley Street, W1J 8DL 
Find out more: 1 Hotel Mayfair

The Conduit, Covent Garden 

Why: This private members’ club publishes its impact report every year, offering total transparency across its sustainable practices, achievements, and areas for improvement. We’d say it’s doing a pretty good job. Just some of The Conduit's targets include ensuring 100% of its energy comes from renewable sources, planning to achieve net carbon neutral status for its in-house restaurant Rucola, ensuring all its suppliers meet its Responsible Supply Chain Standards, and implementing a zero waste mentality across all its F&B outlets.  
Where: 6 Langley Street, WC2H 9JA 
Find out more: The Conduit 

Roehampton Venues, Roehampton

Why: This modern conference centre and events space located right next to leafy Richmond Park has won a Gold Award for Green Meetings from the Green Tourist association, which promotes better and more sustainable ways for businesses to operate. Roehampton Venues is committed to delivering sustainable events and reducing its environmental impact, specifically by utilising renewable energy sources, providing recycling facilities for guests and staff, investing in training and providing affordable, healthy and environmentally sustainable food. 
Where: Roehampton Lane, SW15 5PH
Find out more: Roehampton Venues

{10-11} Carlton House Terrace, St James’s 

Why: {10-11} Carlton House Terrace implements a strong waste management system, recycling anything and everything it can, and ensuring all non-recyclable materials are either incinerated or used for Refuse Derived Fuel (RDF). Food waste is composted, and its caterer Searcys only uses the best of British produce from local suppliers. Elsewhere, things like lighting, air-conditioning and water are regulated, and it always encourages its clients to think about the environmental impact of their events. 
Where: St. James's, London, SW1Y 5AH 
Find out more: {10-11} Carlton House Terrace 

Barbican Conference Centre, Barbican

Why: The Barbican has some BIG goals for the next few years. By 2027, it plans to reduce its carbon emissions to net zero, and by 2040, this will (it hopes!) include its supply chain, too. As a major platfrom for the arts, its also continues to highlight and promote artists that rally for a more sustainable future, while on a day-to-day level, it implements simple strategies across the venue like no longer selling water in plastic bottles, practicing a Zero to Landfill policy, using 100% renewable energy throughout the building, and offering free plant-based milks at its F&B outlets. 
Where: Silk Street, EC2Y 8DS
Find out more: Barbican Conference Centre

Keen to explore the possibility of hosting more hybrid events? Check out our list of London's best hybrid venues for some of the city's best tech-savvy spots.