How to Make Your Event More Sustainable

Last Updated: February 25, 2026

Reducing waste from any source, including events, is one of the most impactful ways we can protect the environment. Although you might be tempted to write off event waste as an unfortunate side effect of being a great host, this is not true — you can host a great event and produce minimal or no waste. The two aren't mutually exclusive, and the positive feedback increasingly proves it. 

As put in Isla's European Temperature Check 2025, the events industry is no stranger to disruption and short-term challenges. But climate change is not a short-term challenge. The events sector will need to be proactive in mitigating risks, adopting sustainable practices, and investing in contingency plans to protect itself against the increasing uncertainties of climate change. At the same time, regulation is catching up; it's no longer about what you could do, but about what you will need to do, as a new wave of sustainability legislation is set to rapidly reshape expectations. 

The good news? Event organisers can adapt and decrease their emissions. There is also a business case for this, as implementing sustainable practices can lead to a 20–30% reduction in costs.

In this article, we break down how you can make your event more sustainable, from small, practical swaps you can make now, to larger decisions that shape the event from the ground up. 

What is a Sustainable Event? 

Before diving into the how, it's worth defining the what.

A sustainable event is one that works hard to mitigate the environmental impact the event might otherwise cause. It is designed, organised and implemented in a manner that minimises its negative environmental impact and leaves a positive legacy after it’s done.

In practice, this might involve removing plastic waste, using renewable energy sources or saving water. But it also goes beyond this: sustainable event management considers the entire lifecycle, from sourcing materials and the carbon footprint of travel to the staff and the long-term use of infrastructure after the event.

How to Make Your Event More Sustainable

Now you know what a sustainable event is, here's how to make it happen. 

1. Determine Impact

First things first, you need to determine the impact your event could have. Consider what you want to achieve, and pinpoint the areas that are most associated with environmental breakdown.

Start by mapping out the key impact areas for your specific event: Will you serve food? Will you need to use large amounts of single-use plastic? How will the venue be powered? Is there significant build production involved, such as stands, stages, and signage? How will people travel there? Transport, food and energy use are typically the largest contributors to an event’s carbon footprint. 

Once you’ve determined your problem areas, it will be much easier to prioritise and fix them.If your event is smaller and local, for example, food and waste might dominate. If it involves international guests or large-scale production, travel and materials will likely be bigger levers.

Mandatory emissions reporting is also expected within the next few years for more organisations, so getting your measurement practices in place now puts you ahead of the curve. 

2. Choose Sustainable Suppliers

Suppliers are responsible for a large portion of your event — from food and drinks, to decorations and transport. Choosing carefully here has a bigger impact than you might initially think.

When selecting suppliers, look for those who champion sustainable processes and goods as a core part of their business, not just a marketing add-on. If you go with a local supplier, you can help reduce transportation emissions and support local economies at the same time.

a. Food & Drink

For food and drink, the gold standard is organic, locally sourced produce served in biodegradable or recyclable containers. But it's worth considering your menu options.

Food and drink account for around 35% of the average festival's carbon footprint, according to A Greener Future — a figure that is "significantly reduced" when plant-based options are prioritised. To help reduce emissions derived from meat, consider a vegetarian or vegan menu. 

b. Decorations

For decorations, opt for reusable or hired items over single-use printed materials, and choose suppliers who will take them back after the event.

c. Transport 

If transport is part of your supplier brief, whether that's for deliveries or logistics, ask about their vehicle emissions and whether they offset or actively reduce them. 

d. Everything Else

For the smaller details that you might be providing yourself, prioritise sustainable swaps. Think biodegradable forks instead of single-use plastic, reusable drinking straws instead of disposable paper ones, and cloth napkins instead of disposable paper ones. If you need to wrap or store food, beeswax food wraps are a brilliant alternative to clingfilm; they keep food fresher for longer, and can be reused again and again.

Wild & Stone's full range of plastic-free home and on-the-go essentials is a good place to start if you're kitting out for a smaller event or private gathering.

3. Pick a Green Venue

The venue you choose is fundamental to the success of your event, but also to how sustainable it is. Try to find a venue that meets your aesthetic requirements and also promotes good, sustainable practices. A venue that already has strong sustainability practices built in makes your job considerably easier here. 

When evaluating venues, check for: 

• Green certifications such as BREEAM or ISO 20121 (the international standard for sustainable event management, updated in 2024). These provide independent verification that a venue meets environmental performance standards.
• Renewable green energy use or green energy tariffs.  
• Smart temperature controls and energy-efficient LED lights. 
• Water-efficient appliances and water-saving processes. 
• A comprehensive and effective recycling system. 
• Minimal single-use plastic across catering and facilities. 
  
• Reusable utensils, glassware, and textiles (organic hand towels over disposable paper, for example). 
  
• Eco-friendly toiletries, cleaning products and toilet paper.
• Biodiverse gardens and thoughtfully managed outdoor spaces. 

You should also consider how easy it is to get to this venue. Transport access matters enormously. A venue close to a train station or well-served by public transport can significantly reduce the travel emissions of your attendees — and since travel is the single largest source of event emissions, this is one of the highest-impact decisions you'll make

Don't overlook accommodation either: the closer guests are staying to the venue, the less additional travel is involved. Ask yourself: Is the venue accessible by greener transport links? Don’t forget accommodation, either. Will your guests be staying? If so, where is the nearest hotel? 

4. Consider Travel  

Transport typically accounts for the lion's share of an event's carbon footprint, and it's also one of the trickier areas to control. You can't force people into trains, but you can make low-carbon travel the easiest and most appealing option! 

Hire coaches to reduce emissions from people travelling to and from your event, or encourage hybrid or low-emission vehicles and ride-shares. If there’s a train station nearby, that’s another great option to reduce your guests' carbon footprint.

If your event is for work or otherwise doesn’t require all attendees to be there in person, consider making your event hybrid. This allows people to join online, reducing the number of people who would need to travel.

• Share clear, detailed information about public transport options well in advance.
  
• Arrange group coaches from key transport hubs to reduce individual car trips.
  
• Encourage car-sharing amongst attendees by facilitating a match-up service or group chat.
  
• Incentivise low-carbon travel. A small gesture, like a priority check-in or a welcome drink for those who arrive by train or bike, can shift behaviour. 
  
• Consider whether a hybrid format would serve your goals just as well. 

5. Go Paperless 

Where possible, encourage paperless access.

This one is increasingly straightforward. Use your event website as the hub for all key information, and send e-tickets rather than physical ones. If guests need a map or directions, share an interactive digital version. 

Going paperless applies to the planning process, too. Use apps and collaborative digital tools to manage your event logistics rather than notebooks and printed briefs. Share post-event surveys and thank-you communications digitally. Make your paperless commitment part of your event communications.

If printing is genuinely unavoidable for certain materials, choose recycled stock and ensure items are designed to be useful long after the event is over, so they don't immediately become waste.

6. Manage & Reduce Waste

The goal is to avoid bringing waste to your event altogether. After all, the most sustainable waste is the waste you never create.

Start by thinking hard about what you actually need to bring to the event. Giveaways and branded merchandise, for example, are often well-intentioned but poorly used. If you do give something away, make it genuinely useful, durable, and made from sustainable materials. 

However, this isn’t always possible. To ensure the waste thatis at the venue is disposed of in a sustainable manner, you need to consider a few factors. 

Before the Event: Over-ordering food is one of the biggest contributors to event waste (the average event wastes 15-20% of the food it produces). Consider asking attendees to pre-register dietary preferences and meal choices, which lets you order closer to actual need. Partnering with a caterer who already has composting and donation processes in place makes post-event food management far simpler.

During the Event: Ensure clearly labelled general and recycling bins are placed throughout the venue, not just in corners people don't notice. If your event is large enough, consider having staff or volunteers stationed near waste points to help attendees sort.

After the Event: Leftover food can often be composted, sent home with guests, or donated to a local food charity — organisations like OLIO or local food banks are often willing to collect. Kitchen grease can be recycled in many areas. For leftover cooked food that needs wrapping or storing, beeswax food wraps are a practical, reusable solution that works for most foods.

7. Share Your Efforts

Attendees — particularly younger ones — increasingly expect events to implement eco-friendly strategies. As a result, it can be beneficial to share your sustainability goals before the event, not just after.  

Let people know you're serving a plant-based menu and why. Tell them which transport options you'd prefer they use. If you're measuring your carbon footprint, consider sharing those results — even if they're imperfect.

Transparency builds trust, and being open about where you're still improving is far more credible than claiming perfection. This also holds you to account to make meaningful changes. 

And remember: you don't have to do everything at once. Building sustainability progressively, i.e. focusing on your biggest impact areas first and improving with each event, is both realistic and valuable. The key is to start measuring, keep improving, and share what you learn.

How Wild & Stone Can Help

Whether you're planning a small private gathering or a large-scale corporate event, every choice matters. From the cutlery on the table to the venue on the map, sustainable swaps compound into real impact.

If you're sourcing eco-friendly essentials for your event, Wild & Stone's range of plastic-free, sustainably sourced products is a great place to start — from bamboo cutlery and reusable straws to beeswax food wraps that keep leftovers fresh long after the last guest heads home. Shop the full range here, and share your plastic-free swaps with us at hello@wildandstone.com or on Instagram at #wildandstone.