We as an agency take our role seriously with event sustainability and recording our carbon foot print. From where the food has come from, the electricity we use, introducing a plant based option when choosing menus, reduce food wastage, choices in venues and destinations that have a clear sustainability plan in place.
This month has seen a significant swing towards sustainability within travel and events. Several sustainability forums have been held across the UK. Including the C&IT Sustainability Forum in London which we attended.
Key takes - ✅
◼ Speak to your supplier and have the conversation about what you can do regarding food wastage.
◼Is there partnership opportunities with any charities, food banks or homeless shelters?
◼Large events - Can you employee older pupils from a local school or university and pay them fairly in order to give them work experience and to "pay back to the community" in the location of the event?
Communication and education is the key when speaking about sustainability with our clients and suppliers. As we continue to support and best advise our clients on their event sustainability journey. We will also look at ourselves as a company in terms of how we can best achieve our footprint and sustainability goals.
Transatlantic flight via alternative fuels launched
In addition to the forum events, this month also saw a remarkable step forward towards aviation sustainability. We were excited to see the news of the first transatlantic flight by a large passenger plane powered only by alternative fuels take off.
"The aviation industry is particularly difficult to decarbonise, but airline bosses view SAF as the most effective tool available to help bring its net emissions down to zero."
It will still take a lot of time and work to get this rolled out across the board. But it's a significantly positive step in aviation sustainability.
Read more about the flight here
FCM Consulting Quarterly Report
We also had the FCM Consulting quarterly report. This report draws on global data sourced from FCM and Flight Centre Travel. Group corporate booking data for travel during July to September 2023 (Q3-2023).
The report details travel demand is growing and positive, the increases have moderated for a third quarter. Airline tickets, hotel and car hire rates have also levelled. Corporate travel programmes are under the spotlight as 2024 budgets are put to the test. An anticipation of increased business travel for 2024 pending economic conditions and longer term outcomes of the current conflict in the
Israel/Gaza region.
Employee engagement has changed due to the when, where and how we can work.
As a result FCM Consulting have observed a growing need for corporates to change
internal travel communication methods to engage travellers to comply.
Is it time to adjust policies and messages for your changed workforce and measure the engagement impact?
• Bleisure allowed with clear liabilities.
• Sustainable travel being second nature.
• Employee commute changes considered.
Over the past 12 months borders have opened and travel confidence has blossomed. Connecting travellers from one country to the next can be simple or complex depending on the location, seasonal demand, schedule options, connections and carrier mix.
The forecast for international seats offered in H1-2024 is -4.2% on 2019.
Read the full report here
Our own goals:
As well as partnering with Trees 4 Events. We are moving towards recognised accreditations to give us the best frame work to see what is needed to be more sustainable and to record what is needed to be sustainable. As this will be very important to future decision makers in this industry.
Trees 4 Events is a fantastic partnership that allow us to carbon off set our flights as well an when required manage and report on carbon footprints and the sustainability of our client events. Do speak to the team on how this can benefit your next event.
We will also continue to best advise our clients on ways to start and build their events towards their sustainability goals. This can be carbon offsetting, choosing destinations and venues with clear sustainability plans as well as looking at supply chain and wastage across the event.
You get what you ask for. If you want something you have to specify and ask for it. Don't assume it is going to happen!
Let's start the conversation on making your events more sustainable. Get in touch with the team - info@wearemeat.com