A lot of organisations have a sustainability policy. But very few have one that actually shapes decisions, changes behaviour, and inspires people to act differently.
Anyone can write a policy. Writing one that works, one that’s understood, applied, and lived, is something else entirely.
This guide explores how to create a sustainable events policy that stops gathering dust and starts driving real impact.
Why most policies fail (and how yours won’t)
Too often, sustainability policies are either too vague or too long. They become a box-ticking exercise rather than a practical tool.
The goal isn’t to write a document for the sake of it, it’s to create something people want to use.
Think of your policy as:
A clear set of expectations
A tool for better decision-making
A simple way to communicate your values
A framework that encourages people and suppliers to do better
A great events policy doesn’t just tell people what to do, it inspires them to want to do it.
A collaborative approach: co-writing your policy framework
I often ask teams to co-create the building blocks of their events policy. When people write the framework together, they’re far more likely to adopt it and champion it.
Here’s how I break it down.
Build your sustainable events policy framework
Split your thinking into three core areas. Each section becomes a clear, practical part of your policy.
1. Venue, Transport & Accessibility
Your venue choices set the tone for the entire event. This part of the policy should guide how you select spaces, shape attendee travel, and ensure everyone can participate.
Key questions to consider:
What sustainability standards should a venue meet? (Think ECOsmart, SBTi, BREEAM, ISO14001, renewable energy, strong waste management.)
What accessibility requirements are non-negotiable?
How can you reduce travel emissions for attendees, speakers, and suppliers?
What’s your position on hybrid or virtual attendance?
Prompts to spark your policy wording:
Prefer venues with renewable energy, good public transport, and transparent sustainability reporting.
Choose locations that minimise carbon-heavy travel. Incentivise rail over flights.
Build accessibility into planning from the start, not as a bolt-on at the end.
Offer hybrid participation where possible to reduce travel footprint.
2. Food, Materials & Waste
Catering, materials, and waste are among the most visible sustainability opportunities, and the easiest to get right with clear expectations.
Questions for shaping this section:
What should your food and beverage standards be?
How will you minimise waste from signage, print, and giveaways?
What does “zero waste” actually mean for your event?
Prompts to spark your policy wording:
Default to vegetarian or plant-forward menus; reduce meat wherever possible.
Avoid single-use plastics across catering, suppliers, and backstage areas.
Skip giveaways entirely unless they’re digital, edible, or experiential.
Switch to digital signage and QR codes to eliminate unnecessary printing.
Work with local suppliers to reduce transport emissions and support the community.
3. Measurement, reporting & impact
What gets measured gets managed. A strong policy sets expectations for tracking your impact and being honest about your performance.
Questions to guide your framework:
What will you measure, carbon, travel, energy, waste?
How and when will you communicate results?
What commitments are you making around transparency and community benefit?
Prompts to spark your policy wording:
Track event emissions, energy use, waste volumes, and attendee travel.
Report outcomes after each event, via dashboards, internal updates, or post-event comms.
Donate surplus food and partner with local community groups.
Be transparent about what you achieved and where you fell short.
Commit to learning and improving event by event.
Practical tips to bring your policy to life
Here are simple, high-impact actions to include in your policy and use straight away:
Skip the giveaways. Most end up as waste. If you must offer something, make it digital, edible, or experience based.
Go paperless: digital agendas, QR code materials, online registration, and reusable or digital signage.
Eliminate single-use plastics and ask all suppliers to do the same.
Measure your footprint: even simple data drives better decisions.
Tell your story: share what you did, why it mattered, and how you’re improving.
Support the local community: donate food, hire local, collaborate with local organisations.
Choose caterers with low-carbon menus and clear food waste plans.
Work with venues and suppliers who share your values and can demonstrate it, not just claim it.
Your policy should be ambitious, but usable
A sustainable events policy shouldn’t just sit on a shared drive. It should:
Guide decisions
Set expectations
Build consistency
Reduce your environmental impact
Reflect your values
Make it ambitious but achievable. Specific but flexible. Grounded in reality but aiming for better.
When you do that, your policy stops being a document and becomes a tool for real change.
Ready to make your business more sustainable?
Whether you're just starting out or looking to take your strategy to the next level, we can help. From tailored consultancy to practical training, we work with businesses of all sizes to embed sustainability into every journey.
Get in touch with Sam Cande, Consultancy Director at 360 Consulting by Greengage, to explore how we can support your ESG goals.
Email: sam.cande@greengage.solutions
Book a quick meeting with Sam: https://calendly.com/sam-cande-greengage/30min