How to plan a more sustainable event

At Cranmore Park, we recognise the value in getting people together and the significance of face-to-face events. We also recognise the importance of making events as sustainable as possible.

Whether you’re planning your next business meeting, conference, exhibition, or trade show, we’ve got 3 tips to help you make it more sustainable.

1. Venue choice – Location and Transport

Your choice of venue is crucial to planning a sustainable event.

Location, location, location: Picking a venue that is local to your guests or delegates and preventing long car journeys reduces carbon emissions. Opt for a venue with proximity to easy-to-access public transport links to encourage attendees to leave their cars at home. For example, choosing a venue which is close to a train or bus station may inspire your delegates to catch the train or bus, as opposed to driving separately.

For larger events like conferences, arrange coaches for your team to cut down on induvial travel and for smaller events and meetings, select a venue with good audio-visual capabilities, so delegates can still be involved without having to travel.

2. Catering

Consider your catering options as food and drink choices can significantly impact your carbon emissions.

Go local and seasonal: Choosing food ingredients that are grown or produced close to the event venue and are in season significantly reduces "food miles" (the distance food travels), lowering carbon emissions, and ensuring fresher, tastier produce. It also supports local economies and farmers.

Organic and ethically sourced: Choose organic ingredients to avoid harmful pesticides and support farming methods that promote biodiversity and soil health. Look for certifications or ask your catering suppliers about their ethical practices, including animal welfare.

Embracing plant-based Menus: Animal agriculture is a major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions, water usage, and land degradation. Offering more vegetarian and vegan options or making them the default with meat as an add-on, can drastically reduce the environmental footprint of your event catering.

Fairtrade products: Use Fairtrade certified tea, coffee, chocolate, and sugar to ensure fair wages and working conditions for producers in developing countries.

Reduce food waste: Talk to your caterers about smart menu planning, using ingredients across multiple dishes and those with a longer shelf life. Also think about repurposing leftovers, and composting food scraps.

3. Re-useable items

To keep your event as sustainable as possible limit single use items and plastics, and when choosing reusable items, consider the full lifecycle: how they will be cleaned, transported, stored, and their durability for repeated use. Partnering with event suppliers that specialise in reusable systems can greatly streamline the process.

Food and drinks service: This includes using ceramic tableware, glassware, reusable cutlery, and cloth napkins over throw-away alternatives.

Signage: Some venues already use digital signage as standard but for larger events where additional venue signage is required, look at reusable fabric banners over paper, or talk to your venue about their paper-recycling process.

Programmes/ Guides and Agendas: Limit unnecessary printing for slide decks and visuals when digital versions are readily available. Make event collateral accessible via QR codes or event apps, reducing paper waste.

Venue infrastructure: Choose a venue that has carpeted spaces, or use modular, reusable flooring rather than single-use options.

Event registration: Make sure you use reusable or recyclable badges and lanyards.

Cranmore Park is the perfect backdrop to encourage connection, collaboration, and engagement.

We offer a range of meeting rooms, conference spaces, and large show rooms to maximise the efficiency of your event.

With our unrivalled event management expertise and sustainably minded catering and hospitality, we will make your next event unmissable.

Planning your next conference, meeting, or corporate event?

Speak to us today 0121 713 4450