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We are beyond the halfway point as an industry in prioritizing sustainability, if you go by the 14th Global Forecast from Amex GBT Meetings & Events forecast. More than half (54 percent) of 519 meeting professionals surveyed globally agreed that sustainability is extremely or very important — and 47 percent have defined sustainability goals and an action plan. This aligns with Convene’s results in its 2024 Meetings Market Survey, to be published in the November 2024 issue, which found that almost half of respondents have made sustainability a priority — and they’re increasingly baking it into their events from the start. Nearly double the percentage of Meetings Market Survey respondents — 60 percent vs. 31 percent in 2023 — are including sustainability requirements in their RFPs.
The Amex GBT Meetings & Events forecast showed similar progress on executing on sustainability initiatives. Nearly half of meeting professionals already minimize disposables and prioritize sustainable meetings and products, use waste management practices such as food donation, and offer sustainable food and beverage options, with another 30–40 percent of meeting professionals planning to implement similar efforts in the near future. More than four out of five respondents already have — or plan to soon — provide education and engagement around sustainability for their stakeholders.
While meeting professionals’ views on sustainability are promising for the future of environmentally conscious events, the Amex forecast highlighted hurdles that they need to overcome. Among planners’ top challenges for creating sustainable events: 35 percent named identifying suppliers with a sustainable certification; 34 percent named minimizing waste, such as avoiding paper and plastic usage; and 30 percent called out measuring the impact and post-event CO2 calculation. Other pain points included budget constraints, a lack of resources, and identifying meeting locations that minimize travel for attendees.
But with sustainability practices trending upward, planners will need to continue pushing forward despite those challenges to remain relevant to their audiences — a sentiment underscored by Eloisa Urrutia, head of global sustainability for Amex GBT Meetings & Events. “Meetings and events are a key platform to showcase your company’s values,” Urrutia said in the report. “Today’s audiences prioritize sustainability: Simple issues like food waste or disposable plastics can negatively impact perceptions. Designing your events to reflect these values, incorporating sustainability, DE&I, and wellbeing, will help you broaden your audience, enhance engagement, and strengthen your brand identity.”
Casey Gale is Convene’s managing editor.