TRACE by isla – the definitive carbon measurement platform for sustainable events – has launched a new, easy-to-use feature that will enable suppliers to directly input data relevant to their vertical into the tool.

Here are the top 3 benefits:

Supports supplier engagement

‘Manage Suppliers’ will enable TRACE users to prompt key stakeholders in the event supply chain to input data across key measurement areas, including Energy and Built Items. Supplier engagement is increasingly important as the events industry continues to drive change through collaboration.

Builds an accurate picture of your Scope 3 emissions

The unique-to-industry feature helps TRACE users build up an accurate picture of their Scope 3 emissions – derived from the aforementioned chain and making up more than 70%* of total company emissions on average.

Streamlines data-gathering

FAQs

Do suppliers need to have a TRACE licence to input data?

No. It’s open to all your suppliers. A downloadable spreadsheet template is also available for suppliers to download data for their particular vertical if they prefer to record/send you information this way.

Will I be able to have the final say on any submitted supplier data?

Once suppliers have marked their data as ‘ready to review’ you can check and approve, before it is pulled through to the dashboard.

How do I tell suppliers about the feature?

You can invite suppliers to input data from within the platform (this will send a pre-set invitation email to your chosen contact), which includes a due date, and follow this up with a friendly reminder, which you can again issue through the platform if needed.

The supplier feature is part of our continuous improvement programme for the TRACE platform. Want to see it in action? Sign up for a completely FREE demo.

*https://www2.deloitte.com/uk/en/focus/climate-change/zero-in-on-scope-1-2-and-3-emissions.html

Starting your event carbon measurement journey? Read on to find out how to define your measurement parameters.

Measurement. It’s something that’s already embedded into many areas of business operations, and is a crucial proof point to demonstrate how businesses are faring against key operational KPIs.

From figures on revenue and profit to market penetration, measurement markers (that’s the numbers to you and me) help tell the story of business’s continued evolution.

Data on carbon emissions is no exception. And as brands, event agencies and venues strive to meet their ESG goals, no sustainability picture would be complete without demonstrating the environmental impact of our events.

So, where to start and what to measure?

Tap into existing sustainability policies

A great place to start when defining your measurement objectives is to look at existing sustainability policies and/or net-zero strategies. Businesses of all sizes will often already have done the hard work of digesting their sustainability ambitions into a series of concrete targets that align with broader corporate policies.

Rather than reinventing the wheel, use the above as a jumping off point for your measurement objectives. If a transition to renewable energy is a key focus for your business, then this can be translated into a focus on measuring and minimising energy output during live events, utilising alternative energy sources wherever possible.

Understand what you can control and what you can influence

Event carbon measurement data runs across the full set of emissions Scopes. Scope 1 emissions are those you have direct responsibility over (e.g. fuel you burn directly such as diesel in company cars), while Scope 2 emissions are where you have some control by indirect responsibility (e.g. energy your company purchases, such as electricity). Scope 3 emissions are indirect emissions that arise as a consequence of activities that take place within your value chain (which is centred around your suppliers). The latter is often where the highest amount of emissions lay, including for events. And while Scopes 1 and 2 are within your control, it’s likely you can only influence your Scope 3 emissions.

The good news is that there are a number of ways to do this: from including suppliers in event kick-off meetings and outlining the part they can play in gathering emissions data to providing informal training/workshops to share data-gathering best practice.

And with increased engagement from your value chain, an increase in the volume and quality of Scope 3 data should naturally follow.

Keep ambitions big, but understand that your initial steps may be small

While it can be tempting to want to measure everything within the key measurement areas ranging from food & drink to production materials in detail and with complete accuracy, it’s ok to acknowledge that you may not have the infrastructure (people, time etc) in place to do so right away. Instead why not shift focus onto gathering data on your biggest areas of environmental impact within the key measurement areas? So, as an example, if you’re looking at production materials, and are using large amounts of newly purchased carpet to decorate a venue space, this will have a larger impact on your event carbon footprint, than say, cable ties used to keep event banners and more in place.

Understand how you will collect data and clearly communicate that

The mechanics of data gathering and input are almost as valuable as the final data insights themselves. Putting a solid system in place, that can be replicated event after event, is crucial so that measurement doesn’t feel like an insurmountable task that no one in the business wants to tackle.

If you don’t have a Sustainability Lead in place, why not nominate a person/s within the business who can take overall responsibility for crunching the necessary numbers? They can use an Excel spreadsheet or similar to start collecting data. And while not ideal, estimations can be used, in areas where complete figures aren’t available, and can still offer you a gauge of where you event sits in relation to a key carbon measurement area.

Time for data-gathering should also ideally be factored into your overall event project plan.

Finally, don’t forget to use internal comms to shout out about your event carbon measurement journey, and get buy-in from teams at all levels of your business.

TRACE by isla

TRACE by isla is the definitive carbon measurement tool for sustainable events and can help your business measure, manage and minimise carbon at live, hybrid and digital events.
Book a free demo with one of our platform experts, and start your event carbon measurement journey today.

Today’s event professionals are increasingly seeking out ways to create more sustainable experiences for their client base. From partnering with carbon-neutral venues to tapping into more considered production processes, reducing your event’s carbon footprint requires a strategic approach.

And with event attendees more enthusiastic than ever about sustainable business practice, getting into the habit of making sustainable choices now is not only a great move for the environment but for your business profile and prospects in general.

We understand that finding sustainable solutions for events can feel overwhelming, which is why we’ve put together a handy guide to get you started and hopefully make your next event your most sustainable one yet.

1. Improve energy efficiency

Powering your event can consume a lot of energy, from lighting and sound to technology and production. While lowering the energy consumption of an entire event might sound daunting, it’s often a great place to start. And luckily even seemingly small changes can have a cumulative positive impact on your energy footprint.

To increase energy efficiency, why not consider one or more of the following measures:

• Choose energy efficient venues – look for venues that hold sustainability certifications (such as BREEAM), are using a 100% renewables tariff for electricity and/or are investing in on-site renewable energy generation
• Switching to LED lighting – not only do LED lights use less electricity, they’re also much smaller than traditional event lighting and are easier to transport
• Solar power – if you’re delivering an outdoor event, why not consider using portable generators powered by solar e.g. solar lanterns to light up trails?
• Use ‘people power’ – from kinetic dance floors to bicycle generators, the right event can be elevated by involving attendees in energy generation
• Pose the question: how do we measure the energy consumption of our events in order to inform future reductions?
• Increase efforts to turn off on-site equipment when not in use

2.  Reduce waste

While waste management might not be what your event is remembered for, a lack of waste management facilities certainly might be.

Whether your event is held over one day, or several, it’s essential to:

• Set up easily accessible recycling areas for attendees
• Use reusable cutlery, plates and cups where possible
• Encourage the use of on-site water refill stations (if your chosen venue has them), and encourage attendees to bring their own water bottles in advance
• Ensure your inventory is being effectively managed to minimise over ordering. Can you give this responsibility to a dedicated person in your event-management team and use existing data-management tools such as Google Sheets to track and manage stock levels? 
• Avoid excessive packaging (wherever possible), including for event swag
• Switch from physical to digital event assets where possible (printed signage, guides, maps, leaflets etc)
• Prioritise modular builds/set design to increase reusability. Where possible, avoid bespoke designs that would at best be recycled. Particularly assets with specific dates, years, locations etc.

3. Overhaul your catering

When it comes to event catering, it can feel risky to step outside of the box and let sustainability guide your catering decisions, for fear that new menu formats and ingredients may alienate some event attendees.

By viewing sustainable catering as an opportunity, rather than a challenge, you can encourage attendee buy-in with a fresh approach to menu options and produce. Consider celebrating local produce and serving food that would otherwise go to waste in inventive ways i.e. ‘root-to-stem’ menu options: think carrot-top pesto, fruit-peel jam, or even pickled watermelon rinds.

There are a number of ways to reduce the environmental impact of your event’s catering, including the below:

• Using local suppliers, setting a target to source a fixed percentage of your ingredients within a set number of miles from your event venue
• Using in-season produce wherever possible
• Reducing food waste during preparation processes by pre-determining menu selections and offering a variety of portion sizes (this one works well at conference events and award ceremonies where these details can be gathered as part of an RSVP)
• Offering more plant-based options (a great opportunity to get ahead of competitors with some inventive dishes), while reducing the volume of options with much higher environmental impacts – particularly beef and other red meats
• Investing in good quality utensils, tableware, and dishware that can be used for years to come or hiring these in as an alternative
• Examining how items such as table linen and dishes are washed (even the cleaning products you use can make a huge difference to your carbon footprint)
• Increasing the number of cold/raw menu options to reduce energy-related cooking emissions
• Considering edible and non-edible food waste separately e.g. donations for edible (where regulations allow) and composting provisions for non-edible – rather than sending to landfill/incineration
• Measuring and demonstrating the difference in environmental impacts between different menu options – there remains a low awareness as to the true discrepancies between higher and lower emission ingredients

4. Examine audience and staff movement

As public awareness of the climate crisis rises, it’s important to remember that the expectation for sustainable solutions rises with it. With event attendees now expecting to find charging stations for their electric vehicles and staff requesting access to bikes they can rent – it’s time to evaluate how your company’s policy regarding sustainability stacks up.

Take a temperature check of where you’re currently at by asking yourself the following questions during event planning stages:

• How are attendees likely to travel to and from your event?
• How are staff likely to travel to, from, and around your event?
• Are there more sustainable options for getting people where they need to be, and if not what can you do to put these in place?
• Are we actively researching and recommending the best public transport options to guests and crew?
• If your venue offers facilities such as EV charging, are these facilities being advertised through event comms?
• Is there a way for your business to support carpooling for staff members (e.g., is there a place where staff who want to carpool can communicate with each other such as a dedicated company or event app?)
• How can you collaborate with local authorities to make use of existing local sustainable transport options to and from your event?
• How can you measure travel and transport emissions to and from your event?
• What proportion of travel and transport to your event can be carbon-balanced via an offsetting scheme? Offsetting your own staff travel is relatively straightforward, but can we provide opportunities for guests to offset their own emissions? Do we have any budget to offset crew travel and/or trucking?

Did you know that the right approach to sustainable transport methods and staff movement can also help improve company culture? More employees than ever are requesting access to affordable and less damaging modes of transport to get to work. By prioritising this as part of your company-culture strategy, think the Cycle2Work Scheme or ‘carpool Fridays’, you’ll be even more attractive to a workforce that views sustainability as a core business value.

5. Think of the environment around your event

Staging your event outdoors? In an ideal world you would leave ‘no trace’ and once your temporary staging and structures were removed from an event location, there would be no visible dent on the surrounding environment. This can be more difficult to achieve in practice, but the following tips should certainly help.

• Making an effort to preserve the natural habitat around your structures – this includes being mindful of vegetation and trees when erecting temporary structures and considering issues surrounding local air, water and soil quality
• Use fencing around your event area to ensure that everything from litter to unknown materials don’t escape your site
• Ensure you have engaged a commercial waste management company to process any waste you’ve generated and organise an informal litter pick to mop up anything else that may be left over
• Consider leaving an environmental legacy — could you create a biodiversity-rich garden or similar that forms the centrepiece of your event and be left in place to enrich the environment and be enjoyed by the local community for years to come?
• As part of your due diligence processes research any environmental issues and initiatives in your event location/wider region and determine how you will address these as part of your event planning

While this tip may not see immediate returns in terms of reducing your event carbon footprint, it will pay dividends for the environment in the long term.

6. Get your entire event planning team on board with your sustainability strategy

One of the most effective ways to reduce the environmental impact of your events is to ensure that all members of your team are on board with your events ‘going green’. Without company-wide commitment, your sustainability strategy will likely fail at the first hurdle.

Sustainability is a mindset that works so much better when there are as many people as possible involved. This is where data comes in. If you can highlight to your team that even small improvements can make a big difference, it becomes easier to communicate your strategy company-wide.

How TRACE by isla can help

As part of the TRACE platform, the topics mentioned above are just some of the areas you can track and improve as part of your approach to sustainability.

TRACE is the only dedicated events industry platform that measures and minimises carbon at live, hybrid and virtual events. Not only this, but with the data and metrics TRACE collects, our platform provides you with recommendations of actionable solutions to reduce your event’s environmental impact.

Because organisations can monitor the same event over several years, TRACE also helps you gauge improvements and showcase how your business is transforming its sustainability strategy. Ultimately, TRACE makes delivering sustainable events accessible and achievable, accelerating your progress towards your net-zero targets and overall ESG strategy.

If you’d like to know more about what TRACE has to offer, you can attend a live demo that provides an opportunity to ask questions about how TRACE can benefit your business.