Quit Under Committing and Over Thinking
If I had a dollar for every time someone asked me "where should we start?" when it comes to sustainability… well, I would still be working because I love what I do, but I'd have a lot more money!
Watch a brief video with some of the top highlights from the interview with Amy Spatrisano.
I asked my friend and pioneer in event sustainability, Amy Spatrisano, about this (full interview with lots of great stories and case studies, is at the bottom of this page). The "where to start" conundrum resonated with her; it has continued to be a challenge throughout the years she has worked in sustainability. In 2018, Amy and I worked with a group of event industry stakeholders who came together with one common goal (or challenge): how do we get more people to commit to sustainability practices in events?
If there were so many years of effort and so many organizations involved in creating sustainability checklists and frameworks, why was there so little adoption and evidence? It seems like the "where to start" problem still exists, even with so many resources. Ultimately that group came up with a set of guiding principles, but more on that below.
In our conversation, Amy and I explored the idea that "where to start" is only part of the problem. Some still need that impetus to change in the first place. While many who ask "where should we start?" have an authentic desire to do something about sustainability, some are really saying "do I really have to start?"
There's a recurring theme among the stories you'll hear from me and those I interview: resistance to change. As Amy put it, "if they've been doing it they way they've been doing it and they've always been doing it, and it works so they don't want to change it." Sounds like a perfect summary of human nature!
This is further exacerbated by the fact that customers seem happy, which a company might translate to mean "customers don't care about sustainability." Amy is quick to point out "it is not a matter of if it will ever happen; it's when. And do you want to be ahead of the game? Ahead of the curve? Or do you want to be…scrambling to catch up?"
Amy explained that one hotel in Portland embraced sustainability at a time when it was not mainstream nor a priority for the hotel corporate brand. The catalyst for this change was her client's request for sustainable measures. The change was, in turn, a catalyst for an ongoing commitment to sustainability that helped this property thrive during an economic downturn.
"Sustainability is a way for people to connect on a more human level…that's what makes sustainability worth it", stated Amy. I 100% agree with my friend on that one. There's a lot more to say about the catalysts for change than I have room for here but check out the business case brainstorming worksheet in the IGNITE course (see Sustainability Overview) for more ideas that will spur sustainability.
Commitment is a vital prerequisite because there are going to be so many excuses - both legitimate and lame, to not stick it out. "Where do we start?", you ask? A true commitment to change!
Once you have made this crucial mindset pivot, you're ready really ask the question:
Where do we start?
My recommendation to use existing frameworks and standards as a checklist and guide to start is problematic, I'll admit, in that they can be overwhelming - pages and pages of technical and nuanced requirements. And how do you know which standard or list to start with? They differ in many ways.
That group who gathered in 2018 creates a set of principles to simplify the commonalities among many standards. (Note: the principles we developed are just one of many sets of recommendations and frameworks, just for the events industry! Don't spend time getting bogged down on which is the best. Just pick whichever appeals to you most and go for it!)
Even though it's a simplified list, there are still more than 15 types of initiatives. You might ask, "So do we have to do all of it?" No! You do not! Don't overthink it!
As Amy suggested, just choose one and do that one. Then do another one the next time. And eventually it is an ingrained part of your process. Think of the liberating nature of this! Someone who literally wrote the book on event sustainability is giving you permission to just start small with one thing. Learn from it, measure it, build on it, share it!
The other beauty of this simplified list is that it does not mandate any minimum levels of performance. Just do something. Anything. Don't overthink it.
Here's a getting started list of actionable, entry-level resources for a few of the initiatives in the Principles list:
Astrapto is proud to be counted among organizations who have made a pledge of its commitment to the Principles for Sustainable Events.
Conservation of resources, including water, energy and natural resources - there are thousands of resources out there to help you with saving on energy and water but I highly recommend you start with the local or state government. Not only do they have lots of informational resources, they have access to financial incentives and support that encourage more sustainable practices. For example, I was in Napa County not long ago and learned that the City was offering a free workshop to train local companies to be Qualified Water Efficient Landscaper.
Supply chain management and responsible purchasing - the Astrapto Green Team course has a sustainable purchasing audit module with a worksheet and instructions on performing a purchasing audit. Most course participants claim this is one of the most eye-opening experiences they have ever had. It is harder than you might think to find out all you might like to know about the products you buy but it’s very much worth the time to investigate it. Again, don’t overthink it! Just start with one product or ingredient. Learn as much as you can. Then move on to the next one.
Community impacts - consider "social hiring" and working with social enterprises. Read more about that here.
Health and well-being - there are a plethora of options to choose from but a simple place to start is providing flexibility and encouragement for low or no cost ideas, such as holding walking meetings.
Local support, including small and medium enterprises (SMEs) stakeholder participation - this is a topic I LOVE! You can watch a half hour webinar.
Transparency - commit to creating a report on just one small aspect of your business or operations. Here's an example of a report from a caterer about their efforts at just one event and just in the area of food waste. Don't worry about trying to report it all at once. But notice how, in this report, the company admits to challenges they faced and is transparent about how they will address that in the future.
You can even apply the same logic to a more complex and longer list of criteria. Use it as inspiration but not intimidation. The best news I can leave you with is there is no right or wrong answer to "where do I start?" Start anywhere. Start small. Just start.
Please watch the full interview below for inspiration from Amy’s career in sustainable events.
Watch the full interview with event sustainability pioneer, Amy Spatrisano.
