In our last blog, we spoke about the basic steps that Meeting Managers can take in order to ensure that their meetings are sustainable. In this post, we have curated 6 effective and practical tips to help you drive more sustainable, eco-friendly meetings.
- Bye-Bye Paper
Start off with a paperless planning process. Ditch those print-outs and brochures for emails, and online posters and drive digital engagement. Thanks to the impact of digital media, everything can be viewed online. What this does is that it also removes potential waste that could be generated from the meeting. However, if spreadsheets and e-mails to organize meetings result in more disorder than necessary, which it does, our solution would be to migrate to a Meeting Automation Platform which automates all aspects of meeting management. After all, more meetings mean more revenue!
- Green Locations
We mean this figuratively! A number of events today comprise of meetings that do not always take place in closed-off rooms. Many managers are hosting meetings out in the open or in locations that are as committed to sustainability as you are. A lot of counties and cities also indulge in dedicated climate combating measures. Selecting venues in such areas can also have a significant impact.
Additionally, choosing venues that are relatively closer to airports or bus stations can also significantly reduce the carbon footprint that will be a result of all the travel.
- Ditch the water bottle
The sheer amount of plastic waste generated after a meeting is quite appalling and a large contributor to this are water bottles. Instead, having one large water-cooler with biodegradable cups will be a better choice for the environment. Apart from this, if attendees bring their own water bottles (hopefully not plastic), wastage will be avoided.
- Go Local and Organic
Leftover food is usually discarded and this amounts to a lot of waste. Contributing to the local economy by ordering local food can cut down expenses. Additionally, serving organic food is also healthier for all participants. A lot of enterprises today also implement measures wherein all the leftover food is donated to a local shelter so as to prevent undue wastage.
- Reuse and Recycle
The mantra to be followed by every meeting manager who wishes to organize ‘the’ sustainable meeting of the year. A lot of waste is generated by discarding things that can be recycled or reused. For example, instead of using plastic signboards or banners that need to be discarded, why not use chalkboards or whiteboards that can be reused? Additionally, instead of spending money every year on decor, repurposing the previous year’s decor and using biodegradable products such as flowers will go a long way in promoting sustainability.
Although meetings have traditionally been met with skepticism and dread, times have changed and now the importance of these cannot be overstated. Productive B2B meetings can generate pipeline, drive sales while boosting ROI for enterprises. Meetings are an essential component of events and have a huge impact on not just business but also the environment due to the sheer scale at which they are organized. The above points are just a few ways in which meetings can be greener, more sustainable without going over-budget.
Got more innovative ideas to make meetings sustainable? Let us know in the comment section below!
