isla are here to accelerate the event industry transition to a sustainable future. How could we not get involved? No individual can solve the challenge of sustainable events – together, we have the power to make a difference. isla have the support and guidance to make long term, positive changes. 

As an independent body founded by events professionals and industry leaders, isla is an action-driven network. “We bring together expertise from across the entire events sector and empower our teams with the confidence, knowledge, and resources needed to confidently and consistently deliver sustainable events.” they say. 

Their goal is to set short- and long-term targets in these areas and then track measure, and report to drive constant improvement.  

In 2022 our own events team noticed that increasing numbers of clients were asking how they could ‘go green’ during their event planning and execution – but they are often unsure of how to begin.

Sarah Sutton, one of our UK Client Solutions Managers shares “We have seen an increase in clients building sustainability into their company goals and values. Historically, the emphasis has been more on CSR activities that give back to communities, but we are now seeing clients wanting to be as sustainable as possible in all areas of their events. Luckily the global focus on sustainability has meant that our supply chain is increasingly able to meet this need in a competitive way – for example electric coaches. I’m really looking forward to using the TRACE tool* to be able to offer our clients tangible results that they can use to support their specific sustainability goals.” 

Here at Ashfield Event Experiences, we’re working hard to pull together all the great things we already do into a really comprehensive sustainability framework. Our Sustainability working groups set objectives to champion green events and create positive change in this space. We are empowering our people and integrating with our suppliers, partners, and clients to work towards a more sustainable future. Our goal is to make a difference in our world and improve the only environment we have. 

• Through people, we individually consider the contributions we can make 
• Through suppliers, we look at ensuring best practice in our supplier network 
• When working with clients we provide sustainable solutions to our clients and promote sustainability to them, through both AEE and The Creative Engagement Group as a whole. 

Our Green Team are a group of passionate individuals who want to ensure we deliver our events in an eco-friendly way. We launched our Green Guide and supporting toolkit which included setting green goals and following our 10 planning principles for green events. Our Green Guide was written for both event planners and businesses alike, offering cutting-edge insights and easy-to-follow steps for more environmentally conscious events. 

Watch this space for further initiatives we are planning alongside the support of isla. But in the meantime, let us help you to start moving in the right direction. Here are three key things our events team consider when event planning – what can you bring to the table? 

#1 – Agree on your green goals upfront. You will be grateful to yourself at later stages of the project as you will know what you are trying to achieve and therefore budgets can be set accordingly. Any discussions and decisions can be brought back to the goals if, at any point, the event starts to stray from them. 

#2 – Follow the ethos of ‘Reduce, Reuse, Recycle’. We need to take less from the planet, and we have it within ourselves to maximise what we already have. 

#3 – Follow the 10 planning principles in our Green Guide! Download today! 

Check out isla and consider a membership of your own 

*TRACE, created by isla, is designed to simplify carbon and waste reporting for busy event teams, provide clear visual insight for business owners and support sustainability officers with reporting and disclosure requirements. TRACE data capture and reporting are aligned with the GHG Protocol and GRI Standards for environmental reporting, enabling you to understand the full picture of your event operations in line with global standards and be compliant with SBTi and Race to Zero.