Did you know that the events industry contributes more than 10%1 of global CO2 emissions annually? It might not be the first thought that crosses our minds when we attend a company Christmas party, an industry conference, or a customer appreciation event. Yet, the first step towards change begins with awareness. So, when we reflect on company events, it is essential to acknowledge the environmental impact they generate and try to minimize it.
In line with our core behavior of "Be accountable and act," at Consafe Logistics, we have taken the following steps to work towards making all our corporate events carbon-neutral:
- Catering: According to data, a vegetarian diet produces 47% lower2 CO2 emissions per day than a meat-based diet. Therefore, we have transitioned to serving locally sourced, vegetarian cuisine at all our gatherings.
- Travel: We prioritize train travel over cars or buses whenever feasible, reducing our travel emissions. For instance, during SUMMIT, our recent company event in Helsingborg, we calculated that one fossil fuel-powered car trip to and from the venue equates to the emissions of 30 people traveling by train from our Lund headquarters3. To support this eco-friendly mode of travel, we provided train tickets to our employees.
- Venue: Carbon emissions from hotel stays vary significantly worldwide. In Europe, the average is 13.5 kg4 of CO2 equivalent per hotel room per night. Even a minor reduction in emissions can have a substantial impact when hosting a large group of people. Consequently, our search for event venues and hotels prioritizes environmentally friendly options with a low carbon footprint.
- Reducing, reusing, and recycling: We use digital communication channels to spread event information instead of printed brochures and leaflets. In cases where printed event materials like banners or signage are necessary, we ensure they are produced in a manner that allows for reuse.
- CO2 compensation: Recognizing that every event inevitably leaves a carbon footprint, we are committed to mitigating our emissions through meaningful initiatives. This was the case in both our 2023 customer event, CONNECT, and our company event, SUMMIT. In partnership with ZeroMission, we supported the SKG Sangha project, which involves the installation of biogas plants to promote cleaner and more sustainable energy. This project plays a vital role in alleviating the burden on women and children and in addressing health issues associated with indoor soot and smoke.
Protecting our planet is a collective responsibility. As we take these steps, we invite you to join us in making sustainable choices in your own lives and businesses. Together we get there!
Sources
1 ShiftCarbon, “How to Erase Your Event’s Carbon Footprint: Step by Step Guide to Carbon Neutral Events”
(https://www.shiftcarbon.io/tracesafe-resources/how-to-erase-your-events-carbon-footprint-step-by-step-guide-to-carbon-neutral-events)
2 Ideas.ted.com, “Climatarian, flexitarian, vegetarian, vegan: Which diet is best for the planet? (And what do they mean?),” September, 2022 (https://ideas.ted.com/which-diet-is-better-for-climate-change-vegan-vegetarian-climatarian-flexitarian/)
3 Klimatsmart Semester, “Transportmedelsberäkningar” (https://klimatsmartsemester.se/transportmedelsberakningar)
4 Circular Ecology, “The Carbon Emissions of Staying in a Hotel”
(https://circularecology.com/news/the-carbon-emissions-of-staying-in-a-hotel)