Last week, we gathered an incredible panel of events professionals to talk all things sustainability, what buyers are expecting from their venues, and how venues can respond. What followed was an hour packed with insights, honest reflections, and practical tips for venues looking to embed impact into their operations.
You can watch the webinar and hear from our amazing thought leaders below:
Here are five big takeaways from the conversation:
Sustainability isn’t just environmental. It’s social, too.
While environmental concerns like waste and carbon footprints often dominate the conversation, social impact is just as crucial, particularly for heritage venues or regions where local agents and suppliers may not have the same access or networks.
As Ana-Maria Cartas from ALHI reminded us:
“It’s about the legacy that you want to create, that you want to leave behind. It’s about the impact that you have in your local community. And you know, how are you making the destination, the city, the neighbourhood where you are, a better place?”
Inclusion starts within your own team
Sustainability strategy can’t just live in a boardroom. It only works if it’s lived and breathed by everyone in the organisation, from front-of-house to finance.
“Making sure the team is fully aligned really helps then sell that to the buyer … and for us to then sell it to our clients as well.”
Rose Griffiths, emc3
The advice? Don’t just set strategy from the top. Talk to your team. Ask what they care about. You might be surprised by the ideas and insights already sitting within your venue.
You don’t need to be perfect, but you do need to begin
The pressure to have all the answers can stop people from taking action. But as our panelists shared, clients and agencies aren’t looking for perfection, they’re looking for engagement.
And the urgency is real. As Matilda Riley from From Now explained, new regulations across the EU, but which affect clients working on a global level, mean that they are beginning to require data from venues that many haven’t had to track before, particularly around energy use and waste. Teams that aren’t prepared will soon be scrambling to meet requests from clients and compliance bodies alike. The earlier you start building systems and confidence, the better.
Collaboration makes everything easier
Sustainability can’t sit on one person’s shoulders, it needs shared responsibility across agencies, venues, suppliers, and clients. Whether it’s sourcing better data, finding new partners, or solving reporting challenges, collaboration is essential.
“I really do value that partnership with From Now to help me with those [venue and supplier] recommendations and help me build out that database.”
Rose Griffiths, emc3
That support makes it easier for client-facing teams to confidently pitch sustainable options, and for venues to stand out from the crowd.
Need help getting started? That’s what we’re here for.
At From Now, we know that embedding sustainability into your events and venue operations can feel overwhelming. But it doesn’t have to be. Whether you’re tackling team engagement, supplier questions, client reporting, or the mounting pressure of regulation, we’re here to help you make progress, not perfection.
If you’d like to chat about how we can support your venue, we’d love to hear from you! Get in touch with us on inspired@from-now.com
