With climate change being top-of-mind and the events industry under growing pressure to reduce its environmental footprint, the workshop addressed why sustainability is no longer optional – and how to implement it effectively.
Grace Stead, one of the co-founding members of the forum, opened by reiterating the urgency of climate change and the environmental toll of events – especially carbon emissions from travel and food waste. She shared critical insights and practical tools, emphasising the difference between a sustainable event and a carbon-neutral event.
“A sustainable event is one in which the organisers and exhibitors have taken every possible measure to minimise their impacts, accepting that there are still residual impacts. A carbon-neutral event is when the organisers and exhibitors have actively minimised their impacts and have then offset their residual impacts,” Stead explained.
She highlighted that waste avoidance is the first step in responsible event planning. From choosing durable, low-packaging products to designing stands that can be reused or repurposed, the goal is to reduce what is brought in – and, ultimately, thrown out.
Attendees learned about safe disposal routes for hazardous waste such as used motor oil (via the ROSE Foundation) and cooking oil (via TAG), and were urged to educate stakeholders on proper waste segregation at events. Clear signage, accessible recycling stations, and stakeholder engagement were highlighted as essential.
They also explored how events can uplift local communities. Delegates discussed linking Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) efforts to greening strategies, from donating delegate bags to schools to supporting the host venue’s environmental initiatives.
Stead encouraged event professionals to question conventional choices. Do you really need this item? Can it be used again? Is there a less harmful alternative? These questions lay the foundation for better decision-making when planning events.
Learning from local case studies
Skyla Thornton, who compiled Greenpop’s first full-scale impact assessment of Reforest Fest 2025 during her internship with the company, unpacked the key takeaways from the report as a case study for other event professionals to follow. She explained that the report is “not just a summary” of outcomes, but “a practical blueprint for community-led regeneration”.
The festival was carbon-negative, with total emissions of 127 tonnes CO₂e that were fully offset by planting 5,021 indigenous trees. For example, a total of 1,704 kg of waste was diverted from landfill, and composting toilets turned human waste into 2,500kg of organic fertiliser. 193 on-site jobs were created, and 113 subsidised tickets were distributed for students and community members. By rigorously tracking energy, transport, food, waste, water, and even sound, the report gives concrete benchmarks that other events can build on.
The Forum Company’s Event and Wedding Coordinator, Marelize Smit, shared some of the sustainable initiatives they are implementing at Embassy Hill as an events venue, including their use of LED lighting and carefully managing water usage and procurement policies.
High-impact focus areas for greening
To help attendees focus their efforts where it matters most, the workshop outlined areas of event planning that tend to have the greatest environmental impact. These include activities that consume the most resources, generate the most emissions, or offer the greatest potential for change—based on global and local sustainability research within the events sector.
Participants were guided through key areas where changes can yield the biggest results:
- Transport – Reducing air travel, encouraging carpooling, and (where possible) cycling instead of driving.
- Food waste – Implementing composting initiatives or redistributing surplus food.
- Energy – Leveraging natural light and LEDs, as well as motion sensors and dimmers, or switching off lights in unused spaces.
- Water – Replacing water-intensive practices where possible (i.e. potted plants instead of vases).
She then mapped out the implementation journey, with a focus on early-stage planning, team mobilisation, clear messaging, supplier engagement, and continuous monitoring. Stead highlighted some practical steps to get attendees started, such as including greening criteria in exhibitor manuals, briefing contractors, and visibly communicating sustainability efforts onsite.
Attendees also learned about the dangers of greenwashing, from vague claims to misleading messaging. They received a checklist of the “Seven Sins of Greenwashing”, which they can use as a cautionary guide while planning sustainable events.
A practical path to greener events
The workshop reinforced that while greening an event is a long-term commitment, the best way to begin is through simple, actionable steps. The practical checklists and high-impact interventions discussed in this workshop offer an accessible starting point for professionals at every stage of their sustainability journey.
By combining the structured guidance from workshops like these with ongoing collaboration and knowledge-sharing, the EGF hopes to help the African events industry create experiences that are both impactful and responsible.
For more information, visit www.eventgreening.co.za.