Case study: Engaging students in event sustainability measurement

This case study forms part of our How to deliver a sustainable event guidance. 

As part of a pilot project at Nottingham Trent University (NTU), eight students worked with the university's sustainability team to collect travel data from exhibitors attending three 2023 careers fairs: the Autumn Careers Fair, the STEM Careers Fair, and the Animal and Life Sciences Careers Fair.

Collecting travel emissions

Students attended the events and spoke directly with exhibitors, gathering information about how representatives had travelled to the fairs. This included travel mode, distance travelled, vehicle occupancy, use of public transport, park and ride services, active travel options, and whether separate courier services had been used to transport exhibition materials. The data was collected through a digital survey and used to estimate travel-related carbon emissions.

The project helped NTU better understand one of the most significant sources of event-related emissions while providing students with a practical sustainability learning experience. Analysis of the findings identified opportunities to encourage more sustainable travel choices.

For example, some local organisations were travelling by car when alternative options were available, while some exhibitors travelling from further afield were not using park and ride or tram services. As a result, NTU strengthened the sustainable travel guidance included within exhibitor joining instructions and event communications.

The project also gave students valuable experience in engaging with employers, collecting and analysing sustainability data, and understanding how carbon emissions are measured and reported in a real-world setting. Exhibitors responded positively to the initiative and were supportive of the university's efforts to measure and address event-related emissions.

Learning from challenges

While the project generated useful insights, it also highlighted some practical challenges. Collecting detailed travel information from exhibitors requires significant staff and student time, which can make it difficult to repeat the exercise consistently from year to year.

Although the project has not yet been repeated, the findings informed improvements to NTU's sustainable travel guidance and communications for future exhibitors.

If repeated in future, the university would also like to provide exhibitors with information about the emissions associated with travel to the event, helping organisations better understand their own impacts and identify opportunities to use more sustainable travel options.

Key learnings

The project demonstrated how events can function as living labs, generating useful operational data while supporting student learning and institutional sustainability goals. It also showed that measuring impacts is only one part of the process. To create lasting change, institutions should consider how findings will be communicated, acted upon and embedded into future event planning.

Events can help institutions build internal capacity and generate valuable sustainability data at the same time. Involving students in measurement and evaluation activities can create educational value while supporting continuous improvement.