Sustainable events checklist

Introduction

This checklist forms part of the How to deliver a sustainable event guide.

It follows the same Plan, Design, Deliver, Review lifecycle.

It is designed to be used flexibly: work through it in order, or dip into the sections most relevant to your event. 

How to use this checklist 

• No single event needs to tick every box - focus on the actions that matter most for your event’s purpose, scale and context 
• Use it at multiple points: as a planning aid, a supplier/venue brief, an on-the-day reference, and a prompt for post-event review 
• Where an item doesn’t apply, leave it blank rather than force a tick - an honest “not applicable” is more useful than a false one
• Section numbers refer to the corresponding section of the this guide, where you'll find more detail, trade-offs and supporting tools

Quick start: the five actions that matter most 

1. Choose the right format - in person, virtual or hybrid - as a conscious decision, not a default
2. Pick an accessible, well-connected venue
3. Communicate travel options early and clearly in joining instructions
4. Eliminate single-use materials - default to digital, or reusable where physical is needed
5. Collect travel data - add one question to your registration form

1. Plan 

Decisions taken at the planning stage shape everything that follows. This is where the greatest impact is made, particularly around purpose, format and travel. 

Purpose and format 

• Defined the event’s core purpose and outcomes, and checked whether it needs to happen at all, or in the form first envisaged 
• Made a conscious, justifiable choice between in-person, virtual and hybrid delivery 
• Linked the event to institutional priorities (e.g. climate strategy, EDI objectives, civic engagement) 
• For conferences, student-led or research events, considered sustainability at the bid/funding stage 
• Considered whether the event’s wider influence - ideas, behaviours, collaborations it enables afterwards - is an intended outcome 

Timing 

• Checked the date against religious observances, cultural events and academic/exam calendars 

• Considered alignment with relevant awareness days or sector campaigns 

• Considered seasonal weather and climate-related risk for the date and location 

Governance, budget and ethics 

• Assigned clear responsibility and decision-making criteria for sustainability 

• Built sustainability into the budget from the outset, not as an optional extra 

• Considered the ethical implications of partners, sponsors and funding sources 

• Set minimum sustainability expectations with key suppliers and contracts before signing 

2. Design

This is the largest stage of the checklist. It covers venue, travel, materials, suppliers, catering, accessibility and communication. 

Venue and travel 

• Chosen a venue on a well-connected public transport route 

• Asked the venue about energy management, sustainability certification (e.g. BREEAM, ISO 14001, Green Tourism) and on-site renewables 

• Confirmed recycling/composting facilities are available in or near event rooms, and single-use defaults (bottled water, pens) can be removed 

• Checked accessibility: step-free access, hearing loops, quiet/breakout spaces, prayer or reflection rooms, private facilities 

• Written detailed, practical travel directions (public transport, walking, cycling) with photos of the venue entrance, for joining instructions 

• Considered car-share options and safe-travel provisions (daylight scheduling, travel buddies, taxi information) 

• Added a travel question (mode and distance) to the registration form 

Materials, waste and circularity 

• Audited the default print run and removed items that aren’t genuinely needed  

• Defaulted to digital where possible; chosen reusable options where physical materials are required 

• Avoided event-specific dates/branding on signage and exhibition materials so they can be reused 

• Agreed an avoid → reduce → reuse → recycle approach with suppliers, rather than treating recycling as the strategy 

• Identified reuse or redistribution routes for surplus materials (e.g. Warp It, My Uni Green Scheme) 

• Considered whether reusable crockery/cutlery is feasible, with collection and washing systems confirmed in advance 

Suppliers, procurement and AV 

• Included sustainability criteria in supplier briefs and contracts 

• Asked suppliers about packaging, delivery consolidation, and take-back or reuse schemes 

• Asked about Real Living Wage payment and local/social enterprise involvement in the supply chain 

• Involved AV colleagues early, and specified only the equipment genuinely needed 

• Planned for accessible AV - microphones, captioning, hearing support, clear sightlines - from the outset, not as an afterthought 

• Agreed who is responsible for removing packaging, cardboard and surplus materials after the event 

Catering 

• Made plant-based the default menu option, with meat/fish available as a clearly marked alternative as required 

• Asked the caterer how they manage over-ordering, food waste, and redistribution (e.g. food bank, OLIO, Too Good To Go) 

• Asked whether serving vessels and crockery are reusable as standard 

• Asked about sourcing seasonal and local ingredients where feasible 

• Confirmed the menu accommodates a broad range of dietary requirements by default 

Accessibility, inclusion and wellbeing 

• Asked about access needs at registration (carer/PA/interpreter, dietary, mobility, companion places) 

• Built adequate breaks and quiet/restorative space into the schedule 

• Planned a mix of session formats (short inputs, discussion, workshops) rather than long presentations only 

• Arranged first aiders and mental health first aiders as appropriate to the event  

• Tested room, AV and digital material accessibility in advance - not discovered on the day 

• Sought feedback from disabled participants during planning, not only in response to problems 

Communication 

• Communicated sustainability expectations clearly to speakers, exhibitors and attendees in advance 

• Explained the reasoning behind sustainable choices (e.g. plant-based default), not just the choice itself 

3. Deliver 

On the day, the priority is making sustainable choices easy and staying flexible when things don’t go to plan. 

On-the-day delivery 

• Clear signage in place for waste streams, refill points and recycling 

• Staff, volunteers, suppliers and front-of-house teams briefed on sustainability arrangements 

• Kept a flexible approach — able to respond to issues on the day without losing sight of sustainability aims 

Supporting participants 

• Access and support arrangements confirmed and communicated to relevant staff 

• Quiet spaces, first aid and welfare support visible and easy to find 

• Hybrid/remote participants genuinely able to participate, not just observe 

4. Review

Even a small amount of imperfect data, collected consistently, is more useful than none. Reflection is most valuable when it is honest about trade-offs, not just successes. 

Measuring impact 

• Collected travel data (mode and approximate distance) from attendees 

• Collected venue data on energy, waste and water where available 

• Recorded materials ordered and their end-of-life outcome 

• Recorded food provided, and any redistributed or wasted 

• Gathered participant feedback on accessibility and overall experience 

Reporting and improving 

• Calculated or estimated carbon emissions using an appropriate tool (institutional, sector or commercial) 
• Been transparent about assumptions, gaps and limitations in the data when reporting  
• Reflected honestly on trade-offs made, not only on what went well 
• Checked funder or grant conditions on carbon reporting and offsetting requirements 
• Considered offsetting only after reduction efforts, and only through verified, credible schemes 
• Shared learning with colleagues and fed it into the next event’s planning 
• Captured this event’s data as a baseline for comparing future events 

Explore the full guide: How to deliver a sustainable event