Circular Economy Meets Event Planning
Switching from white to brown paper or from red to green paint doesn’t make an event sustainable. But what does? And what role does the circular economy play in creating truly sustainable events?
Read this article to find out about:
- Three myths about sustainable events – and what's really behind them.
- Practical approaches to circular event planning using the example of Lyreco Unboxed.
- Insights from Tina Kempf, Head of Sustainability Management at Lyreco Switzerland, on the opportunities and challenges of implementing circular practices in live experiences.
Circular Economy and Events: Friends or Foes?
According to Google Trends, global search volume for «sustainability» has more than doubled over the past five years. This shift hasn't gone unnoticed in Switzerland’s live communication sector. Stricter regulations and initiatives, such as CO2 accounting requirements and Expo Event Switzerland’s «Sustainable Event Scorecard», show that the industry is embracing greener events and responsible action.
The magic word? Circular economy. This approach moves us away from a «throwaway» mentality toward greater sustainability, fairness, and responsible environmental practices. It’s about maximizing the use of products and materials, extending their life cycles, and returning them to the system at the end of their use. This means less resource consumption, more material reuse, and recycling waste to create new products.
It sounds great in theory, but in practice it often meets with resistance. People worry that it's too expensive, too boring or too complicated. This article dispels three persistent myths and shows how circular event planning worked in the Lyreco Unboxed project.
Myth #1: Sustainability Breaks the Event Budget!
Local organic food, certified materials and eco-friendly transportation may seem expensive, but is it really? At Lyreco Unboxed, a B2B event with 850 guests, we proved the opposite. «When planned from the start, circular economy practices can benefit both the environment and your budget», says Tina Kempf, Head of Sustainability Management at Lyreco Switzerland.
«Circular economy practices can benefit both the environment and your budget.»
Catering is one of the biggest ways to save on sustainable events. Globally, the FAO estimates that 1.3 billion tons of food are wasted each year. In Switzerland, 14% of food waste comes from the hospitality sector, including events1. «To combat food waste, we organized two back-to-back events for Lyreco Unboxed and took advantage of catering synergies. Leftover food from the customer event was repurposed for employees. The result? Less food waste and significant budget savings», says Kempf.
Source 1: Federal Office for the Environment FOEN
Myth #2: Sustainability Takes the Fun out of Events!
Sustainable events are all bland vegetable platters and bare tables without decorations, right? No, not at all! Sustainability actually inspires creativity and opens up new possibilities. We need to break out of old habits and reject the «there's nothing more we can do» mindset.
At Lyreco Unboxed, we challenged ourselves to design the event and the exhibition with a circular mindset. «Instead of building elaborate booths from new materials, we used over 2,000 reusable boxes from our logistics for the event design and exhibition,» says Kempf. These creative solutions were not only visually striking, but also saved valuable resources. After the event, the crates were reused in Lyreco's logistics operations.
Myth #3: The Most Sustainable Event Is No Event at All!
If we were to be 100% sustainable, we'd cancel all events and only meet online. From a carbon footprint standpoint, it might seem best to never leave the house. However, the power of face-to-face interaction and exchange in driving change shouldn't be underestimated.
«Instead of building elaborate booths out of new materials, we used over 2,000 reusable boxes for the event design.»
«We need to bring people together because change is a collective effort,» says Kempf. Lyreco Unboxed did just that. Customers, suppliers, and political and business stakeholders came together to discuss circular economy solutions throughout the supply chain. «We made an impact on the industry. This kind of change wouldn't have been possible without Lyreco Unboxed,» says Kempf.
Proof in Numbers: The Lyreco Unboxed Project
Modular, circular event and exhibition design using Lyreco's reusable boxes and rented furniture; 100% vegetarian catering; food waste minimized through synergies between customer and team events.
Circular Economy: The Key to Sustainable and Creative Events
Sustainable events are challenging, but they offer incredible opportunities. By working with bold and innovative clients, we develop sustainable event solutions that accommodate both ambitious goals and small steps forward. This approach not only fosters creativity, but also strengthens your brand's credibility. Connect with Juliane now to collaborate on sustainable event strategies!
