Conference Matters 142

a breeding

find expertise through collaboration with partners, working with sponsors and partners can be highly beneficial. For example, choosing sustainable caterers who can advise you on the most sustainable choices, preventing waste, and using local food. Working together and communicating with your audience from your own perspective can be valuable. For instance, letting the catering staff communicate during the event and informing people via menus or by requesting feedback from the participants. We know from scientific research that you can ‘nudge’ participants towards more sustainable behaviour. This can be done by promoting the plant-based options as a ‘daily menu’ or placing them as the first option on the menu, as regards nutrition. You can also communicate about the results of the sustainable initiatives after an event, which amplifies the message and encou rages awareness and involvement.” Does a conference automatically include a local activity related to sustainability, or is this ultimately just greenwashing? “As an organiser, you must realise the impact of the event on the immediate environment, both positive and negative. Not only the positive due to the economic added value for the environ ment, but also the negative, such as damage and nuisance. Organisers should do their best to minimise this. For example, research shows that events can be an important factor in local sustainable deve lopment by involving the local community in decisions and participation. If the local activity is well thought out, carefully integrated into the programme and focused on tangible, positive

At the scientific conferences she attends, Bianca Harms notices a big difference in the extent to which the event is organized sustainably. “There are still many conservative events where little extra effort is made to be sustainable, which means there is traditional catering, a lot of printing and goody bags, even when sustainability is on the program.”

ween potential sponsors and partners in the area of sustainability is also carefully examined, even if it could be financially disadvantageous. However, people are still reluctant to commu nicate about sustainability. The festivals claim that this is mainly because there’s already so much to communicate to the audience. Yet the fear of being labelled a greenwasher is also a rea son for not communicating about sustainability initiatives. 'Providing clear and convincing information is an important element'

impact, it can be a powerful tool to promote sustainable practices and increase engagement with the local community. But if such an activity is only superficial and seems mainly intended to create a sustainable image without real involvement or impact, then it can definitely lean towards greenwashing.” “It varies. A while ago, I attended an international conference on sustainable food. Unfortunately, the lavish catering hardly had any plant-based options available, while most people wanted vegetarian and plant-based food. Most of the buffet remained untouched. Many participants were dissatisfied, precisely because this devia ted so much from the theme of the conference. I moderated a panel earlier this year during the Eurosonic Noorderslag conference with dele gates from European music festivals about sustainability and the communication around it, where a lot is already happening in this area. For example, festivals often collaborate with other festivals by sharing and reusing materials, coordinating line-ups to minimise the travel of artists and crews, and implementing sustainable initiatives during the festivals. The match bet What is your own experience with this theme at conferences?

19