Play It Green member, The Sustainable Events Company, is a UK-based agency that has redefined what it means to run large-scale, professional events without compromising the planet. With years of experience, they specialise in sustainable event delivery for clients ranging from SMEs to startups. Their focus is clear. Events should inspire, connect, and entertain, without damaging the environment. Whether it is a large exhibition, a high-profile celebration, or a behind-the-scenes consultancy brief, their goal is the same. They create sustainable events that feel seamless, professional, and exciting. Delivering impact with integrity The Sustainable Events Company manages every kind of business event, from awards dinners and company meetings to product launches and exhibitions. Their exhibition stands are designed to be low-carbon, waste-free, and easy to install. They work across the UK and internationally, making sure their footprint is as light as the delivery is strong. They also provide consultancy and carbon reporting to agencies, event organisers, and corporate teams. Their support helps others meet ESG goals, reduce emissions, and track impact, all while staying compliant with international standards. Sustainability is not just an add-on. It is the starting point for everything. They use recycled or recyclable materials that can be processed locally. They avoid single-use items wherever possible. Food is sourced locally, with leftovers donated. The emissions that are left over after a careful management process are rebalanced through trusted programmes. One tree is planted for every delegate or square metre of stand space. A portion of their turnover is donated to social and environmental causes. A celebration with a sustainable core. One of the company’s most impressive projects took place this year in support of a major marathon team. For the last two years, The Sustainable Events Company has helped organise their pre-marathon event. Usually, this is an exclusive evening attended by around 200 leading names in the running world. This year, the event went public for the first time. Held at Outernet in Central London, a venue known for its four-storey-high immersive screens, the event marked the 45th anniversary of the London marathon and celebrated a record number of finishers and charitable funds raised. The daytime portion was open to thousands of visitors. A bespoke video montage played across the venue’s enormous screens. Paula Radcliffe dropped by. Fun public activations engaged audiences. It was spectacular from start to finish. But the sustainable planning made it even more impressive. Guests arrived on foot, by Underground, or ran in. Local suppliers provided catering, with mostly meat-free options. Across the whole day, with as many as 20,000 visitors, just three bags of waste were produced, one of which was compostable. This event showed what The Sustainable Events Company does best. It created awe and wonder while delivering outstanding environmental results. There was no compromise, just better planning, smarter choices, and experience in action. A business built on trust and results. The Sustainable Events Company has been recognised with the ESGmark, the only UK event business to receive this accreditation. Their leadership has appeared in Event Magazine’s top 100 most influential people in the industry. But their real success lies in client satisfaction. Over 90 per cent of their business comes from recommendations. Clients trust them to deliver flawless events that meet rising expectations around sustainability. The data backs it up. More than 75 per cent of event attendees and 80 per cent of sponsors now prefer to work with events that take environmental concerns seriously. This is a company built for the modern world. They are experienced, efficient, and committed to making things better. They understand the demands on corporate teams and the expectations of the public. And they prove that you can have both excellence and responsibility. Wrap up The Sustainable Events Company is setting a standard for how events should be done. Not in the future. Now. They show that creative vision and climate action can work together in perfect balance. By working with local suppliers, reducing waste, measuring impact, and rebalancing what remains, they are leading a shift in how businesses think about events. They deliver moments that matter, without the mess.

Global temperatures rose (again) in 2024 and ‘once in a generation’ extreme weather events seemed to be on our news channels almost weekly. But, as the start of each year is a time for optimism, here are some good news stories from 2024 that give us hope for 2025: 1. There was another significant increase in renewable energy, mostly driven by ever cheaper solar power. 2. Deforestation in the Amazon reached a 9-year low and is on target to hit zero by 2030. 3. Coal power was completely phased out in the UK. 4. In the US, for one month, wind power was dominant. 5. And huge areas of forests, mountains, oceans and rivers have become conservation areas, boosting biodiversity. All little changes (in the grand scheme of things), but 'little changes lead to bug changes'. Here's hoping that 2025 is better again.

Are you supposed to judge success by your P&L alone? Or by how far you’ve come, how you’ve positioned yourselves ready for the next year, and other ‘off-the-book’ achievements? Like many event agencies we’ve spoken to, just using the P&L metric, 2024 hasn’t been a record year for The Sustainable Events Company UK. But when we look back over the year, there is so much that makes us excited for 2025. Here’s what we’ll be raising a glass to later today when we wrap up for the holidays: January – accepted into ESSA , the body that represents the very best of event suppliers February - became ESGmark® certified; the first UK events company to do so. March – appointed to project manage the London Marathon Events conference, and became a signatory to Net Zero Carbon Events, an international collaboration working with the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change April – awarded a Bronze Medal by Ecologi | B Corp™ for our work in sustainable events May – became a mentor to young, eco-minded start-ups through Digital Boost June – joined Green Economy an organisation dedicated to supporting businesses on their journey to net zero July – we took the month off to relax and recharge – part of the G in our ESG! August, September & October – designed, project managed and delivered exhibition stands all over the UK and Europe - out of reclaimed wood, recycled aluminium and zero-waste cardboard November – became a supporter of Play It Green | B Corp™, offsetting our office carbon footprint whilst donating to good causes, and started the process of clearing out our storeroom by donating underutilised items to charity through A Good Thing (UK) December – ESSA Sustainability Awards Finalists. By most measures, that's a pretty good year. See you in 2025.