Molly Johnson, CMP Fellow, is impressed by the increasing number of event venues that are putting food donation programs in place.
“I’m starting to see a trend with venues creating one plated meal for groups that is mostly vegan and gluten-free and then adding a protein accordingly instead of creating multiple entrees to accommodate everyone separately,” says Johnson, vice president of sales and services for Wilmington and Beaches CVB and a vice chair of MPI’s Sustainability Advisory Council. “A concern I have is that I still walk into events and see pre-poured water and iced tea, knowing that at least half of it will be dumped out.”
At the mid-year point in 2025, we asked several members of MPI’s Sustainability Advisory Council to discuss trends they’re seeing in the event sustainability space.
Another council, Elizabeth A. Kretchmer, CMP Fellow, CMM, HMCC, DES, has noticed at recent professional conferences that there are more sustainable initiatives in place with food and how it is served in terms of plates and recyclable cutlery.
“There is also less paper being used and everything is being posted more on electronic boards (no flipcharts or signs), plus mobile apps are being used more frequently,” says Kretchmer, a strategic meeting management consultant. “There are more and more recycle bins scattered around hotels, hotel rooms, meeting rooms and convention centers. Also, the black carbon footprint is more recognizable as less people are traveling and more meetings are becoming hybrid.”
A lasting impact
Elodie Morini, key account manager for Le Méridien Paris Arc De Triomphe and a member of the MPI Sustainability Advisory Council, says sustainability is a hot topic in Europe, embedded in hotel business strategies ranging from the guest experience at existing hotels to the integration of sustainable design during the planning stages for new hotels.
“Hotel chains have the responsibility to operate responsibly while expanding their global presence. It is certainly challenging for existing hotels built in the 1970s to adapt their structure to the new standards and norms,” she says. “Small steps can be taken and can have a huge impact, such as putting a timer on the lighting system to avoid leaving lights on when the office is closed, switching to LED light bulbs, reducing pressure to minimize water waste, putting thermostats in hotel rooms to prevent overheating/overcooling, building EV charges stations in hotel parking lots and implementing a green committee at the hotel level to keep staff involved in the transition process.”
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Morini is concerned by the multiplicity of green label certifications (Green Globe, Green Key, ecolabel, etc.), which can confuse customers, and says it would be nice to see more standardization. She says Marriott International—Le Méridien’s parent company—is committed to reducing its carbon emission to net zero by 2050 or sooner by focusing on energy reduction, purchasing energy from renewable sources and purchasing goods from suppliers with low carbon footprints.
“At the hotel level, we are focusing on five sustainability focus areas: sustainable certifications (Green Key), waste reduction, water action planning, energy reduction and responsible sourcing,” she says. “As hospitality continues to evolve, hotel design architecture rooted in sustainability is no longer optional—it’s a strategic imperative. You invest in long-term performance, environmental responsibility and lasting impact.”
Unlocking new possibilities
Troy Reynolds, CMP, EMD, SEPC, AIEMA, chair of the Sustainability Advisory Council, has been surprised to see the slow pace of adaption and change.
“Adaptation to new circumstances is often a gradual process for many event stakeholders,” says Reynolds, founder and chief experience officer of Imaginneurs. “This sluggish pace can stem from resistance to change, limited resources or deeply embedded systems and structures. However, such delays can hinder progress, stifle innovation and lead to missed opportunities for growth and development. In today’s fast-changing world, recognizing and addressing the barriers to change is critical for success. Embracing change with openness, flexibility and a willingness to learn enables resilience and unlocks new possibilities.”
However, Reynolds has been impressed by observing those that embrace systemic thinking, which enables event stakeholders to “more effectively identify root causes, foster collaboration across supply chains and develop holistic, sustainable solutions that address challenges at their source rather than just treating symptoms.”
“True sustainability doesn’t happen in silos,” he says. “To drive meaningful change, events must be viewed as ecosystems where every element is interconnected, and each decision influences the whole. A systemic approach goes beyond surface-level sustainability to embed it deeply, ensuring events function sustainably from the inside out.”
Reynolds believes in the strength of events that integrate sustainability at every level.
“Locally sourced supply chains build community resilience, transport strategies reduce emissions across the system and engagement models harmonize environmental, social and economic priorities,” he says. “These aren’t just sustainable events—they’re regenerative event ecosystems, built to thrive.”
A mindset focused on short-term solutions and immediate results, often at the expense of long-term effectiveness, is something that concerns Reynolds in the current event sustainability landscape.
“While these fixes may offer temporary relief, they typically overlook root causes and fail to create lasting change,” he says. “Consequently, problems resurface with greater complexity, sometimes leading to wasted event resources and stalled progress. Shifting away from a reactive approach toward more purposeful sustainable solutions is essential for meaningful, long-term impact.”
Ready to gain a deeper understanding of how to imbed sustainability in your planning processes? The next MPI Sustainable Event Strategist certificate program is on July 23!
