Sustainable events in practice.

The challenges of implementing sustainable events

• Sustainable events require mandatory carbon accounting through "Sustainable Partner" certification
• Event-specific calculation tools for sustainable events must be customizable
• The calculation process for sustainable events should be simple, fast and comprehensible
• Customers are increasingly demanding proof of the carbon footprint of their events

natureOffice provided support with a tailor-made template specifically for sustainable events, which can be individually adapted to different event sizes and formats. The integration of all relevant factors - from delivery routes to catering and technical logistics - enables precise calculation. The tool is becoming increasingly accurate thanks to simplified flat rates for typical event components and continuous further development.

The CO₂ calculation is now an integral part of every event planning process at Helmchen. The tool identifies the biggest sources of emissions - usually the guests' travel - and enables targeted optimization. All events are offset as standard, which has met with broad approval from customers.

Interview: Successfully implementing sustainable events

Laura Wogirz (natureOffice): Lydia, you are pioneers for sustainable events in Berlin. How did the collaboration come about?

Lydia Lamprecht: Our journey towards sustainable events began in 2021. As a "Sustainable Partner" of Visit Berlin, we had to calculate and offset the CO₂ emissions of our events. After intensive research, we found the perfect partner for sustainable events in natureOffice.

Laura: What exactly does the "Sustainable Partner" certification involve?

Lydia: The certification is a comprehensive program for sustainable events. We have to prove that we cover all aspects of sustainable events, from energy efficiency and waste avoidance to carbon offsetting. The annual documentation shows our progress in reducing emissions.

Laura: Why ecozoom.direct for your sustainable events?

Lydia: Of the five providers we tested, ecozoom.direct was the only tool that was really designed for sustainable events. It could be perfectly adapted to our needs and was immediately ready for use.

Franziska Döring (natureOffice): As Helmchen Event + Location was one of the first companies to use our event template, it was a learning process for both sides. We provided the basic framework with standard parameters and then made adjustments together. After a few months, the system was running smoothly.

How the CO₂ calculation for sustainable events works

Laura: How do you calculate the emissions of your events?

Lydia: The tool makes sustainable events measurable. We record the number of participants, travel routes, catering, technology and decoration. The automatic calculation shows us exactly where the greatest emissions are generated - usually on arrival. The tool even takes into account seasonal fluctuations in energy consumption.

Laura: How do customers react to offsetting?

Lydia: Sustainable events are a must these days. We have contractually anchored offsetting and most customers even actively demand it. Companies need proof of climate-friendly events for their own sustainability strategy.

Laura: How do you actively reduce emissions?

Lydia: Every detail counts at sustainable events. Our technical partner is based in the same building - zero transportation emissions. We work exclusively with regional caterers and service providers. That way, we keep delivery routes short and the events sustainable.

Laura: Are there sometimes surprises when it comes to sustainability?

Lydia: Yes, absolutely! One example: many customers no longer want printed banners, but LED walls instead. What they don't think about is that if an LED wall has to be transported from Austria, it often generates more emissions than a locally printed, recyclable banner. We do a lot of educational work here for truly sustainable events.

The biggest challenges for sustainable events

Laura: What are the biggest hurdles?

Lydia: The biggest challenge for sustainable events is the infrastructure. If guests have to travel by car due to a lack of reliable rail connections, we can optimize everything we want internally - the overall balance still suffers. This is a structural problem that urgently needs to be addressed.

Laura: Your summary after two years?

Lydia: We are absolutely satisfied. The calculation is quick, simple and gives us valuable insights. Thanks to ecozoom.direct, we can reduce our emissions in a targeted way - and really make our events more sustainable. It's a great tool!