Launched on the 1st of February 2023, the Green Business Events project the Green Business Events project is celebrating its first anniversary. We’d like to take this opportunity to look back on a very successful first year.
Green Business Events aims to reduce the environmental and social footprint of business events in Luxembourg. During this first year, 31 events have been awarded the Green Business Events logo and successfully complied to the demanding criteria in various areas such as waste reduction, sustainable catering, inclusivity, communication, etc. A wide variety of events were represented among those: staff parties, company celebrations, client receptions, conferences, congresses, trade fairs, award ceremonies, etc.
They demonstrate that it is not only possible but also attractive to organise eco-friendly events. These events, that also differ in size, were organised by companies (more than half of them), associations and public entities. Green Business Events are for everyone!
A structural impact
It is important to emphasise that the project has an impact far beyond single events. A number of companies and other actors in the Business Events sector have expressed their desire to systematically obtain the logo for their events, or even to include eco-friendly criteria in their internal guidelines. In total, the Oekozenter Pafendall has advised more than 40 event organisers to obtain the logo this year.
In addition, a number of event providers have adapted their offers and improved the transparency of their services and products to meet the logo’s criteria. Exchanges have also taken place with certain suppliers, including caterers and event venues, to create a “green offer” that would meet the logo’s criteria. These developments, which we welcome, also echo one of the key objectives of the project, which is to develop sustainable event solutions in cooperation with the sector and to facilitate and encourage the sector’s transition towards sustainable events. In this way, the Green Business Events project is making a tangible contribution to transform the market. Our hope is that in the future, organisers and participants will meet a setting in Luxembourg that is increasingly conducive to sustainability.
The challenges
This first anniversary is also an opportunity to highlight existing challenges. Organisers currently need to make a greater effort to organise eco-friendly events. The main challenges have been the lack of time, budgetary, logistical and staff planning issues, and organising the catering without single-use dishes, especially at events with a large number of different catering stands. However, it is precisely the aim of Green Business Events to help make the organisation of an eco-friendly event more systematic, less costly and easier by raising awareness, supporting the actors in their approach and seeking to establish new processes that will help to improve the offers, services and infrastructures needed to organise eco-responsible events.
We would like to thank all the organisers and other actors who took part in the project and helped to promote sustainable events in Luxembourg!
On www.greenbusinessevents.lu, you can find an overview of the events that have been awarded the logo in 2023 and read testimonials from event organisers.
The 2024 version of the checklist, which takes into account the experiences and feedback from the first year, can also be consulted on our website. In addition, our advisors are always happy to help you.
Green Business Events is a project of the General Directorate for Tourism of the Ministry of the Economy and the counterpart to the Green Events project of the Ministry of the Environment, Climate and Biodiversity.
Copyright of the picture: IMS Luxembourg