Sustainability matters

One of the biggest challenges events face today is sustainability. While it's been an important consideration for some time, there is now a sharper industry-wide focus driven by legal and market forces, according to Tom Oliver, managing director of Ivory Communications.

“Many large companies are under pressure from their customers to implement greater sustainability measures, and with the rise of purpose-driven agendas, this will only become more important,” he says. “From a legal standpoint, there is also increased demand due to risk assessments and emerging legislation.”

Brand experiences pose both risks and opportunities for companies. International standards, such as ISO 20121 (Sustainable Events), are broadening in scope, placing more emphasis on digital responsibility and human and child rights.

The EU's Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive will have a significant impact, as it requires large companies to scrutinise their supply chains. Selecting reputable partners has never been more critical.

Best practice

When Ivory was organising the Temenos Forum, The Convention Centre Dublin (The CCD) was ideally positioned for a flagship EMEA event with good links to the rest of Europe, a centre for multinationals' European headquarters, and a vibrant culture.

“As a matter of course, and as a tenet of our ISO20121 process, we evaluate venues according to their sustainable practices. We must always ensure we have a healthy balance between the sustainability of a venue and ensuring that a venue has the facilities and space that our client demands. The CCD excelled in both of these categories,” says Oliver.

Michael Fox, general manager of The CCD's hospitality team, agrees that there is a growing demand for sustainable practices in hospitality, alongside a focus on social values, equity, inclusion and community engagement.

“Delegates are increasingly looking for events and catering options that reflect environmental consciousness – whether it's reduced food waste, local sourcing, or eco-friendly packaging. Last year, we hosted our first fully vegan-vegetarian event for 2,500 attendees,” he says.

Less formality, more productivity

Another noticeable trend in recent years is the shift in event design – from rigid, set-piece conferences to more fluid networking opportunities.

“It is often those serendipitous moments that have lasting impacts from meetings and conferences,” says Sam Johnston, manager, Dublin Convention Bureau.

This could mean that more of the programme is taken into the fabric of the host city, maybe moving beyond the structures of traditional meetings spaces to social spaces such as coffee shops, bars, theatres, studios and so on.

This has fed through into hospitality offerings at The CCD where dinners and banquets are increasingly being replaced by more flexible hospitality options and ‘outside the box' options, according to Fox.

“Busy professionals have tighter schedules and often prefer quick, informal dining options that allow them to eat while still engaging in business or networking conversations, making events more productive and less constrained by rigid mealtimes,” he says. 

Future-proofed tech

Client expectations regarding technology are changing rapidly, with venues that have invested in upgraded facilities gaining a competitive edge, according to Ollie Gill, sales manager at Conference Contacts.

“AI integration to enhance the conference experience is gaining ground, but it must add real value,” he notes. At one event, a client requested an AI robot to serve as a panel member. The solution? A plasma screen featuring a ‘pulsing brain’ linked to ChatGPT, providing impartial responses to the audience.

Delegates now expect seamless technology integration, whether through apps that facilitate networking, virtual attendance options, or even digital interactions during meals and breaks.

Faced with evolving client demands, a changing legislative environment, and a dynamic technological landscape, even a modern venue less than 15 years old must keep innovating.

As Gareth Neville, head of technical client services says: “The past two years at The CCD have been a journey of learning and growth at a pace the industry hasn’t seen before. With the shifting demands of clients and attendees, sustainability is now central to all our events, and the marketplace certainly demands it.”

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