After a year of studying its own meetings, events, and incentive programs, Meetings & Incentives Worldwide (M&IW) identifies the most common sustainable practices as well as those gaining greater attention among planners.
With offices in the U.S. and the UK, event management company Meetings & Incentives Worldwide, did a self-audit of the MICE programs it managed from January 2024 to February 2025 to better understand what sustainability approaches worked best for its customers.
According to the report posted on their website, following are the top results.
Still Working and Still Popular
Reducing single-use plastics tops the list of sustainable practices, achieved by offering reusable water bottles, setting up water stations with glassware instead of plastic cups and convincing venues to provide reusable tableware for outdoor events.
Recyclable and recycled materials are a cornerstone of sustainable event planning. Today’s planners source recycled materials for signage and badges, not just recyclable items. Surprisingly, some venues lack recycling bins—in one case, a planner rented bins to maintain their program’s environmental standards.
Corporate social responsibility has long been an important part of events, encompassing long-lasting economic, social, and environmental impacts—with environmental now in the spotlight. M&IW’s survey found diverse sustainable activities from donating centerpieces to nursing homes, planting trees per attendee and assembling water filters.
Today’s Hot Topics in Sustainable Events
M&IW’s survey identified key focus areas for planners, beyond standard sustainable practices.
Reducing travel. Since transportation generates most event emissions, planners are addressing this by selecting local/central locations, minimizing idling time for shuttles, choosing walkable venues and leveraging existing transportation. One program used the hotel’s airport shuttle instead of booking individual transfers.
Sustainable food choices. Planners are increasingly prioritizing sustainable food sourcing and waste reduction, with many donating surplus meals through organizations like Copia or via the venue’s community programs. One program chose a venue specifically because of its onsite herb and vegetable gardens.
Sustainability on a budget. Rather than concentrating budgets on single major initiatives like LEED-certified venues, the planners surveyed are looking for multiple affordable practices throughout their events, emphasizing a collective impact across all program elements.
Top 5 Practices for Sustainable Events
- CSR and Givebacks: Tied for the most popular practice, CSR and giveback elements were included in 42 percent of programs surveyed.
- Recycled Name Badges: Also included in 42 percent of programs, this includes both name badges made from recycled materials and badges that were recycled after the event.
- Recycled Signage: Signs made from recycled materials and recyclable signage were included in 39 percent of programs surveyed.
- Food Donations: 31 percent of programs donated unused or surplus food after the event.
- Limited Onsite Transportation: 29 percent intentionally reduced the amount of transportation needed onsite.
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