No-guilt gilt: ideas to bring a sustainable edge to your awards
From fancy outfits to extravagant feasts, awards ceremonies are inclined to excess. But with the growing focus across all industries on sustainability and our impact on the climate crisis, many awards programmes are turning to eco-friendly options, proving that recognition doesn't have to come at the expense of our environment.
Going green doesn’t just make environmental sense - your sustainability credentials can be a point of difference between you and your competitors, giving you great promotional opportunities (think of all those social media posts!) and even bringing cost savings by reducing waste. You’ll be able to tap into the growing sustainability movement: by demonstrating to an increasingly eco-aware audience that you’re taking environmental concerns seriously, you’ll not only be doing your bit for the planet, but also enhancing your brand and reputation. You might even inspire others to do the same!
With the help of the Global Good Awards, a leading sustainability awards body, we’ve put together some top tips to help you make the switch to a more sustainable awards programme.
Pack in the paper and plastic - switch to digital invitations and programmes to save trees and reduce paper waste. If you must print branding materials for the event, keep it to a minimum and use an environmentally conscious printer such as Seacourt. And obviously, steer clear of single use plastic!
Evaluate the venue - pick a place that aligns with your environmental values. The Global Good Awards have held their ceremony at BMA House since 2018 - the London venue strives to embed sustainable practices into all aspects of event hosting, including plastic and paper free options, renewable energy use and locally sourced food and drink.
Change up the trophies - consider alternative ways to mark your winners’ achievements, such as digital certificates or charitable donations in their names. If you’re not ready to relinquish the trophies just yet, redesign them using recycled materials or sustainable alternatives.
Cater with a conscience - choose food and drink that are produced locally to lower your carbon footprint while supporting community businesses. Even better, plump for increasingly popular plant-based options - back in 2018, the Global Good Awards challenged BMA House to put together a fully plant-based menu that keeps even the biggest carnivores happy, and now over half of BMA clients go for the eco-friendly grub.
Cut back on carbon - once you’ve implemented as many carbon-reducing practices as possible, offset any that you can’t remove by partnering with a charity such as CoolEarth, whose carbon capture projects help to protect carbon-rich forests.
Be a hybrid host - open up your ceremony to an online audience, which has the double benefit of cutting back on travel emissions as well as expanding accessibility to guests around the globe.
Share your successes - don’t forget to measure the impact of your eco-friendly actions and spread the word - with any luck, you’ll inspire others to make the switch to sustainability too!
To find out more about how AwardStage can help your awards programme, just drop us a line or book a call with one of our friendly team. We’d love to hear from you!
With thanks to Karen Sutton, founder of the Global Good Awards, and BMA House.
