4 in 5 UK businesses are not running sustainable meetings & events

A new report released by event tech scale-up, HeadBox, reveals a whopping 80% of workplaces are not running sustainable meetings and events according to their employees.

Additionally, 44% of those aged 18-24 say the reduction of carbon emissions from travelling to an event is their top reason for preferring certain meetings and events to be held virtually. This is closely followed by Boomers (43%).

This view isn’t just limited to eco-conscious Gen Zs, either. Over a quarter of Millennials and Gen-X believe their company doesn’t think about sustainability at all, let alone for their meetings and events, according to the HeadBox 2022 Event Trends Report survey of 2000 UK workers.

With concerns about how we leave our planet for future generations comes the rise of the eco-conscious parents – 63% of parents want to see more environmentally-friendly events.

“With increased pressure from stakeholders and attendees to embrace an environmentally-friendly approach to event planning, sustainability is no longer a nice-to-have, it’s a top priority”, says Gemma Bassett, HeadBox Head of Client Services. “However, it’s a little bit embarrassing that our industry is falling short when we should be the leaders in this field. Fortunately, in 2022, with proper planning, an amazing sustainable event doesn’t need to cost the earth.”

The full report, including which industry is the least/most sustainable in their events, can be found here.