Sustainability has been a core focus for several years and is now a top priority for many companies. However, the tools and possibilities for driving change differ significantly across industries. The live event industry, in particular, faces numerous challenges and varying regional regulations. Increasingly, local communities and sponsors demand sustainability concepts for event funding. Additionally, sustainability is a key concern for millions of fans, festival-goers, sports enthusiasts, and tradeshow visitors.
With d&b SustainSymphony, our vision is to transform the event industry by putting sustainability and carbon neutrality at the heart of the business. It’s the first free norm-conform sustainability service tailored to the events industry, offering an easy-to-use platform for various stakeholders. Having spent years navigating the complexities of event planning, I was aware of the difficulties in sourcing equipment and services that met both high standards of quality and sustainability. The market for such environmentally friendly options was, and still is, very limited. SustainSymphony is borne out of a desire to break down these barriers and create a more transparent, accessible, and sustainable future for the event industry.
A key component of SustainSymphony is the Green Event module, a module designed to support event planners in making environmentally responsible decisions at every stage of their planning process. This module provides comprehensive guidance on a wide array of sustainable practices, from selecting renewable energy sources to opting for eco-friendly materials and efficient waste management solutions. It’s a one-stop resource aimed at reducing the environmental footprint of events and meeting the growing demand for sustainability across all sectors.
One of the most innovative features of SustainSymphony is the open supplier database. This is a game changer in the event industry, providing a platform for suppliers and manufacturers to list their sustainable products and services.
What sets this database apart is the detailed sustainability KPIs that accompany each listing. Suppliers provide information on metrics such as product carbon footprint, energy consumption, circularity, and residual waste. This level of transparency is unprecedented and incredibly valuable to event planners, enabling them to make informed decisions and promote sustainability.
Ensuring the credibility of the information in the supplier database is critical. Suppliers are required to upload product certificates to support their sustainability claims. This process builds a foundation of trust between event planners and suppliers, facilitating a more seamless and confident collaboration.
In addition, the ability to include accurate product information in the event’s sustainability report is invaluable. It provides tangible evidence of the efforts to deliver a green event, which is increasingly important to stakeholders and attendees who now prioritise environmental responsibility.
I am confident that d&b SustainSymphony will be of great benefit to event planners and the industry as a whole. It simplifies the process of identifying and verifying sustainable products and services.
The SustainSymphony platform provides the tools and transparency needed for sustainable event planning, promoting positive change and inspiring industry-wide transformation. In the end, we all share a common goal: to preserve our world for future generations and this is our chance as an industry, to truly make an impact.
Words: Robert Trebus
