State of the sustainable Events industry
Summer 2025 Trends & Risks Report
The shape of the events industry is shifting, fueled by an evolving geopolitical and economic landscape, emerging generational expectations, and increasing environmental risk. As organizers navigate new complexities, Honeycomb Strategies offers guidance on the most pressing sustainability movements shaping events today. We provide actionable strategies to help event organizers, planners and producers stay ahead of trends we’re seeing today and to be ready for what’s next.
Trend 1: Net Zero Carbon Commitments
Events are aiming for net-zero or even carbon-negative operations by integrating renewable energy, carbon offsetting, and low-emission transportation. Global event operators like Informa, Emerald, and Diversified are setting targets to meet the Net Zero Carbon Events Initiative.
Risks:
Political pushback against climate policies may impact public sector support.
Economic concerns are affecting budgets, and sustainability programs are starting to be reduced or cut.
Credibility concerns of carbon offset programs.
Suggested Actions:
We recommend our partners Aclymate for reliable, informed and in-depth carbon offset solutions.
Engage local governments and policy advocates on climate policy, understanding policy affects events and their locales.
Select high-quality, verifiable carbon offsets and transparently communicate your approach.
Embed sustainability into operations, yielding efficiency, cost savings, and resiliency.
Trend 2: Circular Design and Zero-Waste Events
Circularity is becoming the standard. Venues and organizers are replacing single-use items with reusable, recyclable, or compostable alternatives and designing to reduce the amount of waste produced from the beginning. Trade shows are encouraging –and sometimes requiring– exhibitors to shift away from single-use booths to eliminate unnecessary waste through better design, logistics, and end-of-life planning.
Risks:
Cost and supply chain challenges related to sustainable materials.
Exhibitors may lack the knowledge, resources, or incentive to adopt sustainable design.
Infrastructure gaps in host cities may limit composting or donation options.
Suggested Actions:
Source locally and early to allow for supply chain challenges.
Partner with venues and haulers that have tried-and-true waste diversion practices.
Educate exhibitors, contractors and decorators on modular, reusable builds to reduce large debris waste.
Implement a Better Stands program that offers tiered sustainability requirements and recognition for compliant exhibitors and contractors.
Trend 3: Generational Expectations for Sustainability
Sustainability-minded Millennial and Gen Z attendees are now the largest demographic for many events. These generations are increasingly making decisions based on values such as sustainability, diversity, and social impact at the forefront.
Risks:
Risk of losing trust and relevance if sustainability efforts are seen as greenwashing or inconsistent.
Failing to reflect these values in authentic and visible ways can lead to disengagement, especially among younger and more vocal audiences.
Pressure to meet high expectations with limited resources or infrastructure.
Suggested Actions:
Embed sustainability authentically through achievable, goals-based programs.
Showcase transparency with real-time dashboards, public progress reports, and behind-the-scenes content.
Engage audiences through interactive programs such as sustainability challenges, volunteer opportunities, and digital storytelling campaigns.
Trend 4: Cutting-Edge Sustainability Tools
Organizers are leveraging data dashboards to track environmental impacts and drive accountability. Even in moments of uncertainty, data management software helps event organizers build momentum over time, delivering ongoing results to stakeholders.
Risks:
Upfront costs and economic constraints may limit investment in new technology.
Concerns about cybersecurity and user adoption.
A.I. tools provide convenience but with an environmental cost.
HIVE, Honeycomb Insights for Venues and Events, is Honeycomb Strategies’ bespoke data management dashboard, untuitively designed for data interpretation, and backed up by advice and interpretation from real life industry experts (no chat bots here!).
Suggested Actions:
Start with low-cost or pilot programs before scaling.
Choose platforms with strong data security practices, such as HIVE.
Provide staff and vendors with clear onboarding and training.
Contract with certified venues (ISO 20121, LEED, EIC, etc.) that will have data-management practices in place to support data collection.
Trend 5: Digital and Low-Impact Materials
Reducing paper is now standard, with a shift to digital communications and FSC-certified, recyclable, and reusable printed materials. Trends show that smart digital communications are here to stay with more wayfinding, user information, and educational materials being offered at attendees’ fingertips via apps, social media and email messaging, digital signage and QR codes.
Risks:
Digital media presents risk of exclusion for certain audience segments.
Some stakeholders may still expect premium physical branding.
Suggested Actions:
Offer tiered experiences with both digital and sustainable physical touchpoints.
Communicate the environmental benefits of digital options clearly.
Print on recyclable materials and don’t specify location or dates to maximize reusability.
Exhibit creativity with sponsorship fulfillments and experiential activations.
Trend 6: Supply Chain Traceability and Ethical Sourcing
Event organizers are under pressure to manage the environmental and human rights impacts of materials and products used by exhibitors.
Risks:
Difficulty verifying sustainability claims across complex supply chains.
Reputational risk from vendor violations.
Suggested Actions:
Integrate traceability tools into onboarding.
Outline best practices in exhibitor service kits.
Develop a sustainable procurement policy with clear expectations.
Resilience Through Realism and Innovation
The current landscape shows exciting sustainability measures being adopted as the new norm for events. While the risks are valid, ranging from economic pressures to political pushback, event organizers can stay ahead by embedding sustainability into every stage of planning, engaging transparently with stakeholders, and using data to inform continuous improvement.