Venue Sustainalytics: what our first year of data reveals
Inside the New Event Venue Sustainability Baseline
The first year of Venue Sustainalytics marks a meaningful step forward for the events industry. Drawing from 53 venues across multiple regions and venue types, this inaugural dataset is not definitive; it is, however, directional. And what it reveals is encouraging and clarifying: progress is happening, but not always where it matters most.
Data is the Foundation—and the Gap
If there is one theme that cuts across every section of the report, it’s this: tracking drives action.
Venues that consistently track energy, water, and waste data are better positioned to reduce costs, catch inefficiencies, and improve performance over time. In some cases, tracking even surfaces operational issues like water leaks that would otherwise go unnoticed.
And yet, gaps in data collection remain one of the industry’s most persistent challenges. Entire categories of impact are still unmeasured; for example, none of the surveyed theaters, amphitheaters, or performing arts centers reported tracking waste data at all,* pointing to what appears to be a systemic, not individual, shortfall.
*There are assumed and legitimate reasons for this particular data gap, so we cite this not to point fingers but to illustrate where the data shows the biggest opportunities outside of the qualifying framework of qualitative explanations.
This disconnect between what venues are doing and what they are measuring limits the industry’s ability to benchmark, compare, and show improvement.
Structure Matters More Than Intent
The data also makes one point unmistakably clear: sustainability outcomes improve when responsibility is assigned.
Venues with a Green Team or dedicated sustainability staff consistently show stronger performance indicators. They are less likely to fall into extreme high-consumption categories for energy, and they are significantly more likely to publish sustainability reports and pursue certifications.
In other words, sustainability doesn’t scale on passion alone. It requires ownership.
This is reinforced by the role of certifications, which are gaining traction across the industry. Beyond signaling credibility, certifications often provide the framework needed to standardize data collection, implement policies, and validate progress while maintaining those efforts year-over-year.
Tracking Is Outpacing Implementation
Across regions, a clear pattern emerges: many venues have built strong measurement foundations but haven’t always translated that into meaningful operational change.
In the Midwest, for example, 100% of venues track both energy and water, yet adoption of practices like composting and renewable energy remains limited. In the Southwest, every venue reports having a Green Team or sustainability committee, but only a third have implemented any use of reusable products in food and beverage operations, and none report onsite renewable energy or carbon offsetting. Even in high-performing regions like the Northeast where tracking and operational policies are more aligned, carbon strategies are still emerging, suggesting that deeper de-carbonization is the next frontier.
The takeaway is not that venues aren’t making progress. It’s that progress is uneven. Measurement is often the first step, but not the last.
Waste Tells a Complicated Story
Waste data highlights both progress and inconsistency.
Recycling is nearly universal across many venues, but composting has not scaled alongside it, creating an imbalance in waste diversion strategies. At the same time, inconsistencies in how venues define and report diversion (particularly around waste-to-energy) make it difficult to compare performance across the industry.
Still, there are clear signals of what works. Venues with certifications are far more likely to track waste and diversion rates, and those with sustainable procurement policies consistently report stronger data practices.
The Real Barrier: Alignment
Perhaps the most important insight from this first year isn’t about energy, water, or waste. It’s about complexity.
Venues operate within layered ecosystems: owners, operators, vendors, tenants, and event organizers all influence outcomes. Aligning these stakeholders around shared data, goals, and accountability is one of the biggest barriers to progress. Add in constraints like limited staff, time between events, infrastructure, or budget, and it becomes clear why many venues struggle to move from tracking to action.
But the report is equally clear on this point: these barriers are not insurmountable. With strong leadership, stakeholder engagement, and consistent data practices, venues can turn complexity into an asset.
A Baseline, Not a Benchmark—Yet
This first year of Venue Sustainalytics is exactly what it set out to be: a starting point.
It establishes a baseline where none existed before. It surfaces gaps the industry can now address. And it begins to show what’s possible when venues share data, learn from peers, and align around common goals.
The real value will come with time. As participation grows and year-over-year data accumulates, these early patterns will sharpen into actionable benchmarks.
For now, the message is simple: track more, share more, and use the data to move from intention to implementation.
About Venue Sustainalytics
Venue Sustainalytics is a first-of-its-kind sustainability benchmarking and data intelligence platform purpose-built for event venues and organizers. Launched in 2025, it provides insights to help the events industry move into a greener future through data collection, analysis, and reporting. Venue Sustainalytics is a joint partnership of The International Association of Venue Managers (IAVM), Trade Show News Network by Informa and Honeycomb Strategies.
The new 2025 Venue Sustainalytics survey is now open here, asking for venues to report their findings for the second straight year, and inviting additional venues to participate strengthen the industry baseline and track progress year over year.
Access the full report and dashboard at:
👉 venuesustainalytics.com