Sustainable meetings and events in Espoo
Photo: Antti Rastivo
Organise a green meeting, congress, event or celebration in Espoo. Read our tips for events that are sustainable and eco-friendly while still being cost-effective.
Travel by train or public transport!
The biggest cause of event-related emissions is the means of getting there. The number one advantage of train travel and public transport is the smaller carbon footprint. These means of transport are also a carefree alternative. There is no need to think about parking and you can even work while you travel!
The smallest carbon footprint is achieved when you travel on foot or by bicycle. Each step or pedal stroke is a clean investment in your well-being and everyday exercise routine!
- Cheer the participants and highlight eco-friendly transport alternatives in your event’s marketing.
- Tell the participants how to navigate the city and how to get to the meeting place.
- Arrange group transports, if necessary.
Espoo tip: Could the participants use, for example, city bikes?
Idea: Reward those who came by public transport, on foot or by bicycle with buns or something similar.
Example from Espoo: More than 85% of the everyday traffic of Åbergin Linja, a chartered bus company from Espoo, is driven with eco-friendly EEV and Euro6 class vehicles. Åbergin Linja co-operates with many conference hotels in Espoo. For example, the company has championed for organising group transports together with Hotel Korpilampi.
Catering – reduce food waste
At events, the second biggest cause of carbon footprints is usually catering. Meat production produces significantly more emissions than food plant farming. But whether it be vegetarian or meat dishes, minimising food waste and avoiding disposable plates and cups are simple solutions to reducing emissions.
Tap water is cool! Finland is famous for its cleanliness, yet not all foreign guests know that our tap water is completely drinkable and certainly some of the purest in the world. Maybe it is time to ditch bottled water and serve tap water with pride?
- Hire a catering service that emphasises local foodstuff and seasonal Finnish ingredients.
- Favour vegetarian dishes or offer a vegetarian alternative to meat dishes.
- Request tablecloths instead of the table cover papers and avoid any disposable dishes.
- Serve water in jugs.
- Tell the participants about your sustainable choices and goal to reduce food waste.
Tip: Ask the catering service to minimise food waste by selling the leftovers, for example, via the ResQ Club app.
Idea: Transform breakfast leftovers into takeaway lunch for the participants.
Example from Espoo: In 2019, Conference Hotel Hanasaari’s Restaurant Johannes decided to take the idea of local production and food even further. Hanasaari holds fishing rights to the waters around its headland. This sparked the idea of employing the restaurant’s “own” fisher. Now the fisher of Hanasaari makes sure the restaurant can serve fresh fish year-round!
Event facilities and accommodation
- Choose an eco-certified conference facility and accommodation or a place whose sustainability can be verified in some other way.
- Favour places that are close or have good public transport access to the event location and/or accommodation.
Tip: Our service search tool allows you to search for only sustainable service providers.
Procurements and event materials
- Favour eco-labelled, sustainably and ethically produced products and sustainable producers.
- Favour reuse and recycled materials.
- Provide event materials in digital format. Send the event materials to the participants in electronic format before or after the event. Very few people want any materials in print these days.
- Is there really a need for printed handouts? Do they bring any extra value to the participants?
Idea: Encourage the participants to bring their own, already used, conference bag or own water bottle that can be refilled at the event location.
Example from Espoo: Our Visit Espoo booth at the annual Kongressimessut fair has been designed to ensure that the same booth elements can be reused from year to year. Furthermore, 80% of our 2018–2020 fair booth is made of recycled materials.
Activities
- Favour activities with minimised effects on the environment.
- Favour companies that have been eco-certified or whose sustainability can be verified in some other way.
Example: Check out the numerous programme service providers following the principles of sustainable nature tourism in the Nuuksio National Park.
Example: The service provider Tuunaajamutsi organises active and creative customisation workshops that promote sustainable development. At these workshops, the participants get to recycle waste materials provided by the company, the participants or Tuunaajamutsi.
Guides to organising sustainable and eco-friendly meetings and events
Various bodies and organisations have published guides and instructions on how to organise more eco-friendly and sustainable meetings, events and international congresses. Check these out: