Build back better

While we consider our recovery post-Covid, Neo Mohlatlole, Event Greening Forum marketing chair asks if this could be an opportunity to reimagine how we can be better than before?

You’re probably tired of the positive spin that most of us are scrambling to apply to the fallout of Covid-19. But, human nature being what it is, we seem to need to find the good in every situation. And that is not a bad thing either.

While we start to rebuild our businesses and our industry, there is an opportunity to look at what wasn’t working before and what we can do better. Incorporating better sustainability into your business is a no-brainer.

The three ‘pillars’ of sustainability are the economic, social and environmental outcomes of your actions. A business that is losing money is not sustainable, but neither is one where the needs of your staff, clients and host community are being overlooked. Or where precious environmental resources are compromised (such as clean air and water, food, and so forth). All three pillars need to be supported and balanced against each other; you cannot be sustainable if one or more are disregarded.

The economic consequences of our decisions are always easy to track on balance sheets. The social and environmental outcomes are not so black and white – but this doesn’t make them any less real or worth pursuing.

So how can you build back better?

There are countless ways to do this, and all will depend on your business and its unique needs and opportunities. However, as a starting point you could consider the following:

• Draft a sustainability statement for your business. What is important to you, what goals can you set from this and how can you then achieve these? Share this document and your commitment publicly.

• Find the right partners, so that you can build a supply chain of businesses that share your values and who will support you in achieving your goals.

• Ask for it. When you send out an RFP or request a quote, ask what that business is doing to provide a more sustainable offering.

• Offer it. Look for ways that you can be more sustainable. Let your clients know about these opportunities – whether paid-for or as added value.

Remember to think about the three pillars for each of these points.

About the EGF

The Event Greening Forum (EGF) is a non-profit organisation that promotes sustainability within the business events sector. It does this by hosting educational sessions for industry and lobbying government in an effort to implement sustainability principles into the daily operations of the events industry.

The EGF was established through dedication and support of eight industry associations who are recognised as founding members. The founding members are key industry associations working together to promote South Africa as a destination for various types of events.

Want to know more?

If you would like to know more about event greening, visit wwweventgreening.co.za where you can browse the free resources, sign up to the monthly newsletter, or contact them directly with any queries.

Contact: Lynn Mcleod

T: 082 891 5883

E: lynn@eventgreening.co.za