In the events industry, sustainability has become a strategic priority. From reducing carbon emissions to minimising waste and supporting local communities, associations and organisers are rethinking how to deliver events responsibly.
But here’s the challenge: sustainability efforts often happen behind the scenes. If they remain invisible, their impact is limited. This is where marketing and social media come in not just as promotion tools, but as powerful levers to change behaviour, inspire action, and amplify impact far beyond the event walls.
Why Marketing Matters for Sustainability
When implementing sustainable practices into our event, one of our main goals is to make those actions visible so participants, partners, and stakeholders feel part of the journey. Marketing plays three critical roles here:
- Communicating actions: Without communication, even strong sustainability initiatives risk going unnoticed. Marketing ensures they are visible and celebrated.
- Shaping behaviours: When attendees see peers choosing digital programmes over printed ones, or refilling bottles instead of buying plastic, they are more likely to follow. Visibility drives adoption.
- Amplifying impact: A story shared on social media about trees planted or CO₂ offset can inspire not just attendees, but also the wider industry. The ripple effect is powerful.
Making Sustainability Part of the Event Lifecycle
Marketing can weave sustainability into every stage of the event:
- Before the event: Registration websites, emails, and social media can highlight sustainable travel options, promote digital materials, and set expectations early.
- During the event: Live dashboards, digital signage, and app notifications make impact visible in real time. A screen that says “500 bottles saved today through refill stations” turns an abstract idea into a shared success.
- After the event: Reports, infographics, and short videos showcase the legacy (CO₂ offset, water saved, trees planted), leaving a lasting impression and reinforcing credibility.
Turning Department Efforts into Stories
Every department contributes to sustainability, but without marketing, those efforts may stay invisible. Marketing can help transform raw actions into compelling stories:
- Registration: Green choices (digital programmes, reusable bottles) become shareable success stories.
- Venues & Hotels: Eco-practices like local catering or waste reduction are visual content that reinforces credibility.
- Partners & Sponsors: Their contributions, such as donating to tree-planting projects, gain visibility and inspire others.
- Program Coordinators: Sessions on green innovation become content to attract interest and showcase leadership.
- Project Managers: Data on waste reduction or CO₂ offset turns into infographics and stories that resonate.
A Concrete Example: The Kenes Forest
A great example of sustainability storytelling in action is Kenes Forest, launched to celebrate Kenes Group’s 60th anniversary. In partnership with Treebytree, Kenes is restoring degraded landscapes in Tanzania, empowering local farmers, and supporting biodiversity.
Through marketing and social media, this initiative is visible to clients, partners, and delegates: posts highlight the number of trees planted, CO₂ sequestered, and water retained. As of June 2025, 682 trees have been restored, sequestering over 14,700 kg of CO₂, retaining more than 1 million litres of water, and benefiting ten Tanzanian households. These numbers provide tangible evidence of impact, helping audiences connect with the initiative and inspiring others to get involved.
The Multiplier Effect of Social Media
Social media extends the sustainability conversation well beyond the event:
- Awareness & Education: Posts highlighting sustainable practices help audiences understand the effort behind the scenes.
- Engagement: Campaigns invite attendees to share their own eco-actions, fostering community.
- Amplification: Recognizing partners and sponsors publicly strengthens collaboration and motivates others to step in.
Why It Matters
Promoting sustainability through marketing and social media builds trust and transparency with stakeholders, strengthens the brand as a responsible leader, attracts new partners, and, most importantly, inspires participants to adopt sustainable behaviours themselves.
Sustainability is a story worth telling. When told well, it multiplies impact, turns small steps into collective achievements, and helps the events industry move towards a greener, more sustainable future.
Article by Iva Popova, Marketing Communications Manager, Kenes Group
To learn more, please contact: ivpopova@kenes.com