Now in its fourth edition, delegates and sponsors have once again gathered at the CN Sustainability Summit at Chicago Booth in London to explore key ideas in sustainability for event professionals, organisers, agencies, and more.
Conference News shares highlights and insights from its first sessions, emphasising the importance of collaboration, action, and transparency in creating truly sustainable events.
In the first session of the day, Ben Quarrell, a sustainability consultant from Sustainability Simplified spoke in his session on: Think you’re sustainable? Prove it! Quarrell emphasised the importance of having a clear net zero roadmap, noting that while many in the industry feel overwhelmed by accreditations, the real missing ingredient is a step-by-step guide that outlines exactly what needs to be done.
He highlighted the value of setting SMART goals—specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and timed. He defined success as making genuine commitments to net zero, earning meaningful accreditations, maintaining honest and transparent communication, and gaining recognition through awards and PR.
In the second session, Anna Peters, creative director from Evolve Events spoke on the idea of slow travel, ‘your ticket to sustainable events’, which highlighted the balance between travel and sustainability. Peters said that small-scale tourism and getting off the beaten track are essential to sustainable travel, reminding us that not all travel is created equal, especially when comparing planes to trains. She drew a parallel between the slow food movement and the potential for a “slow travel” mindset, emphasising that meaningful change starts with shifting how we think about travel. For her, the journey matters more than the arrival; train travel not only reduces carbon but also fosters deeper engagement and supports local communities.
In the first panel session of the day, Chrissie Beck from World Better moderated a discussion with speakers Laura Chalcraft from Sledge, Harriet Palmer from Event Concept, Jon Noonan from -45db and Thorns Group and Shaun Lawson, chef at Allianz Stadium in a session titled “Greener by Design.”
The panel explored key ideas, including identifying the most sustainable solutions, the importance of collaboration, focusing on what’s within your control rather than what isn’t, sustainability and accountability, reviewing data, building strong relationships with suppliers, and the value of honesty.
The CN Sustainability Summit continues in the afternoon with more thought-provoking sessions on sustainability.
