Estonian National Guide for Organizing Environmentally Friendly Events

Why focus on sustainability at events?

It’s easy to think that there are more important areas to promote sustainability than events. But real change happens when everyone contributes in their own areas of activity. Events are small models of society: people come together, stay close together for a limited time, and are open to change. So they are great places to test new approaches and shape sustainable trends. Sustainability should not be something separate, but part of the entire event organization process – from planning and budgeting to communication and follow-up. If you are implementing these principles for the first time, start early and take your time. Establish shared values with your team and move step by step to specific actions.

Several important decisions must be made before the event takes place - for example, the choice of location affects both transport and energy needs and the surrounding community. Much can also be done in organizing catering, selecting materials, sorting waste and ensuring access for different target groups. The guide helps you systematically think through and implement these choices - so that every event is a step towards a more sustainable future.

National Guide

Guide Topics

The national guide covers reducing environmental impact in the following areas:

• materials and purchasing
• transport and logistics
• energy use
• catering and water use
• waste management
• consideration of the community and the surrounding area
• accessibility
• communication
• requirements and recommendations for the caterer

The preparation of the guide and information materials have been co-financed by the European Union Cohesion Fund for the 2021–2027 period under the SFOS project no. 2021-2027.2.04.24-0025 “Implementation of awarenessraising and training activities and the application of solutions related to circular economy.” The project was carried out by the Circular Economy Department of the Ministry of Climate. The guide and supporting materials were developed as part of the communication plan activity “Guidelines for Reuse Solutions.”