What will the “new normal” look like for event sustainability when the COVID-19 pandemic has finally ended? Are the days of buffets and bulk condiments long gone? Much like the 2008 economic downturn, the majority of meeting and event professionals are currently focused on the survival of their events, careers and the industry as a whole. So will sustainability take a back seat – again?

While we know that some of the environmental measures, practices and programs that we’ve worked so hard to put in place over the last decade won’t work in this “new event reality,” we can’t stop trying to do the right thing for people and the planet. We’ve come too far to give up now! As we look to the future, there are so many unknowns and lots of questions without answers, but the one thing we do know is that there is no going back to business as usual.

Now is the time to debunk the false narrative that economic, environmental and social goals are mutually exclusive. Those of us who work in the sustainable events space know that applying sustainable principles to the planning of events results in greater human connection, responsible environmental impacts, improved access and healthier people, all while balancing the needs of economic prosperity. In other words, we don’t produce sustainable events just because it’s “the right thing” to do.

It’s also become evident to us that sustainable event operations are needed to enhance the resiliency of the event ecosystem and its capacity to endure. That’s why we at Honeycomb Strategies have launched our new blog series, “Sustainable Events In a Post-Pandemic World – a New Path Forward”– to help forge a “new normal” in sustainability that planners can leverage to create even better, stronger and more resilient events than before the pandemic.

In the coming weeks and months, we will be addressing the basic aspects of sustainable event production while posing the question, “Is there a new way?” We look forward to sharing the data we’ve gathered, including interviews with industry experts and real case studies proving what we truly believe, that sustainability is where purpose drives our performance.

By meeting the needs of the present without compromising the needs of future generations, sustainability can inspire innovative ideas and solutions, and help forge valuable partnerships and collaboration while fostering vibrant communities. When it comes to planning and executing events, strategic sustainability means that events are not only less wasteful but also more cost-efficient. And with cost a huge area of consideration among event organizers now and for the foreseeable future, the efficiencies that come from producing more sustainable events will be more valuable than ever.

While the future of our industry remains uncertain, there’s no doubt that as event professionals, we have an incredible opportunity to work smarter and better than we did before. Sustainability is just the vessel we need to propel us toward a brighter, more resilient future.

Next up, we will be addressing a very top-of-mind topic in the event industry right now: virtual meetings, community and engagement. Stay tuned!

Meanwhile, we’d love to hear from you! What do you think the “new normal” in event sustainability will look like? What kinds of sustainability topics would you like to see covered? Do you have a burning sustainability-related question that you’d like answered? Connect with us at connect@hcsustainability.com, or on our social media pages https://twitter.com/HoneycombStrat1 or https://www.linkedin.com/company/honeycomb-strategies/ - we look forward to starting the conversation and connecting with you!