SUSTAINABILITY AND SPONSORSHIP: EVENT PLANNING'S NEW CHALLENGE
Written for 4GOOD, published 17th January 2024
The event industry's push towards sustainability brings a new question: How does sponsorship impact our green efforts? At 4GOOD, we’ve been grappling with this while developing our 2024 Sponsorship Pack. We found very little discussion about this online, so here we share the sticky issues we mulled over. We aim to ignite debate and welcome your stories – success or otherwise – in the comments below!
THE DILEMMA OF BRANDED MERCHANDISE 🥤
Branded merchandise is entrenched in marketing strategies. But, in our quest for sustainable events, we ask, do we really need more tote bags?
Event goers notice excessive branded merchandise, and they are starting to call event organisers out. What’s more, the rise of “sustainable” alternatives isn’t a panacea. They often fall short either in quality or necessity – like the seed pencil you never planted or the poorly made reusable bottle that quickly became waste.
The issue is, branded merch works. Customers who receive branded merchandise are 80% more likely to recommend your brand (note: it’s difficult to find research that isn’t funded by industry, which means these stats are likely to be biased).
At 4GOOD, we've replaced traditional branded items with creative content and selective product placements, avoiding event-specific printed materials. But we would love to provide more appealing packages for potential sponsors. Any sustainability-minded marketers out there, this is a challenge for you.
WATCH OUT FOR THE “BAD GUYS” 🙅♂️
Event organisers need sponsors. But, sponsor selection isn't just about funding; it's about aligning with our values. Public scrutiny of sponsorships growing - just look at the backlash Museums have faced over receiving funding from fossil fuels.
Implementing policies on sponsor selection reflects our commitment to sustainability. This process, however, involves delicate conversations and requires full company support. As sustainability credentials become more prevalent, it will hopefully become easier to spot the “good guys”.
THE GREENWASHING CHALLENGE 🟢
We are passionate about making the event sector more sustainable. We believe in partnership and collaboration, which, when done well, sponsorship can support. However, there's a fine line between assistance and inadvertently becoming a tool for greenwashing. We have very limited control in how a brand uses the 4GOOD partnership or content. This is a significant concern, and we strive to work with genuinely sustainable companies to avoid these risks.
COMPLEXITIES WITH LARGE COMPANY SPONSORSHIP 🕸
Big companies mean larger budgets, but ensuring a sustainable approach is complex. Corporate silos often hinder consistent messaging. For example, at trade shows you often find that the staff manning the sponsored booths are not the decision-makers, yet they face the brunt of criticism for unsustainable practices like distributing low-quality plastic items.
In this case, full company support is needed, with clear restrictions put in place. But, there is only so much you can do as event organisers, if the sponsors aren’t willing to make the changes too.
A CALL TO ACTION 💪
Events need sponsors. Sponsors need events.
At 4GOOD, we're still exploring how sustainable sponsorship can be effectively integrated into our events. We know there are no easy answers, but we're committed to finding solutions that align with our values.