Event producers face rising expectations from consumers and brands. David Baldig of George P. Johnson explains the secret to organizing successful sustainable events.
Today, event design is as much about responsibility as it is about creativity, explains Baldig
In a world grappling with climate urgency, stark inequality, and constantly shifting public discourse, how can brand experiences evolve at a pace that matches societal expectations? The question is even more important as both audiences and brands now demand a whole lot more from events than ever before.
The events industry as a whole faces a pivotal challenge: how to craft brand experiences that truly matter. While the return of in-person brand experiences is undeniable, the imperative to connect on a deeper, more impactful level has never been greater. People aren’t just showing up for the freebies anymore. Audiences are demanding meaningful encounters that reflect authentic values and leave a tangible positive legacy.
We’ve seen this shift firsthand. It’s not enough to deliver technically flawless production. Today, event design is as much about responsibility as it is about creativity. And responsibility isn’t a checkbox exercise: it’s a continuous, evolving practice. Every decision, every detail, every interaction contributes to the story a brand tells about its values.
As my colleague Sarah Jackson, senior executive producer and US sustainability lead at GPJ North America, simply puts it: “Responsibility, in this ever-evolving landscape, needs to be an ongoing practice woven into every decision we make.”
The approach to responsibility should be viewed through a three-part lens: people, planet, and practices. It isn’t about ticking ESG boxes; it’s about understanding how these areas intersect out in the real world.
Take environmental measures. Yes, we want to cut carbon, but not at the expense of attendee satisfaction. Likewise, economic models must factor in social access. Tiered ticketing, for instance, can make events more inclusive to people from a wider range of backgrounds.
The danger often lies in accessibility being considered as an afterthought. There are still too many instances where the accommodation of attendees with disabilities isn’t embedded in the event strategy upfront, when in fact, a lack of accessibility info or visible support may be the very reason they don’t attend.
On the environmental side, we have to move beyond the outdated narrative that sustainability costs more. Smarter choices like reusable structures or circular materials often improve both footprint and budget. Brands already know this and are shifting from pledges to real practice, and events need to keep up. This is where brand promises either hold up or fall flat.
The reality is that trying to do everything at once often leads to doing nothing well. The trick is to start small and scale up.
There are a few practical tactics from our playbook that any planner can put into play. Firstly, design for circularity. Rent, don’t build. Reuse over dispose. Ask suppliers to commit to a percentage of rented and reused materials and increase it year-on-year.
Secondly, measure what matters. Carbon footprint calculations aren’t the hard part; data collection is. Build your inventory of KPIs, including waste and accessibility.
Next, make accessibility the default. Think barrier-free venues, live captioning, quiet rooms, and sensory spaces. You’ll open up your audience more than you think. Fourthly, go local. Source regional suppliers, bring in local talent, and work with community groups.
And lastly, build inclusive narratives. Diversity on stage and in content isn’t a nice-to-have; it shapes how people engage and who sees themselves in your story.
As Jackson says: “Inclusive design doesn’t just widen access – it deepens connection.”
There’s a myth that green kills creativity. In our experience, the opposite is true. Constraints drive innovation. When creative teams have to work within sustainability targets, they often find unexpected freedom, be it in rethinking material use to designing smarter, more purposeful experiences. Done right, sustainable choices can amplify a brand’s story, not mute it.
We’re in the decade of disclosure. Claims alone aren’t enough. Greenwashing now has numerous sub-categories like greenhushing and greenrinsing, identifying numerous ways that deceptive language on sustainability can get you into serious trouble.
So, data matters. Whether it’s the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD), the Green Claims Directive, or internal ESG goals, the pressure is on to back up what you say with proof – even if the legislative process around them is a bit turbulent.
From 2020 to 2023, ESG-related policies increased fourfold globally. Events aren’t exempt. And that’s a good thing.
Climate remains a top priority for C-suite officers (CxOs), outranking even political and economic challenges. And trust across both consumer and investor audiences hinges on credibility.
We’ve seen momentum building in our space. ISO 20121, the sustainable events standard issued by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) ahead of the London 2012 Olympic Games, has moved from Olympic venues to music festivals like Lollapalooza and events like 24 hours of Le Mans and Formula E. Measurement isn’t just compliance, it’s a way to learn, evolve, and raise the bar.
According to Jackson: “We’ve measured the carbon footprints of over 85 events, and every single one has taught us something new.”
Sustainable development is one of the biggest challenges of our time and one of the most urgent.
Designing for inclusion and sustainability isn’t about perfection. It’s about progress: test, learn, improve, repeat. That mindset sits at the heart of ISO 20121 and should guide how brands and agencies show up today.
Real impact doesn’t happen in isolation. It happens through radical collaboration with clients, suppliers, agencies, and communities, all working together.
If we want events to leave a legacy, we have to build them with intention and with everyone at the table.
George P. Johnson
For over a century, George P. Johnson’s driving passion is helping clients foster innovation, value, growth and increased performance through the creative evolution...
