The world of events is undergoing constant change. And not only through advancing technologies, but also through social changes in our society. For this reason, we at VOK DAMS have analysed and evaluated current developments and trends. The result is our new success formula for events:

Events have to SHINE!

It doesn't matter whether we are talking about an anniversary, a roadshow, a product launch or a management conference. By applying our formula, we meet the decisive challenges of our industry and lay the foundation for lasting long-term success. 

But what is actually behind the individual components of our SHINE formula? We want to explain this step by step over the next few weeks, starting today with the first element: Sustainable.

When it comes to designing, planning and running an event, sustainability is a complex issue that raises many questions and requires a rethink of our understanding of the environment and the relationship both between humans and nature and between humans and each other. In principle, sustainability consists of three dimensions: Ecology, Economy and Social, which should be taken into account when implementing events. It is not only about reducing the ecological footprint, but also especially about promoting Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DE&I), an important aspect of social sustainability, to address individual needs.

To act sustainably, we must always critically question our processes and demonstrate authenticity. It is about being credible and comprehensible, because critical participants are just waiting to uncover greenwashing. Let's be honest with ourselves ... there will never be a climate-neutral event, but we can optimise our processes, compensate for emissions and make smart and sustainable decisions. At VOK DAMS, we employ certified sustainability managers who help us make our events as sustainable as possible and prove our credibility to our participants and clients.

To ensure that our events are sustainable, we use the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations. The SDGs are 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) that are part of the 2030 Agenda and are aimed at all stakeholders in the global community.

They provide us and our clients with a definitive standard and should be taken into account in every event format. In order to act in an even more concrete and targeted manner, we have also defined various fields of action that should be examined against the background of sustainability at every event. These are mobility, location and hotel, catering, energy and water, waste management, stand construction, digital technologies, give-aways, procurement of products and services, documentation, communication and evaluation and finally the entire area of diversity, equity and inclusion (DE&I). Behind each field of action are a variety of measures, such as the preferred use of public transport, cooperation with local suppliers, be it for catering, the location or even stand construction, or the use of energy-saving technologies. The goal of each individual field of action is always the avoidance or reduction of environmentally harmful resources or actions. In this context, environmentally harmful does not only refer to nature, but also to people. The human being is what should always be in focus. Because taking into account their individual prerequisites, needs and wishes is the key to a successful and inclusive event.

For this reason, we would like to emphasise the topic of DE&I once more. Diversity stands for tolerance of diversity, equity for justice and inclusion for the inclusion of all. A contemporary event should be designed and implemented in such a way that no one is left behind or excluded. The goal must be to create a safe(r) space for participants to feel comfortable. Only when there is a sense of well-being and safety will an event be seen as positive in retrospect.

Generally speaking, sustainability aspects should be implemented as early as possible in the project. If they are not integrated into the event management in time, it is very difficult or sometimes impossible to catch up.

If you are interested in a detailed explanation of our SHINE formula or would like to discuss the implementation of sustainability measures at events in particular, we are always available for a personal meeting.

RELATED ARTICLES:

DE&I AS KEY TO SUCCESSFUL AGENCY MANAGEMENT

AI AS A GAMECHANGER FOR SUSTAINABLE EVENT MANAGEMENT?

ASKING AN AI: HOW WILL ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE CHANGE THE EVENT INDUSTRY?