How To Plan A Sustainable Event That Doesn’t Break The Bank

Julie Starr • June 29, 2022



What is the average cost of running an in-person business event? For small companies, a business event can be a significant burden on the corporate budget, as they will need to consider the costs of:

  • hiring the venue
  • catering for guests and staff
  • entertainment
  • marketing
  • furniture and decor
  • transportation (not just staff but also equipment, which may require specialist transport)
  • staff wages
  • registration 
  • lodging when relevant

At the best of times, it can cost anything between $20,000 and $75,000 to hold a two-day event where you can interact with your audience. When you wish to make it a sustainable event, you will also need to consider strategies that will reduce waste. As the typical event attendee can produce up to 2kg of waste per day at an event, it can be tricky to keep both expenses and waste low. So, how can a small company throw an engaging and eco-friendly in-person event when working on a shoe-string budget? 

Focus on local suppliers

Local suppliers can prevent multiple advantages. First of all, when it comes to sustainability, local businesses will keep their carbon footprint low as they do not require intensive transportation solutions. 

They are also less likely to charge extra. Indeed, transportation, additional staff, and overnight services can rapidly double or even triple your costs. But when the supplier is local to the venue, they do not need to increase their fees. Even if you need the supplier to provide extra staff, such as to help with specialist equipment setup or service, staff will only be present when needed. This could mean having someone with you to serve food at lunchtime or to install professional gadgets in-situ, which is unlikely to require more than a couple of hours during the day. 

Can suppliers make it cheaper? 

While local suppliers will save you costs, it doesn’t necessarily mean that event planning will be more affordable. When costs remain a source of problems, it can be worth getting in touch with your suppliers to discuss your options. Learning effective negotiation skills from a training place as prestigious as Karrass could equip you with the tactics and strategies you need to shave off some fees from the final bill. 

Ideally, you want to provide a fair exchange rather than asking for a discount. For example, suppliers may be willing to consider a reduced price if:

  • They can promote their services on site
  • They enter a long-term agreement to cover your future events
  • You introduce new clients to them 

Can you remove unnecessary services?

A minimalist business event can help you stick to your budget and reduce waste. So, it may be a good idea to make a list of the potential services and items that can both increase waste and costs:

  • Packed snacks and treats for your visitors
  • Plastic bottles
  • Multiple screens on a small surface
  • Pens and paper
  • Gimmicks and giveaways for your visitors
  • Paper brochures, flyers, magazines, etc. 
  • Exciting furniture such as sofa, massage chair, etc. 

More often than not, opting for simple furniture, communal catering, and minimal decor will save you logistic hassle and costs while keeping your carbon footprint low. 

Hopefully, these few ideas can give you some direction to make in-person events less harmful to the environment and the company finances. More is not always the best option when less can get the job done! 

 

How Outsourcing Services Can Help Your Business Advance Sustainability Goals

By Julie Starr • April 20, 2025
Sustainability is no longer a nice-to-have—it’s a business imperative. From shifting customer expectations to regulatory momentum and investor pressure, today’s competitive landscape demands more than short-term cost savings. Companies are being called to demonstrate leadership by embedding sustainable practices across their value chain. For many organizations, this transformation can feel overwhelming. But it doesn’t have to be. Strategic outsourcing can unlock both environmental benefits and operational efficiency—helping your company do more with less while strengthening its sustainability performance. By partnering with service providers who specialize in sustainability, you can streamline operations, reduce environmental impact, and build trust with customers, employees, and investors alike. Below are some key areas where outsourcing can support your sustainability journey. Green Energy Consulting Services Are you wondering how to lower energy consumption without impacting business performance? Green energy consultants specialize in reducing carbon footprints through practical, scalable solutions. These experts analyze your energy usage and identify opportunities like switching to renewables, upgrading to energy-saving systems, or adopting smart technologies. Outsourcing initiatives such as solar panel installation or wind-powered electricity procurement signals your organization’s long-term commitment to environmental leadership. And as with many sustainability investments, the result is not just impact—it’s also efficiency and cost savings. Framed in the right way, these actions can become powerful stories that demonstrate your company's values to customers and stakeholders. Sustainable Supply Chain Management A sustainable supply chain is essential for companies aiming to lead in today’s circular economy. Third-party logistics providers and supply chain consultants can help in auditing your supply chain to uncover inefficiencies, and recommend improvements aligned with eco-conscious goals. By outsourcing this function, you gain access to experts who help embed sustainability into procurement practices—using local materials, reducing waste, and improving freight efficiency. Many providers can also connect you with suppliers that share your environmental standards, enabling a cohesive approach to sustainable sourcing. These supply chain enhancements not only reduce emissions and waste—they also reinforce your brand’s environmental credibility across the stakeholder ecosystem. Eco-Friendly IT and Cloud Computing Running a tech-intensive business? Traditional on-site data centers are energy-intensive. Outsourcing IT infrastructure to green cloud providers can dramatically lower your environmental impact. Cloud vendors who use renewable energy for data storage and server operations offer an efficient alternative to on-premise solutions. They also reduce hardware waste and improve system performance—making them both eco-friendly and future-ready. For organizations prioritizing digital sustainability, this move can be a cornerstone of your environmental strategy—and a strong signal of innovation to your stakeholders. Sustainable Junk Removal Services Sustainable operations include responsible waste management. Outsourcing junk removal to companies that prioritize recycling and charitable donations keeps unnecessary items out of landfills and extends the life cycle of materials. These services allow businesses and individuals to declutter responsibly, supporting both environmental and community well-being. It’s a simple but visible action that can reinforce your sustainability message both internally and externally. Carbon Offsetting Services Not all emissions can be eliminated—but many can be offset. Specialized outsourcing firms help companies calculate, track, and neutralize their carbon emissions through strategic reforestation projects , renewable energy, or community resilience projects. These providers simplify the path to carbon neutrality, enabling your business to meet emissions targets without overwhelming internal resources. When shared transparently, these efforts can build credibility and show stakeholders your commitment to real climate action. Green Building and Facility Services For organizations with a physical footprint, outsourcing to green building service providers supports both environmental and business performance. Whether you're retrofitting with energy-efficient systems, reimagining interior layouts for LEED certification, or upgrading lighting and HVAC, retrofitting to eco-friendly office design supports long-term thinking. Outsourcing this expertise ensures you’re not only meeting today’s expectations—but also building for tomorrow’s workforce and market needs. Outsourced R&D for Sustainable Products Developing greener products doesn’t need to be done in-house. By outsourcing R&D to sustainability-focused experts, your company can bring innovative ideas—like biodegradable packaging or low-impact materials—to market faster. These partnerships inject creativity and specialized knowledge into your product development pipeline, helping you stay ahead of regulatory shifts and consumer demand. More importantly, they support a brand narrative rooted in innovation and responsibility. Conclusion: Aligning Profit with Purpose Sustainability isn’t just about compliance—it’s about competitiveness, resilience, and leadership. Outsourcing to sustainability-minded providers allows your business to focus on core strengths while accelerating progress toward environmental and ESG goals. From energy and IT to supply chain and product development, these partnerships offer a smart path forward—one that balances operational efficiency with lasting impact.  At its best, sustainable outsourcing isn’t a sideline strategy. It’s a meaningful part of how forward-thinking companies align profit with purpose—and demonstrate what’s possible when businesses lead with values.

Ways the Agriculture Industry is Changing Rapidly

By Julie Starr • April 18, 2025
If you are running a business that is in the field of agriculture at all, there are a whole host of changes that are happening at a rapid rate. You certainly need to make sure that you are keeping one eye on these as they are happening - no matter whether you run a business that is directly related to this area or you are simply adjacent to it. Here are just a few of the main ways that the agriculture industry is changing at the moment. Rapid advances in tech Like almost every other industry on the planet, the number of changes that are occurring in the agriculture industry are staggering. If you don’t keep a close eye on these changes, you are more than likely to be left behind the people that are. So, you will need to look closer at the future of biotechnology in agriculture amongst other things. There are also several other distinct ways that tech is changing agriculture. First of all, there is the increased mechanization and automation that is occurring. This is likely to be developed further by the AI revolution that is happening at an increasingly rapid rate. Precision farming is also an area that is developing at a rapid rate. This essentially means more closely monitoring a whole range of different areas from pest control to research management. On top of this, there is also a move towards methods of more urban farming, which often looks at the possibility of vertical farms as well as those that can take place in an indoor environment. Changes in the environment As the effects of climate change continue to matter in a whole host of different areas, it is certainly the case that this is going to make a difference to the world of agriculture. There are more and more practices that are being developed specifically to ensure that they are resistant to changes in the environment. This means that harvests can be just as big no matter what is going on in the external world. As weather patterns become more and more unpredictable, this is going to become increasingly vital. Focus on sustainability Again, this is a concern that impacts a lot of different industries, but there is no doubt that sustainability is going to have an impact on the world of agriculture. Ultimately, if things cannot be done in a sustainable way, this is going to have a huge effect on the world. This comes in a few different forms, but it certainly places focus on keeping soil health as good as possible, as well as keeping pesticide and fertilizer pollution down as low as it can be. Changes in diet There has been a big push towards vegetarianism and veganism over the past few years. There is no doubt that these changes in diet then have to be reflected in the agricultural industry as well. While there are many other changes that could be discussed, these are just a few of them.