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Why go vegan at your next event?

The discussion around the topic of sustainable events is not new, but definitely necessary.

Prior to 2020, huge steps were being made in the industry to reduce waste and minimise carbon footprints at events, and though the entire world has been turned upside down over the past 2 years, it is vital that we all work hard to ensure that the progress is not lost.

Virtual Events are a fantastic and sustainable alternative to live events, which have proved invaluable in recent years. However, for those instances where it is necessary to meet IRL (in real life) as opposed to via URL, what changes can be made to minimise our environmental impact?

There are many different ways to do this. As little as one seemingly simple change to your event menu could make a dramatic difference to the sustainability of your event. Let's take a look at the facts...

The facts:

Veganism is not only an incredibly sustainable lifestyle choice but an increasingly common one in today’s society.

Food, and the way we interact with food (specifically farming, agriculture, and food waste) make up a massive 25% of global CO2 emissions, whilst half of these emissions (58%), coming from animal products.

Farmed animal products have an incredibly high impact on our environment due to the number of resources (land, water, and fossil fuels) that are consumed for the production of meat as opposed to soy, for example.

Going plant-based:

With these facts and figures, it is easy to see why people are being more conscious about their food choices.

In 2021, the number of vegans in Britain reportedly rose by 40% according to Plant Based News. With many big names jumping aboard the plant-based bandwagon, such as Burger King, Dominoes, and major supermarket chains increasing their offerings, a vegan diet has never been more easily accessible.

Even A-List events such as the BAFTA’s and Golden Globes, opted for plant-based menus last year in a bid to become carbon-neutral, as well as encouraging attendees to re-wear previously worn outfits and reusing the red carpet for other events.

Whilst the latter may not be applicable to the average meeting or exhibition, there certainly is an important takeaway from these star-studded events, particularly when a plant-based menu can save up to a massive 98% on CO2 emissions at your event.

Final thoughts:

We at First Event understand the important role that food choice plays at events, and that for many delegates, meat is still expected as a default option.

However, we believe that it is our responsibility as event planners, to facilitate and encourage more sustainable options that will be sure to get delegates excited, talking, and considering more environmentally conscious choices for their events.

How we can help:

Whether it’s live, hybrid or virtual First Event can work with you to deliver a sustainable event that meets your specific goals within your organisation, contact us by heading to our contact page for more information.