Less waste, more wow
How we’re running smarter, greener events
At Morrow Communications, we are aiming to become Northern Ireland’s first net zero communications consultancy, helping create a Better ToMorrow.
As well as reducing the carbon footprint across our own operations, our commitment to sustainability extends to the work we deliver for our clients. For example, our event management team is keenly focused on ensuring that whatever the occasion, events deliver the same great impact without the unnecessary waste.
From venue selection to attendee journey planning, our goal is to elevate experiences, reduce waste and help clients achieve their climate ambitions. Here’s how we’re making that happen.
Planning
The journey towards creating a low carbon or net zero event begins with target setting – scoping practical and realistic adjustments from the get-go. Together with our clients, we’ll consider how best to reduce the carbon footprint at each delivery step in your conference, staff incentive/away day, launch, networking reception or awards ceremony.
Venue selection
Selecting a sustainably minded venue partner is critical in reducing the environmental impact of an event. Many of our preferred venues hold respected sustainability accreditations such as ISO 20121, Ecomerit and Green Tourism Award.
Favourite locations we work with include the Dublin Royal Convention Centre, Aviva Stadium, ICC Belfast, Crowne Plaza Hotel Belfast, Dunadry Hotel and Slieve Donard who actively promote and demonstrate their commitment to responsible operations.
Getting to venues via public transport is something we highlight to delegates to help reduce travel related emissions. A sustainably managed venue paired with sustainable delegate travel goes a long way in reducing overall event impact.
Reducing food waste through smarter catering
Catering is an area where thoughtful decisions create meaningful results. We work closely with our catering partners to minimise waste and optimise delivery. This includes:
– Deciding carefully on catering numbers to account for no shows and minimising food waste – better to have nothing left than too much!
– Supporting caterers to safely use surplus food across the full programme where possible including take home boxes.
– Prioritising suppliers who have strong sustainability credentials, especially those who focus on local sourcing and robust waste management systems.
We have also seen a move towards vegetarian or plant-based only events and continue to work with catering partners to design creative, delicious nutritious menus that wow delegates. These small but strategic decisions help ensure lower waste, reduced costs and a more responsible food experience for everyone involved.
Paperless event model
Digitisation plays a major role in our sustainability approach. We provide agendas, schedules and event information through secure QR codes, and we’ve replaced laminated badges with recyclable card. Registration, check‑ins and surveys are electronic by default, and wherever possible, digital signage and stage branding replaces printed materials. Any essential printing is supported by on‑site recycling systems. This shift to a paperless event model has the added benefit of creating a smoother, more modern delegate experience, while also being mindful of any accessibility needs.
Likewise, our creative services team is also applying sustainable graphic design principles in their everyday work such as considering longer shelf life for designed assets, reusability of any printed items as well as the volume of water-based ink to print it. When printing event material is essential, we work with local and trusted print partners such as Print Library, Mad Colour and Blacksheep NI who can deliver a sustainable solution.
Behind the scenes
Our events team embraces how to be more sustainable in practical, everyday ways which all add up across the year. Some of the behaviours we’ve embedded into our normal workflow include car sharing or taking public transport to events and meetings, curating our reusable, low waste event kits, repurposing equipment across multiple projects and through our strategic advice to clients.
These habits support more responsible resourcing, lower emissions and reduce the volume of single use items brought into events. They also complement our wider Morrow Communications Carbon Reduction Plan, in line with the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) Greenhouse Gas (GHG) protocol.
Why this matters
Sustainable event delivery also brings with it benefits far beyond reduced environmental impact, it:
– Helps clients align with their own sustainability and climate commitments
– Meets growing delegate expectations around responsible experiences
– Encourages climate-friendly behaviours by making net-zero the norm
– Creates efficiencies and helps reduces unnecessary spending and waste
– Enhances brand reputation and trust as a responsible organisation
Sustainability isn’t a trend, it’s a standard and at Morrow Communications, it’s firmly part of who we are.