Tips for sustainable event design

Ending poverty in all its forms and everywhere

• Donate a portion of event proceeds to charitable organizations
• Access to the event for people with limited income through discounts or free tickets
• Collect and donate old glasses or soaps for a good cause

End hunger, achieve food security and better nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture
 

• Work with organic food truck organizers or local farmers to provide sustainable and local food
• Set up containers to give leftover food to participants after the event
• Give leftover food to organizations such as Schweizer Tafel, Frisch von Gestern, etc.
• A “zero waste” approach to catering by avoiding disposable tableware and packaging

Ensure a healthy life for all people of all ages and promote their well-being

• Bewegungspausen einbauen, Morgen-Jogging organisieren, Pilates oder Yoga anbieten oder Massageangebot organisieren
• Incorporate exercise breaks, organize morning jogging, offer Pilates or yoga or organize a massage offer
• Preferably offer vegetarian food. Plant-based products are seasonal, regional and organically grown. Serve meat and fish in bulk. And from regional farms

Ensure inclusive, equitable and quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all

• Set up a community channel that regularly exchanges information / distribute plantable badges or plantable thank-you letters
• Present the 17 SDG sustainability goals during the event. Guests are thus sensitized and an exchange of knowledge takes place
• Share information with participants via online platforms 

Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls

• When choosing the stage speakers, attention is paid to a balanced gender ratio
• Unisex toilets as well as disabled-friendly and gender-segregated toilets
• Creating platforms for discussions about challenges and opportunities to promote gender equality
• Integrate awareness-raising campaigns on gender inequalities and their elimination

Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all

• Distribute glass bottles for refilling
• Set up water stands
• Sensitize visitors to clean drinking water
• Sensitize participants to the responsible use of water and measures to save water

Ensuring access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all

• Avoid energy-intensive stands and unnecessary lighting
• Give preference to locations that have an energy concept. Ask where the storm is coming from. Give preference to solar energy or wind power for the power supply
• Ensure that event organizers use LED lighting, energy-saving devices and intelligent use of electricity
• Lower the room temperature slightly

Promote lasting, broad-based and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all

• Book service providers that support social work programs such as work integration or associations with physically/mentally impaired persons (IG Arbeit, Stiftung Brändi etc.)

Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation

• Use existing infrastructure and involve local companies
• Support the use of public transportation
• Promote aspects of the circular economy
• Make infrastructure accessible for pre- or post-events

Reduce inequality within and between countries
 

• Use interpreters for sign language
• Promote an accessible event. All information on accessibility can be found at: Accessible tourism in Lucerne
• Pay attention to public holidays when choosing the date of the event. Show awareness and pay attention to special or religious holidays of all religions in order to involve as large an audience as possible
• Holding a hybrid event enables the participation of a wider audience

Making cities and settlements safe, resilient and sustainable

• Use venues with central locations that are well connected to public transportation
• Integrate local communities into event planning through participation and dialog
• Request and use reusable tableware from the municipality

Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns

• Provide environmentally friendly packaging. Collaborate with Recircle, for example, for leftover food
• To minimize food waste, include 80% of registered participants in catering
• Reduce waste, avoid the use of disposable plastic products and use recyclable materials (e.g. exhibition stands, lanyards, etc.). Exhibition stand that is reusable
• Avoid printed materials as far as possible, make program available digitally via app. Digital signage on the event site. If branded, create without date
• Reduce give-aways

Reducing the planetary emergency

• Compensate for CO2 emissions that are not reduced
• Provide all participants with a public transport ticket Offer bicycle parking spaces, e-charging stations and shuttles

Conserve and sustainably use oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development

• Do without microplastics
• If fish is on the plate, then it should be local

Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems

• Focus on plant-based food (a plant-based diet reduces the carbon footprint)

Promoting peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development

• As a neutral country, Switzerland is home to numerous international human rights organizations
• Ensure that the event provides a safe and inclusive environment where different opinions are respected
• Ask local authorities and institutions for support

Strengthen means of implementation and revitalize the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development

• Create reporting, document lessons learned and list improvement requests
• Hold debriefing and exchange experiences with other service providers or organizers
• Integrate SDG as a guideline