More creativity, more smart ideas (and common sense), more forward planning, more ingenious ways to reuse signage the following year… Before you know it, constraints fall away and your project
becomes more exciting. 

Transitioning to greater sustainability is a challenge and Audrey Penelle – founder of the eco-responsible event planning agency Mon Evénement’Ciel – understands what it takes. She brings a smile to all steps of her assistance, whether its an audit phase to achieve REEVE* certification or a consultancy assignment. 

This event planning professional is also a sustainable event consultant who is working to change the image of eco-designed events. Because the goal is not to take away the “wow effect” of an event, which is the very essence of what motivates event organisers. An eco-designed event doesn’t have to be spartan or dull. It is more about focussing on common sense, while working collectively with partners that care about their impact and are also looking for creative solutions.

Among her top tips:

  • Because mobility is the primary factor in an event’s impact, it’s important to choose a venue that’s accessible by green mobility modes, and ideally that is already engaged in a CSR approach, offering solutions for virtuous event planning.
  • Food waste can also be avoided. Plan your buffets to be stunning and scrumptious while fine-tuning quantities. On the day of the event, by keeping some of the trays on standby in the fridge, uneaten meals can be retrieved and distributed by non-profits (while keeping the cold chain intact). 
  • It’s obvious when you think about it… to optimise the travel of a speaker coming from abroad, it makes sense to plan a complementary itinerary to your event that allows them to share the value of their visit with others!

And as Audrey says so aptly, “Don’t hesitate to take it step by step. With each event, we set targets for our wins to improve the impact of our events from one year to the next.”

Examples of eco-designed events

The Lumière Festival’s International Classic Film Market: each year, the organisers take action to optimise the event’s impact in phases. Mon Evénement’Ciel evaluates commitments made by the event, which is now certified by the REEVE network. After achieving Level 1 in 2022, it moved up to Level 2 in 2024 – a solid achievement. The Lyon Street Food Festival is also committed to more clearly identifying its areas for improvement.

The primary focal point is food, unsurprisingly. An audit is conducted to provide an outside perspective and set new objectives for each year’s event. These include redesigning containers,
selecting local drinks suppliers, more accurately assessing the quantity of meals made on site, and building a partnership with the non-profit Linkee to help underprivileged students.

* REEVE is an “eco-engaged event” quality label created by the eco-event network ‘REEVE’, based on 110 criteria. It enables organisers to evaluate their performance, increase their engagement and build a path
to more sustainable events. Comprising three levels, awarded by the quality label committee, it allows organisers to move step by step to a goal of continual improvement.