Step-by-step guide: management workshop for planning a sustainable event

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Steps to take before the event

Step 1: (Prepare) Download the Ambition Scorecard and make yourself familiar with the five dimensions of sustainability. This template can give you inspiration and help you plan what needs to happen before, during and after the event.

Step 2: (Engage key stakeholders) Invite all key event stakeholders to a 2-hour meeting to set ambitions. All stakeholders that might influence key decisions about the event should take part.

Step 3: (Set ambition) Show the Ambition Scorecard and ask all participants in the meeting to note their suggested ambition score for each sustainability dimension on a posted note.

Step 4: (Motivate ambitions) Ask the participants in turn to justify their ambition score on the first sustainability dimension. In the case of large discrepancies in participants’ scores, leave the room to have a discussion and reach a consensus. Agree upon a shared ambition score.

Step 5: (Motivate ambitions II) Repeat step 4 for each of the other four sustainability dimensions and agree upon a score for each.

Step 6: (Agree on ambition) Finalise the scorecard using this excel template. Look at the ambition scores of each dimension. Be ambitious but realistic. In the case of a high score on all dimensions: challenge yourself. Are all dimensions equally important or are adjustments needed to be realistic?

Step 7: (Finalise ambition and delegate responsibilities). Agree on the final ambition scores and decide who is responsible for taking the required actions. Feel free to use this template.

Steps to take after the event

Step 8: (Evaluate after the event): Evaluate how you did on all sustainability dimensions. Repeat step 1-3. Individual growth and learning is more important than reaching consensus.

Step 9: Note down essential feedback and take-aways. What should we continue to do? What should we do more of? What should we stop doing? (use group post-its before, during and after the event to document the process visually for future events - use this template as presented in step 1).

Step 10: Put your choices into perspective. Your ambition choices directly affect the concrete actions you’ll take when organising your next event. Be inspired by the recommended actions listed here.