By Paul Richardson, Managing Director of Vividink
For years, the events industry has been striding towards greener practices. Carpet recycling, digital-first agendas, “carbon neutral” branding — all commendable steps in the right direction. But, if your marketing or PR includes claims about sustainability, the margin for creative interpretation just got much, much smaller.
The Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers (DMCC) Act came into force in April 2025 (it became law on May 24, 2024). It’s a sweeping new law that gives the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) real teeth when it comes to dealing with misleading environmental claims — otherwise known as greenwashing. And for those tempted to keep sustainability issues under the radar? Greenhushing is firmly in the firing line too.
So, what’s changed?
The risk just got real
If your event, venue, or service supplier makes an unsubstantiated or vague sustainability claim, you may face a fine of up to £300,000 or 10% of your global turnover, whichever is greater. And yes, that includes PR and comms professionals who handle messaging on behalf of clients.
Even a well-intentioned line like “our coffee cups save the equivalent of 10,000 trees” could fall foul of the law if it can’t be independently verified. The same applies to social content, signage, exhibitor packs, speaker scripts — any messaging that makes environmental claims.
Help is at hand: The Green Claims Code
The CMA has issued a six-point checklist (the Green Claims Code) to help organisations stay compliant:
- Be truthful and accurate — don’t stretch the facts or use vague terminology.
- Be clear — don’t make people guess what you mean.
- Don’t hide information — give the full picture, not just the highlights.
- Only compare apples with apples — fair comparisons only.
- Think lifecycle — not just how something starts or ends.
- Back it up — have robust, independent evidence for every claim.
This mainly applies to businesses promoting to consumers, but the scope is broader than many realise. B2B comms often influence consumer perception, so the line is thinner than it appears.
What can event pr and comms professionals do?
Audit your messaging: from websites to press releases to floorplan brochures.
Verify claims: work with suppliers who can provide certification or data.
Educate your teams: especially those handling sponsor, client or media relations.
Avoid creative shortcuts: marketing copy needs the same rigour as your sustainability strategy.
The events sector is under growing scrutiny, and rightly so; it’s a major economic force with a projected global market of $2.1 trillion by 2032, and according to ISLA, a dedicated SIC code is under review. Expectations will only increase as greenwashing and greenhushing are exposed and tackled.
Sustainability is a competitive edge — but it’s one to be earned and evidenced, not implied.
About Paul Richardson:
Paul Richardson is a career marketing & marcomms professional with experience of heading communications departments for large plcs, private companies and now as managing a pr and communications agency. He has developed and executed internal and external communications strategies and campaigns for companies operating in the events and exhibitions sectors for over 20 years. He is a member of the Chartered Institute of Public Relations and a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Marketing.
References:
Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024
Author: Adam Parry
Adam is the co-founder and editor of www.eventindustrynews.com Adam, a technology evangelist also organises Event Tech Live, Europe’s only show dedicated to event technology and the Event Technology Awards. Both events take place in November, London.
