Sustainable and social commitment is moving up the list of corporate priorities year by year. And with many businesses now looking to be more environmentally friendly, a continued demand for event companies and venues to match their values will be felt.
For the event industry, implementing inspiring sustainable actions which involve your delegates, is a great way to drive engagement, boost morale, and improve your business’s reputation.
When Sofidel partnered with Treedom, they did just that.
Sofidel is one of the world leaders in the tissue paper market, and with a strong commitment to sustainable growth, they chose to plant trees as part of giving back to the planet, contributing to the achievement of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Sofidel organised the “Sofidel Supplier Awards Dinner” dedicated to highlighting the environmental commitment of their suppliers. During the event, Sofidel chose to gift a tree to each participant, elevating their messaging around their CSR commitment.
A large screen was set up for the event which communicated every 30 minutes the number of trees delegates redeemed, which highly encouraged participation, leading to an 80% redemption rate. To continue the growth of the Forest, hostesses equipped with tablets passed through the tables throughout the evening, enabling the delegates to plant additional trees into the Sofidel Forest.
Arianna Vita, Sofidel’s CSR Manager, found the initiative incredibly well-received by her delegates; “A beautiful initiative, one that has driven the loyalty of employees and buyers, who appreciate Sofidel’s environmental responsibility and above all enjoyed the Treedom gift”.
Sofidel’s event was repeated the following year, offsetting the event’s emissions with an additional 330 trees planted in their Forest. Their Global Forest now stands at a strong 6,484 trees across three countries, and will absorb over 6,000 tonnes of Co2 from the atmosphere. Thanks to these trees, 382 farmers now have better environmental, social and economical conditions – from reducing food poverty in their communities, providing income opportunities, and supporting their crops to grow.
Becoming more forward-looking and sustainable will not only lead to a greener future, but companies that are particularly committed to environmental and social issues experience higher growth than their competitors on average, even in the long term. That means that business growth and commitment to a sustainable future are not mutually exclusive. So, why not take action today? The best time to start was yesterday. The next best time is now.
Author: Guest Author
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