Lisa Sweeting, Director of Green Sense Events
Lisa Sweeting is the Director of Green Sense Events.
Green Sense Events supports organisations with bespoke, creative, yet sustainable event solutions from concept through to delivery. Whether you are looking for a consultant for your existing events or the full event management service, we are here to help you make better choices, and reduce your impact on the planet.
Tell us a little about your background.
I have worked in the Events Industry for over 15 years, planning and managing a variety of events from corporate events, weddings and private parties, through to mass participation outdoor events for 7000. I believe you are only limited by your imagination. I love events because I love bringing people together and creating an experience.
Tell us about your business’ purpose and vision.
I started up Green Sense Events as I was concerned by how wasteful events can be, I wanted sustainability to be at the heart of everything I was doing and so that I could make better choices for clients. My vision is that one day sustainable events won’t be a choice anymore it will be the only option.
Tell us about your Sustainability journey up to today.
During the pandemic I have been focussed on learning, researching, reading and connecting with other like minded organisers, suppliers and venues. I have recently completed training with A Greener Festival. I am due to complete an Introduction to ISO20121 course in November which provides a management framework for sustainable events. I have been doing my own plastic free challenge this month (October) which has really opened my eyes to the problem of single use plastic, and what we can do to reduce this. My recent blogs highlight how to run a safe and sustainable event, Sustainability in Sport and the next blog will be focussed on my plastic free challenge and my learnings from this.
Tell us a little about the work your company is doing.
Currently due to the rules and regulations in place, we are not really hosting any in -person events but we have been involved in a variety of Virtual events. Interviewing industry experts to provide information and to support others in the industry, speaking at virtual events such as the Sustainable Events Summit and Freelancer Business Month.
What does being part of a community such as the Future Economy Network mean to you?
I spent a long time trying to find a networking group that would fit with my business model and my ethos, and when I came across Future Economy it felt completely the right group for me. Its fairly local to me (I’m based in Somerset), it seems like a really supportive team and there are some fantastic organisations already in the network, that I’m really keen to connect with. For me being sustainable and creating a more inclusive sustainable future is about working together, so I really hope to be able to support other businesses and feel supported from the network.
Any resource that has helped you in your sustainability journey that you would like to share with our readership?
The Ellen MacArthur Foundation website is great, they are hosting a series of webinars from 28th October. The Sustainable Event Alliance is useful, and I understand Meeghan Jones book ‘Sustainable Event Management’ is great though I haven’t personally got around to reading it yet!! TerraCycle is worth looking at especially if you have any hard to recycle items or want to set up a collection for your business.
What does a Future Economy look like for you? (How do you see the future for sustainable businesses?)
I’d like to see Businesses thinking in terms of a circular economy, in every sense of the word, utilising energy from renewable sources, investing in their staff who will in turn support their business, choosing ethical and sustainable suppliers, and creating a sense of balance so that we are not choosing between growth or the planet where we are working in harmony with each other and our environment. Its going to take education to get everyone on the same page and to change mindset so I think its everyone’s responsibility to share expertise and support one another in this goal.