How to implement your company’s core value of sustainability when exhibiting.
Does your company practice what they preach when it comes to implementing sustainability, or does their policy remain as a small sentence on the About Us page on their website? The intention may be there, but the implementation is sometimes overwhelming. How can a company go from mentioning their environmental considerations, to leading the way at their next exhibition? It’s easier than what you think:
Get familiar with your values
According to the 2019 Deloitte Millennial Survey, only 12 percent of millennials and Gen Zs believe corporations are working to address things like climate change, so start making a noise. Ahead of making any changes, understand whether your company has existing environmental policies, or whether it is yet to be discussed. If they are existing the first step is complete, otherwise, put a time in the diary and start the conversation.
Three quick tips to start the sustainability conversation:
- Start small – you don’t need to cure climate change just yet, so begin with a handful of goals you can achieve.
- Give it a deadline – work can get busy, so put a date in the diary to get things moving.
- Make it measurable – if it can’t be measured, then consider it a wish rather than an action.
It is one thing to say you’ll make a change, it is another to make it known and another to make it happen.
Make it an exhibition KPI
A key performance indicator (KPI) is a measurable value that demonstrates how effectively a company is achieving key business objectives.
As part of your planning process, confirm your KPIs. Once revenue, leads and database building are listed go back to the top and add your environmental impact. Starting small, look at a few things on your stand that you can reduce, reuse or recycle to help shape a more eco-friendly experience. Be sure to assign a measurable figure to hold it accountable. If you’re looking to take it a little further read our Tips for an eco-friendly expo stand.
Let’s chat!
The next step is to chat with your stand builder. The first two steps of every Expo Centric job is Analysis and Strategy.
As part of analysis we begin the conversation looking at your company positioning, target market, research insights, what you have done previously and what your objectives are. Tell us about your objectives to hit sustainability on the head, and we’ll make sure you’re across everything that has worked for our clients in the past.
Then comes strategy, and yes, sustainability is part of your exhibiting strategy. Together we’ll discuss a unified message for your business, how we can draw your target market to the stand and will work with you to develop successful metrics. Your environmental considerations will fall seamlessly into your strategy, keeping it front of mind.
According to Forbes 92% of consumers say they’re more likely to trust brands that are environmentally or socially conscious. Not only will you be hitting your sustainability KPI, but you will start to discover its impact beyond the environment.
It’s showtime
Welcome to onsite where all your planning comes to fruition to make the biggest impact. Here are few small tips for onsite that can keep your sustainability going:
- Ditch individually wrapped mints & single use plastic on your stand.
- Go paperless. Go digital. – Send an email with your details instead of a business card.
- Bins a plenty – recycling and landfill.
- Rent it instead of buy it.
- Select energy efficient electronics.
- Choose sustainable giveaways.
Make some noise.
Tell consumers about your eco-friendly stand. After the work you have put into ensuring your stand is eco friendly, it would be a waste to not let it be known.
Informing your consumers can be as easy as word of mouth when you’re liaising with them on site, or including it as part of your signage. There are some clever ways to portray this like fun facts on the walls of your stands e.g., Did you know I am made from 100% recycled cardboard.
Remember, whichever way you choose to tell your consumers, ensure it is sustainable too. (Maybe refrain from printing 1000 glossy brochures on how sustainable you are!).
We know our consumers value the efforts each company makes to mother nature, so don’t be afraid to let it be known!
How did you do?
The biggest learnings come from reflection. After the show, compare your sustainability KPI with your performance. Did you hit your target?
This is the opportunity to analyze whether your environmental considerations were successful, if more action could be taken, or if the exhibition stand is ready to take it to the next level.
The options are endless when you enter the world exhibiting sustainably, and Expo Centric can’t wait to lead the way!