HubSpot’s Sustainable Events Playbook is now available at no cost.
HubSpot’s culture is at the heart of our ability to help customers grow better and thrive as an innovative, resilient business. We know that we can only lead in the age of AI if we stay connected to each other. In-person meetings and events are a big part of that. They spark creativity and forge priceless relationships.
But we also prize sustainability. And with 70 percent of our people working from home, face-to-face connection comes at a cost - particularly in terms of waste and carbon emissions.
So how do we balance connection and sustainability?
By being intentional and informed when we design, plan and run events.
That’s where the Sustainable Events Playbook comes in. Whether you’re accommodating 13,000 people at an event like INBOUND or six leaders at an offsite, the Playbook has you covered.
Why It Matters
Sustainable events are good for the planet and good for business. By embedding sustainability into our meetings, we:
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Lower costs by reducing waste and avoiding unnecessary spend.
- Enhance the attendee experience with healthier menus, smarter design, and thoughtful details.
- Strengthen our brand reputation by showing that we act on our commitments.
- Support local economies and communities through responsible sourcing.
Together, these benefits create a ripple effect that extends far beyond any single event.
Making Events More Sustainable at HubSpot
Over the past three years, we’ve taken significant steps to embed sustainability into the way we deliver events:
- Selecting sustainable venues: We prioritize venues with strong environmental credentials, such as renewable energy use, water conservation, and waste diversion programs. At INBOUND, for example, our venue partner used renewable energy, including solar panels, and improved the energy performance of the venue.
- Engaging suppliers early: From hotel providers to production partners, we bring sustainability to the top of the agenda from the start. We set clear criteria for suppliers, ensuring alignment with HubSpot’s climate goals. For example, we work closely with our stage fabrication providers, one of our largest contributors to event emissions, to measure their product carbon footprint and explore ways to reduce it.
- Measuring carbon emissions: We track event-related emissions to identify high-impact areas, including purchased goods and services. This data-driven approach helps us engage contractors and suppliers on targeted opportunities to cut emissions.
- Food and beverage choices: Across in-house events, we’ve reduced single-use plastics, sourced locally, and added more plant-forward options, contributing to lower emissions and healthier choices for attendees.
- Community impact: Wherever possible, we source from local businesses, ensuring the benefits of our events extend beyond attendees to the surrounding community.
These efforts demonstrate that small changes, scaled across hundreds of events, can make a big difference—and we want to share what we’ve learned.
Scaling Our Impact: The Sustainable Events Playbook
The Sustainable Events Playbook is a practical guide designed to help anyone plan greener events of any size. The Playbook includes guidance on:
- Selecting greener venues.
- Partnering with vendors who share sustainability values.
- Reducing food waste and lowering emissions through smarter menu design.
- Prioritizing digital, reusable, and recyclable materials.
- Weaving sustainability into the attendee experience in simple, engaging ways.
And here’s the best part: we’re making the Playbook available at no cost. By sharing it publicly, we hope our customers, partners, and peers can make their own events more sustainable.
Innovating With AI: The Sustainable Events Assistant
To make sustainability simple and actionable, we’ve also developed an internal AI-powered Sustainable Events Assistant. This digital co-pilot helps us plan with confidence by offering:
- Tailored sustainability tips based on event type and size.
- Recommendations for local and sustainable caterers and suppliers.
- Carbon impact insights for travel and food choices, with reduction strategies.
- Communication templates to highlight sustainability efforts to attendees.
- Quick answers to questions like “What’s the most sustainable swag option?” or “How do I run a zero-waste networking break?”
Looking Ahead
Events bring people together in powerful ways. At HubSpot, we’re committed to ensuring that the way we gather supports a healthier planet and stronger communities. From large-scale conferences like INBOUND to local team offsites, we’re proving that every event is an opportunity to make a positive difference.
And by sharing our Sustainable Events Playbook openly, we invite others to join us. Because when it comes to sustainability, the more businesses that act, the bigger our collective impact.