Here’s our three step process to take you from a Sustainability ‘huh?’ to a Sustainability Hero.

A practical, three-step measurement blueprint for planners, organisers, and agencies.

Sustainability now appears in most event RFPs. Current industry insight suggests that around 62% of RFPs include sustainability requirements, yet those requirements are often vague.

Questions like:

• Do you have a sustainability policy?
• Are you accredited?
• Do you meet our sustainability standards?

are increasingly common. But they don’t always translate into what event teams actually need in order to deliver an event, measure its impact, or meet client and stakeholder expectations.

While an event supplier may be strong on sustainability at a company level, that doesn’t automatically mean:

• You’ll have actionable emissions data for your event
• Measurement will align with your reporting needs
• Information will be consistent and comparable across events or suppliers
• You’ll generate insights that support real design and procurement decisions

For event professionals, this creates a practical problem. Asking about sustainability capability is not the same as requesting the specific data and support your event requires. This checklist is designed for teams who need to move from sustainability intent to consistent delivery and credible data, without adding unnecessary complexity to already busy workflows.

Measurement changes what you need from your supply chain

Once you decide to measure events consistently, the nature of your briefs and supplier conversations has to change. Measurement shifts the focus from intent to delivery. Instead of simply asking suppliers how they are “sustainable”, you need clarity on things like:

• What data can they actually provide for your event?
• Does that data align with your chosen measurement boundaries?
• Can the measurement approach be repeated across multiple events?

One-off measurement might generate a number. A repeatable measurement programme generates insight. TRACE by isla exists to make this level of consistency realistic for busy event teams, without turning measurement into an admin-heavy process.

This guide focuses on how to move from ad-hoc measurement to a clear, repeatable approach you can apply across your 2026 events.

Here’s our three step process to take you from a Sustainability ‘huh?’ to a Sustainability Hero.

1. Set clear intent (before you measure anything)

Measurement without intent produces data with no direction. Clear intent sets the boundaries for what you measure, how detailed it needs to be, and how the data will be used. This intent underpins consistency across events, making results comparable, defensible, and useful over time.

Your 2026 measurement intent should answer three questions:

• What decisions do we want data to inform? (e.g. design, suppliers, formats, locations)
• What level of consistency do we need across events?
• Who needs to trust these numbers – clients, internal teams, or both?

Checklist – set your intent

• Agree which events, or event types, will be measured in 2026
• Decide upfront what’s in scope (e.g. catering, energy, materials, travel)
• Nominate internal ownership – who (by role) will ensure event carbon data is collected, reviewed, and communicated?

TOP TIPS!

• If you’re not sure where to start, prioritise events by frequency or spend.
• If 60% of your events are conferences, start there.
• If 75% of your event budget is spent on travel, prioritise events with the highest travel impact.
• High-volume patterns are where meaningful insight begins

2. Prepare to measure properly (before briefs go out)

Most measurement issues don’t come from the tool you use, they come from starting too late. If suppliers aren’t asked for the right information at
briefing stage, teams end up retrofitting estimates or chasing data after delivery.

Measurement works best when it’s designed into planning, not bolted on at the end.

What preparation actually looks like:

• Having clarity on your measurement boundaries
• Knowing the type of data you need to collect:
  For example: vehicle type, engine type, and distance travelled to measure transport emissions
• Identifying where activity data is required and where estimates are acceptable
• Using this clarity to shape briefs, supplier asks, and delivery timelines
• Being explicit about which supplier is responsible for which data

Once these foundations are in place, actual measurement can be straightforward, particularly when using platforms like TRACE.

DID YOU KNOW?

Scope and boundaries are related, but not the same thing.

• Scope refers to what you decide to measure (e.g. travel, catering, energy, materials, waste).
• Boundaries define how deeply you measure each category (e.g. audience travel vs staff travel, organiser materials vs exhibitor materials).

A basic event measurement scope should include travel, production transport, catering, energy, materials, and waste. Boundaries ensure clarity and consistency across events.

3. Use data to refine decisions across 2026

Measurement only becomes valuable when it changes how events are delivered. Using a carbon measurement platform, like TRACE allows you to compare events, spot patterns, and focus effort where it actually matters – rather than chasing marginal gains or reporting for reporting’s sake.

What good use of data looks like:

• Reviewing results after each event, not just at year end
• Comparing similar events to identify repeat emission drivers
• Identifying where reductions can be repeated across formats
• Using evidence to justify changes to suppliers, stakeholders, or delivery models

Checklist – use the data

• Review data post-event as standard practice in project debriefs
• Compare results across similar events in your portfolio
• Use insights to update briefs and supplier expectations
• Identify data gaps and plan improvements for future events
• Carry learning forward into the next event cycle

For example, identifying that audience travel consistently accounts for the largest share of emissions across similar events may lead to changes in location choice, format, or audience engagement strategies. This isn’t just about lower numbers – it’s about better-informed decisions and better-
designed events.

Get started with TRACE

Make 2026 your first year of consistent, repeatable, and comparable event emissions measurement.

Get started with a TRACE trial and measure your first event for free.

No additional headcount required. Designed to fit real delivery teams and real event timelines.

If you want to go further, book a demo with the team to explore how TRACE can support a comprehensive, programme-wide measurement
plan across your events.