Sustainable event planning

Access government funding for your sustainably oriented event. The Kongressfonds Berlin supports climate goals and the UN Sustainable Development Goals, helping you create an innovative, forward-looking event.

Positive impact and long-term benefits for the city and its community – that’s what the Berlin Impact Programme by the Berlin Convention Office stands for. Make a greater impact with your meetings.

With our MEET+CHANGE format, you host your event in social institutions – whether in a cultural centre or a sheltered workshop. Your event becomes a catalyst for change and shines a light on sustainable engagement.

In visitBerlin’s Berlin Convention Finder, you can find service providers that have been assessed and certified according to the Sustainable Berlin criteria or under a comparable certification system. Sustainable Partners demonstrate their sustainability management against defined criteria. Compliance with the requirements is audited by an independent external auditing body as part of the certification process.

Use our Sustainable Event Guidelines free of charge. Developed for event planners, this guide helps you systematically incorporate sustainability considerations into the preparation and delivery of your event. The Guidelines cover 13 areas of action, with practical measures and recommendations for event planning.

Use the atmosfair CO₂ event calculator to calculate the emissions generated by your event and identify opportunities for reducing them. The free calculator can support you from the planning stage onwards and enables you to calculate your carbon footprint once specific activity data is available. This gives you an overview of your event’s calculated emissions and helps you identify where emissions can be avoided or reduced.

The choice of venue and accommodation can influence various environmental and social impacts of your event. When making your selection, look for suppliers that provide transparent information about the specific measures they have introduced and how these are implemented. These may include, for example, the use of energy from renewable sources, waste prevention and recycling measures, or the use of materials with clearly documented environmental credentials. Social considerations can also be taken into account when making your selection, such as measures to promote inclusion and ensure that facilities are accessible to guests and employees. Where available, certifications and independently verified sustainability criteria can provide additional guidance when choosing suitable suppliers.

Did you know that around 70 per cent of event-related emissions come from participants’ travel? Berlin is easily and sustainably accessible by train and coach from many cities. If flying is unavoidable, encourage your guests to offset their CO₂emissions – or include the offset directly in the event ticket. This makes sustainable travel simple and transparent. With our free CO₂ calculator from atmosfair, you can accurately measure the emissions generated and share clear figures with your participants. Not only does this raise awareness of climate action – it also highlights your responsibility as an organiser.

Catering also offers opportunities to take the environmental and social aspects of your event into account. For example, you could serve predominantly plant-based or vegetarian food and look for recognised organic or Fairtrade certifications when selecting products. Seasonal ingredients and locally produced food can further enhance your catering offer. Where local conditions allow, you can serve tap water in carafes, helping to avoid the packaging and transport associated with bottled drinks. When choosing a catering provider, it is worth looking at the specific measures they have implemented and the evidence they provide. In the Berlin Convention Finder, you can find suppliers whose sustainability management has been assessed against defined criteria and who can support you in developing a suitable catering concept. This allows you to take a range of environmental and social considerations into account right from the food and drink planning stage, without compromising on creativity, taste or quality.

When choosing accommodation, look for a central location close to public transport. Make sure that S-Bahn and U-Bahn stations, as well as bus stops, are within easy reach. If you would like to organise transfers within the city for your attendees, cycle taxis, shuttle services or ridesharing options provide a convenient way to travel between locations while also getting to know the city. Berlin offers a wide range of transport services that make it easy for your guests to get from A to B.

Sustainability requires a holistic approach that also encompasses social sustainability and responsibility. When planning your event, make sure it is accessible and consider inclusion, diversity and equality. This helps ensure that everyone can take part in your event while also promoting attractive and fair working conditions for staff. When selecting suppliers, for example, consider signatories to the “Charta der Vielfalt”. By signing the charter, they commit to acting in accordance with principles of social sustainability. Consistently implementing these measures will help you create a successful and authentic event that is open to all attendees and takes fair conditions into account.

Evaluating your event’s sustainability is key to continuous improvement. Review your measures – from waste reduction to energy and water use – and track your CO₂ footprint with tools such as the free atmosfair calculator. Collect feedback from participants and partners to identify strengths and areas for growth. Documenting your results helps refine future strategies and ensures lasting progress. Transparent communication also builds credibility and encourages others to follow your example, making every event a step towards a more sustainable Berlin.