Sustainability policy
Great events bring people together, but they also use materials, energy and travel.
At Powwow, we think about that from the start. We work with clients and partners to make thoughtful choices, reduce waste and look after the people involved. That’s part of being Passionate About Impact.
This policy covers how we work day to day and the events we help deliver. It’s about using resources well, buying responsibly and supporting people and communities. We follow environmental and other relevant laws, and keep learning how to do things better.
Our B Corp commitment
Powwow Events Limited has been a Certified B Corporation since July 2024. Being a B Corp means considering people and the planet alongside our business decisions. The certification covers Powwow as a business; it doesn’t certify individual events or mean they have no environmental impact. You can find our public profile at bcorporation.net.
Reducing our environmental impact
We start by asking what we can avoid using in the first place, then look at how we can reduce, reuse and recycle. In practice, we work towards:
- Cutting unnecessary materials and packaging, and choosing items we can hire, reuse or adapt where suitable
- Planning quantities carefully to reduce waste, including food waste, and finding safe, practical options for reuse, donation or recycling
- Considering lower-impact materials and what happens throughout a product’s life, from how it’s made and transported to what happens afterwards
- Using energy and water carefully, and talking through the options with venues and production partners
- Avoiding unnecessary journeys, combining deliveries and considering travel and transport options with lower emissions
- Considering local suppliers and seasonal food where they offer suitable benefits for the environment and local communities
Every project has its own brief, budget and available facilities. We talk openly about the options with clients and partners and look for meaningful improvements on each project. Meeting legal standards is part of that, whatever the brief.
Choosing suppliers thoughtfully
When choosing suppliers, we look at environmental impact and how people are treated alongside quality, reliability, service and price. We consider value over an item’s whole life, including how long it lasts, whether it can be reused and the cost of dealing with it afterwards.
We expect suppliers to provide safe working conditions, fair pay and hours, and respect people’s freedom to organise and be represented. We expect them to prevent discrimination, forced labour, child labour and other exploitation. We ask for evidence of their environmental and social practices, with checks that reflect their role and the risks involved.
If something falls short, we ask questions and agree what needs to improve. If serious concerns can’t be resolved, we reconsider working together. Our sustainable procurement policy guides these decisions.
Supporting people and communities
People make our work possible. We support inclusive experiences, fair treatment and opportunities for different voices across our team and suppliers. We look for ways to support local businesses and communities, share what we know and help people develop in the events industry.
Being clear about our impact
We use information from projects and suppliers to understand our impact and find ways to improve. When we share environmental figures or claims, we explain what they cover, the evidence behind them and any important limitations. If a figure is an estimate, we say so. We only make claims we can support.
Reducing emissions comes first. If offsets are used, we explain them separately from reductions, making clear what they cover and the evidence behind them. We won’t describe an event as carbon neutral or net zero unless we have clear evidence to support that specific claim.
Keeping this commitment active
Project teams put it all this into practice through planning and delivery, working with clients and suppliers to agree practical actions. We review it at least once a year and use feedback, experience and developments in good practice to keep improving.
If you’d like to talk about sustainability options for a project or ask about our approach, email hello@powwowevents.co.uk.