Beyond the Summit: Real World Sustainability for Events and Venues
In this Beyond the Summit webinar, SEA partners at Closed Loop share practical ways to embed sustainability into events and venues of all sizes.
Sam Cooper (Closed Loop New Zealand) and Brian Kay (Closed Loop NSW/ACT) discuss how to treat waste as a resource, design smarter systems, and make “simple switches” that create real impact - from swapping plastic-lined cups for recyclable or reusable alternatives, to rethinking waste flows both front and back of house.
Key insights include:
Waste as a resource: managing inputs to reduce landfill and design waste out from the start.
Scalable solutions: approaches that work for small community fun runs right through to 100,000-person events.
Above and below the line: visible initiatives (signage, bins, education) are only effective when supported by behind-the-scenes systems (contracts, training, waste audits).
Simple switches: choosing packaging and products that have a clear recovery pathway.
The value of data: tracking waste to set baselines, measure improvements, and demonstrate ROI.
The session is full of practical examples, from hydration stations at marathons to vendor packaging frameworks, all with a clear message: you’re never too small to start and never too big to improve.
Watch the full webinar below to explore these strategies in detail and see how you can apply them to your own events or venues.
