Hungarian Association of Event Organizers: Sustainable Event Organization Guide Published

The gap-filling knowledge material, prepared with broad professional cooperation and the involvement of numerous experts, was proofread by experts from the Budapest University of Economics and the University of Pannonia, can be downloaded free of charge from the association’s website, after registration.

The research prior to the preparation of the MaReSZ guide showed that the majority of those active in the sector still identify sustainability with environmental protection and are not familiar with any sustainability certification system.

Balázs Szűcs, Secretary General of MaReSz, highlighted in the announcement: No comprehensive event professional material similar to the current one has been prepared in Hungary so far, which presents all three pillars of the ESG framework and helps event organizers navigate the legal environment and the relevant standards and certificates. The Sustainable Event Management Guide, written by the association, approaches the issue of sustainability in a complex way and contributes to the spread of ESG-based thinking in the event sector.

The theoretical part of the MaReSz guide briefly introduces concepts relevant to the event sector, international and domestic guidelines, legislation, as well as the most important standards and certificates with the aim of helping companies operating in the event sector navigate the topic of corporate sustainability. The connections between the UN Sustainable Development Goals and the Hungarian ESG Act are explained from the perspective of companies operating in the sector. They specifically address the support tools that the government provides to SMEs to prepare for ESG compliance.

In the chapter entitled International and national sustainability standards and certifications in event management, the document deals with standards and certifications that are also relevant to the domestic event industry. They highlight the sustainability standards system developed for the sector by the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC), the official Hungarian version of which was prepared by MaReSz – as a partner of GSTC.

In the practical part of the guide, numerous examples and good practices also help players in the sector on the path to sustainable event management. The document emphasizes prevention over mitigation at every step of event planning, and provides numerous examples of both in the areas of material use, catering, transportation, gifts, and energy use, and also presents a step-by-step guide to measuring the event’s carbon footprint.

In order to build a community with a sustainable approach, the MaReSz Sustainable Event Planning Code has also been published, which can be joined by anyone who undertakes to carry out their event planning activities in accordance with the MaReSz guidelines and the Code. Joining and using the code logo does not constitute a qualification, but rather a professional commitment for the signatory.

MaReSz has been uniting the event industry for more than 30 years, with approximately 170 member organizations covering the full spectrum of business event planning, and seven chapters operating.