AGF Insider: Trends And Best Practices In Sustainability With Sangeeta Waldron
Welcome to AGF Insider, our insightful series where we bring you monthly interviews with industry experts.
Each month we catch up with an industry leader in the sustainability world to find the current trends and best practices
This month we catch up with Sangeeta Waldron, Founder, Serendipity PR & Media. Author, What Will Your Legacy Be? – conversations with global change makers about the climate crisis
What are the best practices that you are seeing give the best results?
In 2024 we have started to see real movement towards putting sustainability at the heart of all events and is becoming more mainstream. There are now more reusable cups being offered, more meat free food options, less plastic bags for merchandise and T-shirt merchandise itself is far more ethical. Festival organisers are recognising the importance of best practice and using their events/festivals to educate their audiences too.
What trends are you seeing this year?
In 2024 I saw more people talking about repair, reusing rather than just recycling, which will hopefully start to mean less being dumped in landfills.
What are the obstacles?
The obstacles are misinformation and disinformation on social media, which is confusing people. It is a distraction from the real conversation about sustainability and what people can do to make a difference.
What’s the next big thing in sustainability in events?
I believe by autumn 2025, eco-conscious events will be the industry standard, where every detail will matter - from reducing plastic waste to sourcing local food, to using sustainable materials. Sustainability will become an immersive experience within events, where we will see eco-set designs as part of performances, which will also have environmental benefits.
What would be the biggest game changer from your perspective?
Apart from more technology and renewable energy solutions, I would like to see more smartphone apps that become mainstream, tracking not just the environmental impact of events, but also calculate our carbon footprint, which will encourage us to do better and suggests how we do so.
We hope you found Sangeeta Waldron’s insights on sustainability trends and best practices both informative and inspiring. Keep an eye out for next month's edition of AGF Insider, where we'll bring you more expert perspectives and fresh ideas!
