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How to measure the carbon impact of a corporate event?

Written by Julia
August 12. 2025
How to measure the carbon impact of a corporate event?

Understanding the impact of an event on the environment

Corporate events are polluting activities. Obviously, depending on the type of event, its carbon impact will be higher or lower. To remedy this, there are various approaches that can reduce their footprint.

In particular, you can choose a committed venue that will help you minimize your pollution. There's also the option of calculating your carbon footprint yourself, or simply consult this article to make thoughtful choices when organizing corporate events.

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Measuring its impact

A company that measures is a company that progresses! There are many criteria to take into account:

  • A strong commitment to CSR
  • Identify changes and reflect on business logic
  • Improve your future events
  • Be transparent and communicate about your company

How do I calculate my carbon footprint?

To calculate your carbon footprint, you need to take two factors into account:

Type of event

The type of event is the element that will determine the environmental impact of what you want to organize.

Depending on the type of event, the carbon impact will be higher or lower.

Here are a few examples:

Meeting / seminar / conference :

The aim of these meetings is to get together, share convivial moments and, above all, get informed to create a real corporate culture.

Corporate evening :

Whether it's an awards ceremony or a holiday party, you'll need space to accommodate all your participants and host a festive evening.

Team-building :

Enjoy the space, do fun activities and share a moment together.

Factors linked to the type of event and representing the highest environmental impact

There are a few points that represent real challenges in ecological terms:

Transportation for participants :

Transportation represents the highest level of carbon footprint associated with an event. Take the train or carpool.

Accommodation :

Accommodation design does not represent the largest carbon footprint, but the energy and water consumption associated with it can be substantial and represent a significant impact.

Catering :

Sustainable catering should be a priority. The transportation of goods and the origin of food are important issues to consider.

Other factors include waste management, communication techniques, activities and entertainment linked to the event. In all cases, proximity, the commitment of partners and an eco-positioned venue are essential to facilitate the organization of these types of events.

What tools can you use to measure the carbon impact of your event?

Measuring your impact gives you a concrete idea of your carbon footprint, so you can understand how to reduce it. Measuring your impact also helps you to convey (if your impact is low) a good corporate image to highlight in your communications.

We have identified several tools that can be used to measure its impact:

  • The Bilan Carbone method, created by ADEME, enables you to estimate the influence of your actions on the environment. Here's the ADEME Bilan
  • The Clim'Event tool, developed by the Association des professionnels des événements. Try Clim'Event

The best way to calculate your carbon footprint is to measure the impact of your last event and make sure you improve. It's often easier to realize your impact with your own eyes by making a mistake.

What to do with the results?

Your results are what will enable you to create a real improvement and thus be innovative in your sustainability objectives.

The more corporate events you do, the more results you get. These results can be used for three reasons:

  • Analyze the elements that emit the most and get a real idea of impact
  • Transparent communication
  • Set targets to reduce impact the following year

How can we go even further?

To go even further in reducing your carbon footprint, choose a committed venue that will advise you and provide its expertise in finding more sustainable alternatives. Here, it's not just a question of using paper cups, but it's important to consider everything related to the event.

Slow Village is a group of nature-based hotels that can help you plan a green event. Four of our Slow Villages are European Ecolabel certified, and our aim is for the rest of our establishments to be as well. It's important for Slow Village to help you measure and promote a reduced impact, while retaining your identity and authenticity. Enjoy local and seasonal cuisine, and take advantage of gentle activities on site.

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