United Nations Sustainable Development Goals Acceleration Action

Engaging the Global Event Sector in the UN SDGS, September 2022 - 23
Positive Impact Sustainability Report

 

Positive Impact is a not for profit which exists to educate, engage and collaborate with the majority small to medium enterprises within the global supply chain which enables engagement around the world. 

Readers of this report will gain insight into how engagement* strategies can be used to achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and understand how not for profit Positive Impact, an example of a purpose led business, is leading in the transformation of the global event sector and the development of a new narrative which will shape the future of human engagement.

Positive Impact could be described as a critical friend. A critical friend is someone who cares but asks inconvenient questions, challenges the status quo and exists for a bigger purpose than ego and financial returns.

Positive Impact is passionate about the power of human connection and engagement while being honest about the negative impacts and greenwash which the logistics of bringing people together can create.

 

*The term engagement is used to describe meetings, events, exhibitions, festivals, sporting activities. The term engagement is used in the updated 2022 Race to Zero Criteria.

“Engagement amongst communities, customers, supply chains and stakeholders is how we will achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, including going beyond net zero carbon targets.”

What got us here, won’t get us there

The impact of human behaviour is being felt on planet Earth and the consequences are moving beyond scientific reports, into our every day lives as we experience flooding, heatwaves, fires and droughts on a scale like never before.

There are some very obvious behaviours that produce these results including creating high levels of carbon emissions traveling by plane, wasting food, procuring internationally grown products with large carbon footprints and creating plastic materials for a one time use. 

These behaviours continue to be part of the DNA of the global event sector that delivers engagement activities such as conferences, concerts and sport competitions.

Is the solution to decrease engagement activities?

Or is it to take a different approach, as Positive Impact’s UN SDG Action #FlipTheScript Campaign suggested:

Following Covid, a trend towards virtual and hybrid has been referenced by academics and sustainability professionals as a potential climate change mitigation strategy as this article demonstrates.

This animation imagines what low carbon engagement strategies could look like:

Human engagement is vital for the future of humanity.

Human engagement removes barriers to equality and inspires behaviour change.

This year’s Acceleration Action Report from Positive Impact explores what is happening in the supply chain that enables engagement (with a focus on the over 1800 community of Positive Impact Ambassadors from over 60 countries who are part of the event sector supply chain, and use their voices to champion the creation of a sustainable event sector).

The report explores the opportunity of a gap that could be addressed and what a new narrative for human engagement could be.

What is an Acceleration Action Report?

In 2019, the United Nations asked for commitments to action to accelerate progress towards the sustainable development goals.

This was an opportunity to demonstrate the role of events in accelerating action to achieving the SDGs and not for profit Positive Impact continues to take action on this.

Since September 2019 Positive Impact has submitted an annual report.

View the 2019 - 20 report
View the 2020 - 21 report
View the 2021 - 22 report

For over 6 years Positive Impact has been part of the UN SDG Action Campaign, most recently in 2023 with the #unitetoact campaign.

How you could read this Acceleration Action Report

This report has been written by Positive Impact CEO Fiona Pelham, the Positive Impact team and contributed to by the community of over 1800 global Positive Impact Ambassadors.

 

If you are a head of sustainability we suggest you read this report and look for these ‘red action boxes’ which you can act on so your corporate engagement strategy aligns with advancing your net zero commitments. This report is written with reference to UN, ISO and best practice sustainability terms.

 

If you are an event professional there is an immediate action you can take to be part of the solution. Become a Positive Impact Ambassador, take action on the resources you receive and use your voice to champion the creation of a sustainable event sector. If you spend the time it would take you to read this report on acting to use your voice there will be impact!

So event professionals: you don’t need to read further. It’s ok to use the time to take action starting with becoming an Ambassador.

Positive Impact: A Purpose Led Business

Read below to understand how not for profit Positive Impact is empowering action which is creating a new future for engagement strategies.

Not for profits are uniquely positioned to empower positive change, as this exploration into Positive Impact demonstrates.

  • Positive Impact is a not for profit which since 2005 has been providing education, engagement and collaboration opportunities to create a sustainable event industry.

  • Since 2016, Positive Impact events has had a number of memorandums of understanding with United Nations bodies including UN Environment, UNDP, UN Global Compact and UN SDG Action Campaign. 

  • Since 2017, Positive Impact has had a memorandum of understanding with UNFCCC and has worked to engage with the event sector on a climate action framework for events. In 2021 Positive Impact became a Race to Zero Accelerator for the event sector.

  • Since the launch of ISO 20121 in 2012 Positive Impact has implemented ISO 20121 and after a number of years of 3rd party certification now demonstrates evidence of 1st party certification.

    Positive Impact CEO also volunteers her time as chair of ISO 20121.

  • In 2020 Positive Impact became one of 14 UNFCCC Race to Zero Accelerators. This means Positive Impact is responsible for acting to increase the number of event sector businesses who have joined The Race to Zero.

    There are 3 steps to join starting at the Positive Impact website where the first step is to become a Positive Impact Ambassador (so you can access materials to use your voice to champion the creation of a sustainable event sector), the second step is to make your net zero commitment on the Positive Impact website (so the number of event sector businesses being counted can be measured) and the final step is to repeat your commitment on SME Climate Hub who are The Race to Zero Partner responsible for the review of all SME commitments, OR the Exponential Roadmap Hub who are a Race to Zero partner responsible for the review of business commitments.

  • Since 2013 Positive Impact has had an innovative internship programme to support people at the beginning of their careers to build skills for a sustainable future. Following the programme interns feedback they have learnt valuable life skills (including time management and personal goal setting) and over 50% gain employment in higher roles than those they were interviewing for before their placement.

    During 2023 Positive Impact internships explored how to become a stepping stone between completion of education and gaining of meaningful employment (SDG8).

  • In 2020 Positive Impact launched a history page which documents action, since 2005, taken by Positive Impact and key moments in the transformation of the global event sector. The impact of Positive Impact has been described as a small pebble hitting the water and making huge ripples. The Positive Impact community includes global leaders, innovators and advocates for sustainability and for the power of human connection and engagement.

  • As the world’s businesses increasingly focus on ESG reporting Positive Impact’s annual report (this document) meets the reporting requirements of a number of credible initiatives including the Race to Zero, The UN Global Compact and the UN SDG Acceleration Action reporting. This report also provides evidence for our implementation of ISO 20121 to a level of first party certification.

  • Positive Impact is a UN SDG Action Mobilising partner and created tools for the global event sector to join #unitetoact #act4sdgs campaign.

  • In 2022 Positive Impact continued a campaign in collaboration with EventGrads to support the next generation of event professionals to have access to credible resources.

  • In 2023 Positive Impact continued a volunteer non executive director advisory board and constantly approached potential volunteers for non executive directors to ensure a balanced board.

  • Since 2021 Positive Impact has delivered regular conversation opportunities between corporate Heads of Sustainability, Sustainability leaders including Sir David King and government departments

By directing your supply chain to the free resources available on the Positive Impact website, and encouraging them to use their voices to champion a sustainable event sector by becoming Positive Impact Ambassadors, you will be enabling the transformation of your supply chain in a way that supports and inspires and encourages their creativity.

The usual approach of mandating  measurement and other sustainability requirements in your procurement process may leave less opportunity for your value chain to innovate and identify new solutions to meet your needs.

Positive Impact CEO Fiona Pelham explains:

“Positive Impact is a purpose driven business, we exist to create a sustainable event sector, in other words to ensure Heads of sustainability implement corporate engagement strategies which advance the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. The actions taken by Positive Impact educate a global community of the majority SMEs that are the supply chain for corporate engagement activities, collaborate with over 1800 event professionals across over 60 countries who have committed to use their voices to champion sustainability and engages government, business and UN bodies to deliver support including policy for the creation of a sustainable event sector.

Fiona Pelham, Positive Impact CEO

Our Acceleration Action Report is our annual opportunity to explore our impact and report on it, in a way that meets the requirements of SDG Action, UN Global Compact and The Race to Zero. 

Positive Impact’s values (leadership, responsibility, collaboration, communication, honestly, positivity and proactivity) shape our approach. We support the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and take action. For example, since 2019 we have collaborated with UNICEF UK to create guidelines for the consideration of human and child rights when planning an event and in 2023 continued to empower thousands of global event professionals to use these resources.

Events bring people together. Human connection and engagement  is the enabler for the advancement of the UN sustainable development goals. There is an opportunity for a new narrative for the role of events. The potential future for the supply chain that enables human engagement is impactful and sustainable and Positive Impact exists to enable this future.”

Read more thoughts and insights from Fiona on her website.

This animation brings to life what engagement strategies advancing the SDGs could look like:

How Positive Impact delivered Acceleration Action

Engaging the Global Event Sector in the UN SDGs between September 2022 - 23

Positive Impact’s Acceleration Action commitment was to:

 

Engage the global event sector so that by 2030 events are enabling inclusion and participation in decision making and accelerating progress towards the UN SDGs. (SDG16)

 

Positive Impact’s objectives to achieve this Acceleration Action were: 

 

Objective 1

Create and mobilize resources so the event sector is in action contributing to the decade of accountability.

 

Objective 2

Engage with business and government at a strategic policy level to position the event sector as a route to achieving the UN SDGs

 

Objective 3

Further the narrative of how building the future of how human engagement happens should be in line with the UN SDGs

 

For each objective we have included our 10 favourite examples of action in this report. To find out more information on our actions and impact, we encourage you to browse the website and our history page which is also developing into a virtual museum documenting the transformation of the global event sector.

Objective 1

Create and mobilize resources so the event sector is in action contributing to the decade of accountability.

10 examples of action taken by Positive Impact to deliver impact and advance this objective between September 2022 - September 2023 include:

  • Took action as Race to Zero Accelerator for the event sector and added resources on human and child rights and safeguarding to the existing 6 step programme to support event sector SME’s to make a net zero commitment and join the Race to Zero. This approach aligned with SME Climate Hub and Unicef UK materials and included resources tailored for the event sector.

 

Asking 100% of your event supply chain if they have joined The Race to Zero is a way to support your suppliers with free, credible resources which will enable them to take action in line with your own Race to Zero commitments 

 

  • Enabled more than 180 Small to Medium Enterprises (500 employees or less) from the event sector supply chain to make a net zero carbon commitment and join The Race to Zero. 

  • Created a web page documenting The Road to COP27 for the global event sector and courageously raising questions on inclusion and approach

  • Created resources so anyone in the event sector could contribute to the revision of ISO 20121

  • Delivered a second year of engagement with over 20 global universities to support them to share a pledge for event graduates to commit to using their voice to champion a sustainable event sector.

  • Continued to profile the Share a Positive Impact Campaign and provided materials to support  the global event sector to demonstrate sustainable best practice. This approach enabled peers to learn from each other.

  • Shared 9 opportunities for action as UN SDG Action Campaign mobiliser

  • Provided opportunities for action on International Women’s Day and Earth Day.

  • Supported communities to share sustainable event resources with their communities including:  Climate Association for Associations, the UNFCCC Race to Zero accelerators, UN Global Compact Network UK and Unicef UK

  • Empowered the Positive Impact Ambassador community with opportunities to take action and use their voice to transform the global event sector. Read examples below.

    • Delivering presentations to their supply chain, clients, peers and communities, on UN and global business level sustainability initiatives, using a powerpoint and speaking notes provided 4 times a year.

    • Contributing feedback on guidance created by Positive Impact and Unicef UK for the consideration of human and child rights and safeguarding when planning an event.

    • Volunteering to be part of the ISO 20121 systematic review process on committees with national standards around the world.

    • Contributing best practice to global events created by Positive Impact to raise the profile of ambassadors and the work they do

    • Trialing innovative technology

Objective 2

Engage with business and government at a strategic policy level to position the event sector as a route to achieving the UN SDGs

10 examples of action taken by Positive Impact to deliver impact and advance this objective between September 2022 - September 2023 include:

  • Provided content for the Race to Zero ‘Persuade’ Handbook so the over 8,000 companies with a Race to Zero commitment will understand the actions to take and the resources to use so their engagement strategy can advance their Race to Zero commitments (see page 40).

  • Our CEO volunteered as chair of the Project Committee for ISO 20121, event sustainability management system standard and supported and encouraged over 8 national standard bodies and 8 liaisons to be part of the revision of ISO 20121.

  • Our CEO spoke during the ISO Annual Meeting on the importance of incorporating a gender lens in ISO’s standards work to promote the wellbeing of all and with recognition that action on diversity and inclusion ensures ISO consistently contributes through its standards to a more equitable society.

 

The number of event sector carbon initiatives and claims grew significantly between 2022-2023. Aligning with credible initiatives is vital. The majority of corporate commitments to net zero are made with the Race to Zero campaign.

Positive Impact is a Race to Zero Accelerator and provides resources so the global event sector can join the Race to Zero.

 
 

Between September 2022 and 2023, Heads of Sustainability began to connect with the Heads of Events as the scope of corporate sustainability strategies grew to include events.

The over 8,000 companies in The Race to Zero began reporting on their scope 3 emissions including events.

This report is written for Heads of Sustainability to prompt the opportunity of collaboration with Heads of Events to create sustainable engagement strategies

 

  • Proposed the word ‘event’ be added to the updated Race to Zero criteria to clarify that ‘engagement activity’ means events.

  • Proposed a virtual pavilion for COP27 to The Race to Zero Accelerator Team

  • Empowered the Positive Impact community of over 40 global corporates to understand and take action on how their engagement strategies can be advance The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

    • Collaboration with groups who support corporate sustainability, for example The Exponential Roadmap Initiative.

    • Regular events with UN Global Compact Network UK to support their corporate community to create a sustainable event strategy.

    • Gained CPD certification for education products which will support corporates to create sustainable engagement strategies.

    • Delivering a 48hr event during UN SDG Action week designed with corporate sustainability and event teams in mind.

  • Supported the systematic review of ISO 20121

    • CEO being the volunteer chair for ISO 20121.

    • Encouraging engagement of over 20 potential liaison bodies including event sector associations, UN bodies, major global events, major bodies with expertise in specific areas e.g. human rights.

    • Creating and distributing resources to support the liaisons to connect with their global communities to gather their feedback on the revision of ISO 20121.

    • Creating and distributing resources to build the capacity of event professionals to be part of the revision of an ISO standard.

    • Building the capacity of the over 1,800 Ambassadors from over 60 countries on how to be part of a revision of an ISO standard.

Objective 3

Further the narrative of how building the future of how human connection happens should be in line with the UN SDGs

10 examples of action taken by Positive Impact to deliver impact and advance this objective between September 2022 - September 2023 include:

  • Participated in monthly meetings with Race to Zero Accelerators speaking up for opportunities to support the global engagement sector supply chain and shared resources with other members of The Race to Zero Accelerator community because events are a cross cutting theme across all accelerator communities

  • Shared resources on the opportunity to be part of the UN SDG Action Campaign 

  • Released a report demonstrating the impact of Positive Impact’s campaign for 2022: Participate. This was shared with the Positive Impact community of over 1800 to show how their support had shaped the global event sector

  • Updated the ‘Share a Positive Impact’ toolkit and library and sharing with over 1,800 global Ambassadors from over 60 countries 

  • Delivered a series of Soundscape walks, exploring the role of sound in creation inclusive event environments

  • Provided an intern programme focused on building capacity of new work starters to identify their career aspirations and demonstrate action towards specific career goals

  • Delivered a series of event days with participation from over 60 countries including International Women’s Day, Earth Day and UN SDG Action week

  • Provided a global community of over 1,800 Ambassadors from over 60 countries with resources so they could speak to their clients, supply chains and peers about actions that could be taken to advance the UN SDGs through the delivery of events

  • Delivered a UN SDG Action campaign with 9 steps that an event professional could take to advance the UN SDGs

  • Collaborated with over 10 amplifiers (communities outside the event sector supply chain) so they had the awareness and ability to express how events could be used to advance the UN SDGs

The Positive Impact Community 2022-23

Between September 2022 - September 2023 the beneficiaries of the Acceleration Action were:

  • Over 1,800 Positive Impact Ambassadors, event professionals from over 60 countries.

  • Over 40 Global Corporates and 4 amplifiers to corporate communities (supported on how to use their event strategy to advance sustainability commitments and UN SDGs with education and collaboration opportunities)

  • United Nations bodies including: UN Climate Change (UNFCCC), UN SDG Action Campaign, UN Environment (UNEP), UN Global Compact Network UK, and UN Development Programme

  • 180 small to medium event companies who joined The Race to Zero

  • 180 companies supported with materials, co created with Unicef UK, to be able to consider human and child rights when planning an event

  • Over 20 universities willing to support their students to use their voices to champion the creation of a sustainable event sector through the Positive Impact and EventGrad initiative

  • A social media community reach of over 79,000 (the 2022-23 figure includes social media reach of Positive Impact CEO Fiona Pelham)

  • Over 10 national standard bodies and over 12 liaison bodies

In comparison, in 2017, the beneficiaries of Positive Impact’s work is represented in this visual:

 
 

As stakeholder engagement becomes an increasingly important step within the delivery of sustainable engagement, it is important to understand who is impacted (both positively and negatively) from your company actions.

What Now: The Future for Engagement Strategies

How will the global event sector transform and be recognised as a essential contributor to achieving the UN SDGs?

This animation gives a glimpse into a potential future for corporate engagement strategies:

 

This short animation will give you an understanding of where you can start strategically implementing a sustainable engagement strategy

 

Why are we using the term engagement rather than saying events?

In June 2022 The Race to Zero criteria was updated to include:

“Within 12 months of joining, align external policy and engagement to the goal of halving emissions by 2030 and reaching global (net) zero by 2050”

The term engagement includes every type of event: meetings, conferences, AGMs, product launches, team training, reward programmes, sponsorship and more. Engagement can be understood as every time your stakeholders engage with your brand. Your stakeholders could be your customers, supply chain, local communities and more. Using the term ‘engagement’ is in line with the Race to Zero Criteria which CEOs and Heads of Sustainability have committed to meet.

 

Transformation caused by materiality and procurement

Imagine if the first step in delivering an event was a materiality exercise with stakeholders to understand the potential positive and negative event impacts, in other words how the event could advance the UN SDGs.

Imagine if corporate procurement required stakeholder engagement and measurements. 

Materiality and procurement are two likely influences on the future of corporate engagement strategies. Read the definitions below to understand more about what this approach could look like.

  • The transformation of the global event sector ie the supply chain that delivers human engagement could include a shift from budget and time focus, to materiality focus.

    In other words i.e before deciding the event budget or approach steps would be taken to understand what is material including what the positive and negative event impacts could be. The event would then be designed around those findings.

  • The starting point for a company CEO to assign budget, time and strategic commitment to any event related activity (sponsorship, exhibitions, meetings etc.) could be a collaboration with the Head of Sustainability on what is material for their corporate engagement strategy.

    Learn about the UN Global Compact's reporting framework

  • Carbon reporting of events will become the norm and without the ability to report on how events are enabling the advancement of other sustainable development goals the carbon intensive nature of human engagement will become the factor that shapes how and when events take place.

How Positive Impact plan to deliver Acceleration Action to Engage the Global Event Sector in the UN SDGs between September 2023 - 24

Positive Impact’s Acceleration Action commitment, objectives and themes will remain the same as between September 2021 - 23.

 

Acceleration Action commitment:

Engage the global event sector so that by 2030 events are enabling inclusion and participation in decision making and accelerating progress towards the UN SDGs. (SDG16)

 

Objectives to achieve this Acceleration Action:

  1. Create and mobilise resources so the event sector is in action contributing to the decade of accountability.

  2. Engage with business and government at a strategic policy level to position the event sector as a route to achieving the UN SDGs.

  3. Further the narrative of how building the future of how human connection happens should be in line with the UN SDGs

 

The following impact is possible based on Positive Impact’s objectives: 

  • Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games launching the revision ISO 20121 with increased focus on human and child rights, legacy and carbon

  • ISO 20121 used globally

  • Event Sector companies (including SMEs) are supported by a Race to Zero accelerator with resources to join the Race to Zero and by a Race to Zero partner to monitor progress

  • Opportunities for the event sector contributing to conversations that will create sustainable change including regulation

  • Opportunities for the event sector showing leadership as a sector transforming to be sustainable

  • At least 3,000 event companies in The Race to Zero and at least 1,500 (including SMEs) submitting annual reports to The Race to Zero

  • Between 4,000-7,000 Ambassadors being supported to innovate and advance the narrative of how human engagement happens

The beneficiaries of this impact could be:

  • All countries who have made a commitment to engaging with the SGDs. 

  • The global event supply chain which is majority small to medium enterprise (Source: Event Industry Council). 

  • The over 26 million workers within the global event sector who are majority women (Source: Events Industry Council and Leeds Beckett University)

  • The over 1.5 billion participants who attended business events in over 180 countries in 2019 (Source: Event Industry Council).

  • At least 20 of the world's most important corporations who can plan up to 1000 events in a year. 

The themes of the Acceleration Action will be:

  • A new narrative for events

  • Capacity building 

  • Innovation 

  • Leadership

Words from the Positive Impact Ambassador Community

This is based on data gathered in 2022

  • We asked our Positive Impact community to rate on a scale of 1 to 10 (with 1 being low and 10 being high):

    “How much has being a Positive Impact Ambassador given you access to resources, for example Race to Zero, ISO 20121 and Unicef UK Guidelines on consideration on human and child rights?”

    Over 40% of respondents rated 9.

  • We asked our Positive Impact community to rate on a scale of 1 to 10 (with 1 being low and 10 being high):

    “How much has being a Positive Impact Ambassador supported you to further the narrative of how human connection happens?”

    Over 50% said 7 or above.

  • We asked our Positive Impact Ambassadors to give us feedback on the resources Positive Impact provides on The Race to Zero, ISO 20121 etc.

    A common piece of feedback was: “It would be great if these resources could translate into some form of competency recognition - Certificate of Achievement/CPD Certified”

    We are happy to announce that we’re working to have our Educate, Advance and 3 of our annual events provide CPD points.

  • We asked our Positive Impact Ambassadors:

    “What do you need to meet your Positive Impact Ambassador commitment of using your voice to champion the creation of a sustainable event sector?”

    A common piece of feedback was “a way to be able to demonstrate I am an Ambassador”.

    We are happy to annouce that all Ambassadors can now access an Ambassaador logo and guidelines at the Ambassador Hub.

  • 10% of the Positive Impact Ambassador community have made a UNFCCC Race to Zero Commitment within the accelerator programme for event sector small to medium enterprises.

  • Of the Positive Impact Ambassadors who took part in our survey, over 80% said they would recommend becoming a Positive Impact Ambassador to their friends.

We asked our Ambassadors what they thought was preventing more commitments and the replies included:

  • Lack of time

  • Confusion on multiple commitments and initiatives

  • Not understanding the importance

  • Not knowing the “how to”

  • Fear of change

  • Need for more group conversation

  • Other business priorities

  • Concern they will not be able to fulfil on the commitment made

We asked our Positive Impact Ambassadors their favourite thing about being an Ambassador and the replies included:

  • “Removing the narrative that Event Managers are ruining the environment”

  • “Feeling responsible to spread the word helped me open my eyes for several details. Made more conscientious.”

  • “The opportunity to be part of an International community”

  • “The ‘out of the box’ thinking regarding national legislation”

  • “The emails and resources”

  • “The journey of discovering a more meaningful future to Event Management”

Information on how this report meets United Nations Global Compact Communication on Engagement reporting requirements and UNFCCC Race to Zero Reporting Requirements

  • This year Positive Impact’s Acceleration Action Report is also being used as a  Communication on Engagement for the UN Global Compact. 

    This section is a guide to where information needed for the UN Global Compact Communication on Engagement can be found:

    Statement from the CEO

    See “Positive Impact CEO Fiona Pelham explains” within Positive Impact: a Purpose Led Organisation

    Information on our policies and procedures which demonstrate the action Positive Impact has taken and plans to take in the Global compact areas

    See Positive Impact: a Purpose Led Organisation.

    Positive Impact implements inline with ISO 20121.

    Our policies can be found at the bottom of this page.

    Human rights

    See Action taken for our Objectives for Positive Impact work with UNICEF UK 

    Environment

    See Action taken for our Objectives for the actions Positive Impact has taken to engage with SMEs in the event sector to make a net zero commitment through their accelerator programme. 

    Labour

    See Positive Impact: a Purpose Led Organisation for information on Positive Impact interns and training programmes. 

    Anti-corruption

    See Positive Impact: a Purpose Led Organisation for policies and procedures in place, such as no supply chain, which prevents corruption. 

    See Action taken for our Objectives which measures the outcomes of all Positive Impact’s activities throughout the year. 

  • This year Positive Impact’s Acceleration Action Report is also being used as a Race to Zero Transition Plan.

    This page includes Positive Impact’s detailed response to Race to Zero reporting requirements

    Positive Impact has pledged to halve emissions by 2030 and to be net zero by 2050.

    Positive Impact’s current carbon footprint is: 14 CO2 Tonnes 

    Actions taken in the last 12 months:

    Positive Impact made our net zero carbon commitment via the SME climate hub 

    See Action taken for our Objectives to view the leadership Positive Impact has taken to support the global event sector to make a net zero commitment and advance their just transition. 

    See a detailed response to Race to Zero reporting requirements.

    Proposed activities departing from business as usual over the next 12 months (Our Actions):

    Positive Impact will be gathering a community of event professionals virtually for all educational events over the next 12 months to prevent the travel and venue carbon footprint.

    Positive Impact will be supporting our community of global event professionals through educational resources on identifying the optimal way to enable human engagement and avoid circumstances where an in person event with carbon impact may take place because ‘that is the way it has always been done’.

    Positive Impact will be engaging the global event professionals on how to use extensive stakeholder engagement prior to the event using Unicef UK human and child rights guidelines. This means the intention and medium of the event can be explored and unnecessary carbon impact from events avoided.

    Positive Impact CEO intends make decisions on which events to speak at, and take part in, based on the carbon impact.

    Governance arrangement around these activities: 

    Strategic lead is Positive Impact CEO Fiona Pelham and Actions and Measurement lead is Positive Impact Operations Coordinator, Sophie Thesiger.

    Positive Impact's next plan will be released in September 2024 following an impact review for Positive Impact annual Acceleration Action Report. 

Actions you could take today instead of reading this report

If you would  like to support the creation of a sustainable event sector and build the future of how human engagement happens here are 3 actions you could take today:

If you would like to provide feedback or suggestions to the Positive Impact team please email info@positive-impact-events.com