Andrew Harrison, Director at Event Supplier and Services Association (ESSA), and ESSA member Amanda Marshall, Quality & Compliance Manager at DBpixelhouse, explore the events industry’s growing greenhushing problem - not to be confused with greenwashing - and what we can do to help combat it.

From fashion to food and seemingly everything in between, it feels as if almost no industry can escape the issue of greenwashing. Seemingly every other week there is a new scandal in the news of yet another big company making bold sustainability claims that have been found to be less than honest.

Greenwashing, the act of businesses overstating their sustainability efforts or making misleading claims about their endeavours, is clearly a big issue for many businesses. When it comes to the events industry however, while still problematic, the issue of greenwashing is often associated with large companies making these exaggerated claims. When you consider that the events industry is primarily made up of small and medium sized businesses (SME’s), the issue is far less prevalent.

Yet this doesn’t mean the events industry doesn’t have its issues concerning green issues and sustainability. Enter the risks of greenhushing.

Greenhushing in the events industry

The lesser-known partner to greenwashing, greenhushing is the act of avoiding publicly disclosing information around sustainability efforts or avoiding committing to sustainability efforts for risk of getting things wrong.

I believe greenhushing is the real green issue we face in the events industry. With so many of us often lacking resources or feeling we don’t have the necessary confidence or knowledge to take on more ambitious sustainability efforts, it can be easy to fall into the trap of greenhushing.

I feel there is a misconception that getting things wrong when it comes to sustainability, even when it comes from a good place, can lead to fear of criticism or backlash. It’s something that fellow ESSA member, Amanda Marshall at DBpixelhouse, has long championed:

“As an industry, we are very good at sharing information and collaborating, yet this isn’t always the case when it comes to sustainability. Sometimes I feel we’re scared to stick our heads above the parapet. Even if we’re trying our best, the fear of being questioned, criticised or misinterpreted holds us back.

“We therefore need to encourage more open discussions and collaborations when it comes to sustainability efforts, sharing knowledge to help reduce the fears we may have. It’s having the confidence to say and ask, ‘this is what we’re doing, but if anyone can tell us how to do it better, lets’ talk.’

“Sustainability after all is a journey and mistakes are inevitable. But mistakes aren’t just to be expected, they are a requirement for us all to learn and grow together as an industry, ensuring we are taking action and not fostering a culture of greenhushing.”

How to combat greenhushing

Being braver and collaborating more closely is clearly key when it comes to combating greenwashing, but for those small businesses in the events industry that are just starting their sustainability journey, it can be difficult to know where to start.

The key is to start small. Doing something is better than doing nothing and ensures you are taking important steps, no matter how small, on your sustainability journey.

It’s important to have a plan, but it’s also important to identify areas of your business where things can more quickly be assessed and improved. Look at your energy suppliers for example – if they are up for renewal soon, look at changing to more renewable energy suppliers.

Collaboration also comes when working with other suppliers. Don’t be afraid to see if renewable price costing is an option, or ways to better incorporate things such as more sustainable materials or low-carbon transport for deliveries.

Combating greenhushing is also about transparent measurement, as Amanda explains:

“You can’t manage it if you can’t measure it, so I have found beginning with simple metrics such as utility consumption, vehicle mileage or waste volumes to be a good starting point. Once you have a baseline, it becomes easier to communicate progress and change and reduce the risk of both greenwashing and greenhushing due to transparent reporting and measurement.

“From there, you can look to build a more comprehensive analysis. Tools such as the ESSA carbon calculators can help event professionals build a more in-depth examination into their carbon footprint for both their business and events they work on, helping you measure your footprint and demonstrate progress over time.

“It’s also important to bring your whole team on your sustainability journey. Sustainability is not the responsibility of just one person in the business, it’s only through a collective effort that real change can be made across your company.”

Avoiding greenwishing

It’s important to be ambitious, but we also need to be realistic in our targets and expectations too. Ambition must be tempered with feasibility to maintain engagement and credibility within our teams.

If we sprint out of the gate setting unrealistic goals such as being net-zero in very short timeframe, your team can be end up being disengaged with the sustainability journey before you’ve even begun. Everyone needs to feel the targets are achievable and that there are clear and manageable steps on how to get there.

By being brave, collaborative and transparent in our actions, we can pave the way to ensure our industry is a leader in sustainability. Embrace mistakes ensuring we learn as we go to help make our great industry more sustainable for future generations and for the good of our planet.