How to plan an eco-friendly corporate event in India

To plan an eco-friendly corporate event in India, settle travel first, because it is usually the largest part of the footprint, then the venue, food and materials. India has banned identified single-use plastics since 1 July 2022, including cutlery, plates, cups, straws and thermocol décor.

By Mufaddal Dahodwala · Updated

A group of colleagues looking up into the trees on a guided garden walk during a team retreat in Goa

In short

  • Travel is usually the largest part of an event's footprint, so destination and transport choices matter more than décor.
  • India has banned identified single-use plastics since 1 July 2022, including plastic cutlery, plates, cups, straws and thermocol décor.
  • Set a target and a measure before the event, then report it. Goodwill without numbers cannot be repeated or improved.

Start with travel

Getting people to the event is usually the biggest source of its emissions, often more than half. Flights weigh most.

Choose a destination close to where most attendees live, or one a single flight away. Within the destination, plan group coaches instead of separate cars, and keep hotel, meeting space and activities within one short transfer.

Pick the destination for the attendee map
Place the event where the most people can arrive by rail or a short flight.
Group transport
Shared coaches and shuttles on fixed timings cut vehicle numbers sharply.
Offsets
If the company buys offsets, agree the method and the provider in advance, and report the offset separately from the reductions.

Choose the venue on evidence

Ask each hotel for what it already does, then compare. India has its own national green-building rating, GRIHA, alongside the IGBC and LEED ratings, and some resorts hold one.

A rating is a start, not a verdict. Ask about daily practice as well.

Energy and water
Solar power, rainwater harvesting, water recycling and efficient air conditioning.
Waste
Segregation at source, composting of food waste and a ban on plastic bottles in meeting rooms.
Location
A venue near the airport or station, with the meeting rooms and the rooms under one roof.
Destinations that suit
Hill and forest settings such as Uttarakhand and Kerala have resorts built around the landscape.
A group of colleagues on a boat deck at sunset during a company retreat

Food and waste

Food is a major source of waste at events. Agree the plan with the caterer before the menu is fixed.

Plan the menu around local and seasonal produce, and offer a vegetarian-led choice. Order for confirmed numbers, with a small margin. Arrange for surplus food to go to a food donation programme or a composting service.

Materials, plastic and décor

India's Plastic Waste Management (Amendment) Rules ban identified single-use plastic items from 1 July 2022. The list includes plastic cutlery, plates, cups, glasses and straws, polystyrene (thermocol) for décor, and plastic or PVC banners under 100 microns.

The rule shapes the plan. Reusable staging and signage, fabric or digital displays, LED and natural light, and live or potted plants replace most of what an old-style event used.

Go digital
Schedules, registration and badges move to an app, QR codes and e-passes. Print only what the venue needs by law.
Reusable branding
Design backdrops and banners without the date, so they can be used again.
Water
Refillable bottles or filtered stations replace packaged water.

Gifts that don't become waste

Most welcome kits are used once. Give something people keep or use up: a plant or a seed kit, a piece from a local craft cluster, or an experience such as a donation in the guest's name.

Bamboo, cork and recycled-material items work when branding stays small. Skip anything wrapped in plastic.

Add something for the place

A team activity with a local partner gives the group something practical to contribute to the destination. Tree planting, a school or village visit, or a day with local artisans all work.

Choose partners who already work in the area, and plan the activity with them so that it helps their programme rather than adding to their workload.

Set a target and measure it

Decide in the brief what you want to reduce, and who will count it. A few numbers are enough: how many people travelled by which mode, kilograms of food waste, and how much printed material was avoided.

The international standard ISO 20121 gives organisers a management system for event sustainability. A company with a sustainability or ESG team may want its events to follow it.

Before
A written target for travel, waste and plastic, agreed with the venue and the caterer.
During
Count the coaches, the bins and the meals served. Ask the venue to weigh the food waste.
After
A one-page report to the internal ESG or CSR team, with the numbers and what to change next time.

ICE India plans these as a MICE company. Start with an event brief and the event planning timeline, and see the Cloudsufi retreat at Jim Corbett for a retreat run in a national park.

Sources

How ICE India helps

  • Event management agency

    Events planned with the venue, the caterer and the transport brief set up for your sustainability targets.

Questions

Is an eco-friendly corporate event more expensive?

Not by default. Fewer printed items, group transport and a closer destination often cost less. Some choices, such as certified venues or local organic produce, can cost more, and the quote shows each one so you can decide.

Does the plastic ban affect event backdrops and décor?

Yes. Thermocol décor and thin plastic or PVC banners are on the list, so backdrops move to fabric, wood, paper or digital screens. Compostable plastics are outside the ban.

Can an event in a national park be eco-friendly?

It can be, with small groups, no amplified sound at the forest edge and a waste plan agreed with the lodge. See the national parks guide.

How do we show the result to leadership?

A one-page report with the three or four numbers set in the brief, compared with the target, and one decision for next time.

Keep planning