An important aspect of an event’s sustainability performance are its enduring legacies such as demonstrating sustainability-in-action, encouraging changing behaviors, and leaving new skills and resources with the host community.
Legacy and leadership can be seen as another aspect of an event’s sustainability performance – taking a leading role in change-making to enhance sustainable development and leaving lasting legacies through the decisions made and actions taken by the event.
As the event industry reaches so many people globally our activities are an important touch-point between the principles of Sustainable Development, the way we demonstrate it in action at our events, and the lasting impressions we have on our attendees and other stakeholders.
Therefore, the enduring positive legacy an event has at a local, national or even global level is an important aspect of sustainability performance for an event to consider.
Design-in and plan for legacies and continually consider legacy aspects during the entire event planning lifecycle. Events of all sizes can leave a lasting legacy and this can include;
• Individual, organizational and cultural change in attitudes and behaviors;
• Improved or additional physical infrastructure;
• New approaches to planning and convening events;
• Creating demand for new jobs, skills and business opportunities;
• Positive direct & indirect economic benefits to the region;
• Immediate environmental benefits such as rehabilitation;
• Indirect environmental benefits such as sustainable sourcing’s long term impacts.
Some legacies will be immediate, and occur within the event’s life cycle, others will have anticipated long term benefits, both direct & indirect.
Twelve Event Legacies
