Plan a sustainable event

A sustainable event takes the environment, people and the long-term development of the place into account. Small and large choices in the planning can make a big difference – from travel, food and materials to accessibility, safety and local collaborations.

Visit Skellefteå can support you with guidance, checklists and contacts to make your event more sustainable.

Download checklist for sustainable events

Our tips for organising a sustainable event

Reduce environmental impact
Make it easy for visitors to travel sustainably, choose local and reusable solutions, reduce single-use materials and plan for waste, recycling and deposits.

Create an accessible and inclusive event
Consider accessibility, safety, gender equality and clear information before, during and after the event. A good event should work for more people.

Strengthen the place and the local community
Collaborate with local businesses, associations and stakeholders. When the event uses local resources, it can contribute to employment, pride and development in Skellefteå.

Read more at Verksamt

Create values that live on

An event can create value long after the last visitor has gone home. This is often referred to as event legacy. The Seven Capitals is an educational framework designed to help event organisers work with legacy in a more structured way.

Visit Skellefteå encourages organisers to consider, at an early stage of the planning process, the long-term effects their event could create for participants, residents, associations, businesses and the destination. As a guide, we use a model based on seven different perspectives.

Human capital 
Can the event contribute to new knowledge, experience or skills among organisers, volunteers, associations, businesses or participants? This could include training, new working methods, knowledge exchange or opportunities for more people to develop through the event.

Political capital
Which decision-makers, organisations and local stakeholders need to be involved? Can the event contribute to increased knowledge, dialogue or development relating to an important societal issue? Strong local engagement can also create better conditions for collaboration before, during and after the event.

Financial capital 
Can the event generate revenue, assignments or new collaborations for local businesses and associations? This could include using local suppliers, creating employment, generating overnight stays or enabling local stakeholders to develop new products and services.

Natural capital 
How can travel, energy, food, materials and the use of natural areas be planned with consideration for the environment? Also consider whether the event can contribute to greater awareness of the destination’s natural assets or to improved working methods that can be used at future events.

Physical capital
Can equipment, venues, facilities or other solutions developed for the event continue to be used afterwards? Examples may include improved accessibility, new equipment, signage, digital solutions or the development of an existing event site.

Social capital 
Can the event contribute to new contacts, stronger networks or greater participation?
This could involve collaboration between associations, businesses and public-sector organisations, as well as volunteering, inclusion, safety and opportunities for more residents to take part.

Cultural capital 
How can the event showcase and make use of Skellefteå’s culture, stories, traditions and local identity? Local cultural organisations, creatives, associations and visitor attractions can be involved to create an event with a strong connection to the destination.

Plan and follow up
Choose one or more areas that are particularly relevant to your event. Define what you want to achieve, which activities will be carried out and how the results will be followed up.

Visit Skellefteå can assist with:
•    dialogue on possible long-term value
•    contacts with local businesses, associations and public-sector organisations
•    support in defining objectives and activities
•    advice on how results and effects can be documented
•    follow-up after the event

Read more about the Seven Capitals model on the Swedish Sports Confederation’s website on event legacy.

Read more about the Seven capitals at Riksidrottsförbundets web site 

Tools and support for organisers

Checklist for sustainable events
Practical support for planning and implementation.

Checklist for accessible events
Support to make the event more accessible to more people.

Event & Climate
A tool that helps organisers measure, implement and communicate their climate work.

Sustainable Event through Greentime
Information about third-party certification for organisers who want to work more systematically