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Events industry association Eventia launched its One Future carbon-responsible initiative last month to conference delegates, 48% of whom admitted to not having any form of emissions reduction policy in place.

The scheme, set up in partnership with the Carbon Consultancy, received a mixed response when it was outlined at the Eventia summer conference at Beaumont House, Old Windsor on 2 July.

Eventia members can now receive specialist management services that include free carbon audits and recommendations for carbon-reduction initiatives in the workplace. The scheme also ensures that clients of Eventia members receive lower carbon event management and gives them the option to make a voluntary 1% contribution of their total spend on any event. The money will support UK woodland creation and energy education in primary schools.

The Eventia board selected the figure of 1% as it most closely corresponds to the current market cost of carbon credits in relation to events activity, but clients at the conference were confused as to why they should be asked to pay.

Martin Lines, Nestlé Food Services strategic planning communications controller, said: “Reduction of carbon emissions is already on our company agenda. My divisional budgets get squeezed, so how are my suppliers going to ask me to pay a further 1%? Why should the client be asked to pay? And pay 1% of what?”

DPWN senior vice-president, internal communications and events, Christina Fee, agreed. “Corporate Social Responsibility is one of our core company values but it hadn’t even occurred to me to consider a levy when placing event activity,” she said.

But Eventia board director Aileen Reuter, who presented the scheme to delegates, said: “We will provide the tools so that member sales teams can sell the idea into client companies and as an industry we can make a stand for carbon responsibility.”