11 June 2024

Sustainable practices are often seen as actions that minimise environmental impact. According to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) proposed by the UN, sustainable practices include themes such as environmental protection, the fight against poverty, inclusion, and collaboration.

While many of our blogs explore tips on how to minimise the environmental impact of events, in this blog we will talk about the social aspects of sustainability and how to approach them when organising a conference.

Before the event

Promoting inclusive practices within research should be at the core of organising a scientific meeting. Diversity should be reflected among the attendees, the speakers and the staff involved in running and organising the event.

Here are some actions that support inclusion among attendees and speakers:

• Consider offering remote/hybrid options to join the meeting. Travelling to attend a conference in person can sometimes be challenging for researchers. Issues such as personal commitments, financial and time constraints or medical requirements might all prevent people from attending. Offer everyone an option to suit their needs where possible.
• Offer discounted prices for early-career researchers or attendees who struggle financially to pay the whole price of the ticket.
• When selecting your venue and accommodation consider what accessibility options are available. For example, having wheelchair access and hearing loops in the meeting rooms.
• Promote gender equality and fair representation among the participants, speakers and staff.
• Offer financial support for people with dependent care responsibilities. This will help create equal opportunities to attend meetings for those who might struggle to participate due to personal commitments such as childcare, elderly or other dependent care.
• Offer opportunities to people from disadvantaged backgrounds to get involved in the organisational process.

The Company of Biologists’ Fund for Innovations in Sustainable Conferencing may be able to support you financially with some of the ideas listed above, for example by helping fund technology and technical support for remote and hybrid options. We also offer dependent care grants of up to £400 for our meetings. Eligible costs include: travel and accommodation for an accompanying carer at your home or at the meeting, childcare during the meeting, additional care at home (above any normally incurred costs). Forms should be available on specific meeting event pages before the deadline for applications passes.

What about the suppliers?

Collaborating with suppliers who share your concerns regarding climate change is always a good way to minimise your environmental impact, but it is also important to make sure that these suppliers care about the social side of sustainability too.

Try to collaborate with companies that invest in the wellbeing of their employees or that support small businesses and promoting local and responsible brands. You can also look to work with non-profit companies or charities that support social causes.

Socially responsible companies will often be certified by third-party organisations. Many sustainable certificates cover both environmental and social causes, but not all. Be sure to check the details of any certificates promoted on company websites.

If the supplier does not have sustainable certification, you may still be able to identify socially responsible traits by checking their website for policies linked to socially responsible actions, fair labour practices, anti-modern slavery, anti-corruption, or ESG (environmental, social and transparent governance).

What else can be done during the event?

Hire local employees, collaborate with charities, support small business development and promote diversity within the organisational staff. All these factors contribute to creating equal opportunities for everyone and to boosting sustainable economic growth. This is in line with Sustainable Development Goals 8, 10, and 12.

The event is finished. Anything else?

Donations will also increase the social support you are bringing to your scientific meeting. At the end of your event, organisers should also take care to consider what happens to any surplus food, which could be redistributed to charities or food banks.

Why is this important?

Living in a world with equal opportunities for everyone will help us fight climate change by accelerating progress and raising awareness. Any inclusion or inequality issue is a climate change problem as well. The health of our planet is a problem shared by all of us, so it is vital that we include everyone in the solution-finding process. While the purpose of scientific events is to bring people together, this is the perfect opportunity to improve the representation needed in our fight against global warming.