In a recent conversation at an exhibition, we overheard someone say they were planning to
remove carpet from their event and simply tell visitors it was “for sustainability reasons”

It made us pause.

Not because carpet should always be used. Every event is different, and every organiser
should make decisions that work for their objectives, budget and audience.But sustainability deserves more than a simple statement – it deserves scrutiny.

The Danger of Simple Narratives

The events industry has become increasingly focused on sustainability over the last decade, and rightly so. Organisers, suppliers, venues and exhibitors are all under pressure to reduce environmental impact and demonstrate progress.

The challenge is that sustainability is complex.

Removing something from an event does not automatically make the event more sustainable. Equally, keeping something doesn’t automatically make it unsustainable.

The answer depends on materials, processes, logistics, recovery systems, reuse opportunities and the overall visitor experience.

Yet too often, decisions are reduced to a simple message:

“We’ve removed this, therefore we’re sustainable”

That’s not sustainability, that’s marketing.

Looking Beyond the Surface

Take event carpet as an example.

The sustainability question isn’t simply whether carpet exists or not.

The questions should be:

• What is it made from?
• How is it installed?
• What happens to it afterwards?
• Can it be recovered?
• Can it be recycled?
• Can it be reused?
• What impact does it have on the overall event experience?

These are the conversations that matter.

A carpet that is recovered, recycled and used within a circular system tells a very different story from one that isn’t.

Likewise, a decision to remove carpet should be evaluated against the broader impact that decision has on the event.

Experience Matters Too

One thing often overlooked in sustainability discussions is the visitor experience. Carpet contributes to acoustics, comfort, navigation and the overall feel of an exhibition. It helps transform large concrete halls into environments where people want to spend time.

We’ve all walked into halls without carpet and immediately noticed the difference. The space can feel harsher, noisier and less complete.

It means there is a trade-off, and genuine sustainability requires acknowledging trade-offs rather than pretending they don’t exist.

Asking Better Questions

The most sustainable events of the future won’t be the ones making the loudest claims.

They’ll be the ones asking the best questions.

They’ll understand their materials. They’ll understand their supply chains. They’ll measure outcomes rather than assumptions and they’ll recognise that sustainability isn’t about finding a simple villain or a simple solution.

It’s about making informed decisions.

Moving Beyond Greenwashing

As an industry, we should be challenging ourselves to go beyond surface-level sustainability messaging.

If we’re serious about reducing environmental impact, we need to be honest about what works, what doesn’t and where the real opportunities lie.

The goal shouldn’t be to look sustainable.

The goal should be to be sustainable.

And there’s a big difference between the two.