Sustainable events at Linnaeus University

Food and drink

• Order food with as small environmental impact as possible. Like, for instance, food that is organic, locally produced, eco-labeled and fair trade, adapted to the season, climate-smart, or vegetarian. Good meat alternatives are natural pasture meat and game meat, wild boar in particular.
• Request measures to reduce food waste.
• Order tap water instead of bottled water.
• Provide information on the origin of the food and whether it has any eco-labelling.
• Serve food that takes the most common allergies into account (nuts, gluten, lactose).

The global goals 2, 3, 8 and 12

Facilities

• Prioritise facilities that are accessibility-adapted and eco-labelled. Separation at source of waste should be available. Note: Linnaeus University's facilities are accessibility-adapted (comprises tactile aids like braille and tactile path, and have auditory loops in lecture rooms) and use fossil-free energy sources.
• Use decoration that takes allergies into account, with as small impact on the environment and the climate as possible.

The global goals 7, 9, 11, 13 and 15

Equipment

• Only use profile and printed information material when necessary. Refer to web links instead.
• Disposable items should be avoided, plastic material in particular.

The global goals 8, 9, 12 and 15

Target group and speakers

• Strive to achieve broad representation among speakers and participants: gender, ethnicity, age, functionality, etc.
• Strive to achieve broad representation in picture, text and speech, that statistics are divided into gender, age, ethnicity, etc. to the extent possible and that stereotyping is avoided.

The subgoal 1, equality policy goals, and to global goal 5.

Participation and travel

• Adapt the conference form to the purpose of the conference; online, in-person, or hybrid.
• In the invitation, encourage participants and lecturers to travel sustainably; for instance, by car-pooling or travelling by public transport.
• Adapt the start and the end of the conference to public transport timetables. And strive to find a location for the conference that minimises travel.
• When thanking speakers, offer gifts that communicate sustainability.
• Provide information on where to charge electric vehicles.

The global goals 11, 12 and 13

Accommodation

• As a first alternative, when making reservations for accommodation in connection to arrangement of conference, choose accommodation alternatives that Linnaeus University has an agreement with. These accommodation alternatives meet the requirement of certified environment and sustainability work.

The global goals 7 and 11

Communication

• Strive not to print numerous programme folders or the like. Instead, print a QR code to the conference's webpage on nameplates or a programme sign.
• Documentation, like abstracts, ppt presentations, etc. is published on the conference web page for download.
• Encourage fair exhibitors not to hand out material during conferences.
• Communicate that the event is sustainable. Be open and transparent about the sustainability work.
• Ask the participants to return their nameplates before leaving the conference.
• Communicate how Linnaeus University works to prevent discrimination and harassment, see Linnaeus University's webpage on discrimination, should always be part of a conference's webpage.

The global goal 12

Social aspects

• Use inclusive language. For instance, by saying "pause" instead of "stretch your legs". In this way, we do not presume what functionality conference participants have.
• Make sure that social activities during the conference are inclusive.
• Use black pens on whiteboards, as that colour is easiest for all participants to see.
• Avoid strong smells and perfumes, to facilitate participation for people with allergies.
• Linnaeus University has a zero-tolerance policy against discrimination, harassment and other violations.

The global goals 5 and 16

Follow-up and evaluation

• After an event has taken place, a follow-up is carried out of the sustainability aspects to see what can be improved. Provide feedback to the speakers and the conference facility.

Connection to global goals 2, 3, 7, 11, 12 and 13

Linnaeus University is a member of the organisation GreenAct Kronoberg. Our guidelines concerning sustainable events and meetings are based on this collaboration.