I’ve spent the past few years repeating my mantra so often that I sometimes sound like a broken record. “It’s not about being greener,” I’ll say, “It’s about sustainability.” One of the fundamentals of our business is that it’s not enough to look at your environmental impact – you have to be looking at your social and economic effect too. The harmony between those three interconnected themes should in theory mean that creative events prosper in a way that reduces any negative impact we may have.

I’m starting to think I may have to change my tune. Over the past year I’ve heard a new theory start to gain traction across a number of business sectors that I think should worry anyone who is genuinely interested in a more sustainable future.

The problem arises when organisations or individuals look at the financial impact of their event and interpret that as the benchmark from which their “financial sustainability” should be measured. To give you an example, I might want to use recycled paper at my event rather than the regular paper we’ve used in the past. That would sound like a no-brainer – it’s a more sustainable option. But of course I could decide that as the (tiny) extra cost was going to have an impact on my profit, the most sustainable thing to do from a financial point of view would be to stick with the status quo.
This was illustrated perfectly by a debate on Radio 4 recently between conservationists and housing developers who wanted to build on green belt land. This would damage the countryside said the conservationists. Maybe, replied the developers, but it’s still sustainable – because we won’t be able to offer low cost housing to people if we don’t build there, and we think it’s too expensive to redevelop brown field sites. They were using an argument around affordability of their end product to justify a relaxation of environmental regulation. To me that is a misinterpretation of the financial element of a sustainable approach.

I have always believed that sustainability should not cost more across the piece of an event. That does not mean that individual elements may be more expensive, with complementary savings made elsewhere. To pretend that because sustainability involves a financial element that nothing will ever cost more is a nonsense and a wilful distortion of the case for sustainability.

Financial sustainability should mean that the decisions you take around environmental and social policy are economically sound and durable, but that does not mean you can dismiss any change in behaviour simply because it costs more.

The good news is that kids today are a resourceful bunch. While I used to long for the summer holidays so my dad could bring back a Commodore PET computer from the college where he worked, todays youngsters are online and interacting in ways we could never imagine. They have a clear grasp of the geography of the world and tend to be pretty engaged with environmental issues. They are also blessed with the youthful idealism which sadly leaves so many of us as we grow up and face the big, wide world.

Harnessing that idealism is a tremendous opportunity to build a future where we think about what could be possible rather than worrying about what isn’t. This year, as part of the Observer Ethical Awards project we manage, we are looking for budding ethical pioneers who can prove that the future is bright. We’re fortunate to have vocal advocates in the form of TV presenter Rick Edwards and model and actress Lily Cole, who have been offering advice and tips on the best projects to get involved in.

For many kids, being green and thinking about the planet will be a passing phase which they grow out of. For some, it will turn into a lifelong passion. The next Sir David Attenborough could be walking past you on the school run.

This year we are hoping to receive more entries and nominations than ever before. Our high profile judging panel includes Colin Firth, Lily Cole, Ben Fogle, Rick Edwards and Melvin Benn, head honcho of Festival Republic. To find our more and to submit your entry or nomination, head to the awwards website at www.observer.co.uk/ethicalawards. Good luck to all this year’s entrants.

As ever we’ll be focusing on how we can make the awards process and the event itself as sustainable as possible. You can check out our case study to see what we’ve done in years gone by.

After the worldwide shockwave that was 2011 I’m sure we’re all hoping that this year will be a little calmer, but we may well be disappointed. Here in the UK alone we have the Olympic Games, the Queen’s Jubilee, discussion and debate about the future of the United Kingdom and a whole lot more.

At Seventeen we’re looking forward to working on some incredible events. First up we have the Guardian Awards for Digital Innovation followed by the Barking & Dagenham Business Awards and then the Observer Ethical Awards later in the year. We’re planning a really exciting two day event in London for late March which will redfine the way the public interacts with the press. We’ll be helping to reward the UK’s best workplaces in May. And we’ll be pushing the sustainable agenda within the events industry, attempting to define the way we approach these important issues in a post-Olympics landscape.

It’s sure to be a year of change, development and surprises – so stay tuned!

These roles would suit recent graduates though a degree isn’t the be all and end all – we’re looking for sharp, confident candidates who combine a precise, analytical approach with creative flair and vision. Of course, you’ll know all about our sustainable approach and while we’re not expecting anyone to have a PHD in environmental science, a personal interest in sustainable issues is essential.

We pay all our interns, and while you won’t make your first million you will be a valued member of the team. In the first instance we are looking for candidates who can work full time for at least six weeks. Beyond that period we’ll consider extending your contract on a more permanent basis.

Interested? Drop us a line with your CV and a short covering letter outlining a recent event which you think would have benefited from a more sustainable approach. Send it to Andrew – andrew@seventeenevents.co.uk.

What I find disheartening though, is when you have a room full of beautiful centrepieces which have to be left behind and thrown away after just a few hours at a dinner or awards event. We often try to find future homes for flowers when we do use them (e.g. giving them to sheltered housing nearby), but it’s not easy to do.

Lettuce Flowers have come up with a unique concept to ensure a longer shelf life for your centrepieces. You can eat them! Or at least your guests can. Their displays include edible flowers like pansies and rosemary flowers, and other flowers and herbs which can be used in recipes. Each display includes a recipe for guests to take home and make with their flowers from the event. And, what’s more, they look fantastic too!

What sort of service could have inspired this behaviour? Well, above all, a very professional and efficient service. To add to that, a very reasonably priced service. And to top it all, one that is provided by a charity that gives work to those suffering from mental health problems.

Re-instate are the supplier in question, and they can do all sorts of jobs like mailings, labelling, collating literature, packing boxes, stuffing conference packs or goody bags. They are based in Kent, just outside London, and have a sheltered workshop providing training, social skills and confidence to adults with mental health problems.

They recently stuffed 350 goody bags for us and did a brilliant job – receiving and logging the arrival of over 25 products (x350!), packing them neatly in bags, then loading vans for the safe arrival of the bags at the venue.

I think it goes without saying that I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend them!