Sustainable Events: VOK DAMS Launches the SDG Event Compass

Sustainability has become a core responsibility in event and live marketing. Customers, partners, and employees increasingly demand that events be planned responsibly and sustainably. This is a challenge that event departments must address. The United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) provide an internationally recognized framework to make event solutions more sustainable. The connection between events and the 17 SDGs is now emphasized in the updated international standard ISO 20121:2024.

VOK DAMS – the event and live marketing specialist – has addressed these developments with the introduction of the “SDG Event Compass”. This practical tool helps event managers integrate sustainability measures into their event and live marketing strategies while systematically aligning them with the United Nations’ SDGs. The goal of the SDG Event Compass is to provide clear and structured guidance for making events future-oriented and measurably more sustainable.

A Global Framework for Sustainable Events

The UN SDGs offer companies an internationally recognized framework for aligning event solutions with the most pressing global challenges—from climate action to social justice. The SDG Event Compass addresses this need by providing clear guidance to align event and live marketing activities with these global objectives.

The agile approach of the SDG Event Compass is one of its main features. Companies can select specific SDGs with corresponding event and live marketing solutions that best fit their corporate and communication strategies, regardless of event type or size. Additionally, the tool enables comprehensive documentation and measurability of sustainability efforts. This creates transparency and facilitates the communication of progress in sustainability reports to investors, customers, partners, and employees.

The SDG Event Compass: A Five-Step Guide

The SDG Event Compass is based on a structured five-step process:

1. Understand the SDGs: An introduction to the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals.
2. Select Relevant SDGs: Guidance for selecting the SDGs that best align with a company’s objectives and events.
3. Define Event Goals: Support in formulating clear, measurable goals directly linked to the SDGs, along with examples of successful implementation.
4. Set Actions and KPIs: The SDG Event Compass includes a comprehensive selection of pre-designed actions and KPIs to help companies measure the success of their sustainable initiatives.
5. Report and Communicate: Assisting companies in transparently documenting their sustainability performance and communicating their commitment to stakeholders.

Additional Support with the Latest VOK DAMS Whitepaper

The latest VOK DAMS whitepaper, “Agile and Sustainable: Planning Events with the SDG Event Compass“, offers practical insights how companies can use the SDGs and the 2030 Agenda as a strategic framework to meet regulatory requirements and plan sustainable events. It highlights key legal and regulatory standards and provides practical guides and checklists for implementation.

The whitepaper is available for free on the VOK DAMS website: vokdams.de