Becoming a force for systemic change in the events industry.
Sustainability isn't just a buzzword; it's a philosophy that can transform a business from something that makes money to something that creates value. Over the summer Zentive has been working to ensure this philosophy takes centre stage. The team have conducted the first two in a series of impactful discovery workshops. Designed to be practical and lead to tangible outcomes, we have been working on reshaping the company's future pathway and looking at how our actions can not only grow impacts in our events but extend to the wider events ecosystem.
With input from all employees, Zentive will move through three phases before publishing its strategy and roadmap, these are:
Phase 1 – Discovery
Learning and understanding how our strategy will create value – what is the business case?
Publishing Zentive’s sustainability policy. Our policy will consider our mission, vision for the business within industry and our distinct definition of sustainability.
Stakeholder investigation - Who are our clients, who are our suppliers, who is benefitting from Zentive, who could benefit from Zentive?
Phase 2 - Analysing impact
Outlining issues: Risks and opportunities and where change can be leveraged.
Creating a sustainable sourcing code. This charter will help us assess the suppliers and stakeholders we work with to produce our events, products and services.
Creating procedures that guide the implementation of our aims and objectives and ensure we stay on track.
Phase 3 - Take Action
Create action plan. Our action plan will have a specified time with revised periodic targets to achieve long term goals.
Creating an initiatives tracker and mechanisms for assessing sustainable performance, improvement and growth.
Shaping Policies and Storytelling for Pioneering Concepts in Phase 1
In our first workshop, we began our transformative journey by assessing the current revamp, sustainability policy, and conceptualising innovative ideas. This critical first step sets the tone for the company's commitment to a greener, more responsible future. To do this, workshop participants were asked to draw what Zentive meant to them. Team members then had the floor to explain what they had drawn. In giving the opportunity to all staff to contribute to the collective story of Zentive, we discovered that the common sentiment was that the company does more than just ‘Events that feel good and do good’ but that it should position itself as a service for good; an events company that makes positive change for people and the planet through innovation.
These stories, images and concepts then fed into a draft of sustainability policy, becoming more tangible for all stakeholders. You can check out our new dedicated sustainability page which outlines our policy and story here.
Phase 2: Interactive Engagement and Materiality Matrix
The next workshop built on the new policy and concepts. A dynamic and interactive experience, in the second workshop the Zentive team undertook a comprehensive issues assessment, acknowledging the multifaceted challenges posed by sustainability issues. Through a spirited mapping exercise, the team identified the most critical concerns affecting stakeholders and the wider ecosystem, all through the lens of the SDGs.
In turns, team members took cards with SDG targets and had a short time frame to note Risks and Opportunities and add scores (0-3) for the Likelihood of risks occurring, Severity of risks occurring, Legal Requirement for change, Importance, value and opportunities for stakeholders. After presenting their scores to the group, and perhaps revising their notes, using a sticky label the team marked each SDG with a D (direct) or an I (influence), team members then plot the card and post-it on the materiality matrix. Team members were encouraged to think in terms of all areas of operation, creating engaging events (External), Increasing Sustainable value (Internal) and Industry education (Consulting).
Through this process the team crafted a materiality matrix – a visual representation of priorities. This matrix served as a compass, guiding Zentive towards areas where they could create genuine value for stakeholders. Equally important, it illuminated potential risks that could arise if systemic issues were left unaddressed. Zentive will use this in our reporting to showcase the company's commitment to not just identifying problems but actively seeking solutions that align with our core values. As we go forward it’s important to stress that sustainability isn't a destination; it's an ongoing journey that requires dedication and concerted effort. Zentive's first two sustainability workshops have exemplified our commitment and thorough policy redesign, conceptual innovation, interactive engagement, and the creation of a materiality matrix, we feel meaningful steps have been taken towards becoming a force for positive change. As our journey continues into phase 3 and beyond, we will be sure to keep you up to date with our discoveries and developments.
About Zentive Agency
Zentive is a sustainable events agency in London focused on doing good. By integrating technology and following sustainable event practices, we create eco-friendly events that help you connect, reward and motivate your audience whilst leaving a lasting positive impact on the world. We believe in constantly pushing the boundaries of event planning and execution, embracing cutting-edge technologies, creative concepts, and immersive experiences. Our goal is to ensure that each event we organise leaves a lasting impact on attendees, participants, all stakeholders along the value chain, and the planet.