Corporate event planners and trade show organizers now have a new service that can assist them in their quest to achieve net zero carbon events: Reduce 2, Saving the Planet by Degree, an independent third-party sustainability assurance practice.

Founded and launched in August by Glenn Hansen, who served as president and CEO of auditing organization BPA Worldwide for more than 40 years, Reduce 2 focuses on standards writing, carbon footprint calculating, certifying companies and events to industry and international standards (such as ISO 20121, 14001 and 14064), as well as assuring companies’ environmental, social and governance (ESG) reporting. 

Hansen, who serves as Reduce 2’s CEO, said the service will collaborate closely with companies from a variety of industries — ranging from manufacturing and agriculture to technology and finance.

“Sustainable business practices are paramount for long-term success and the preservation of the environment,” Hansen said. “In my time certifying companies and events, I have seen that sustainability certification enhances brand reputation and demonstrates credibility to investors, partners, clients and employees. The time is now for companies to get on board the reduction train as the world rides to net zero.”  

How it works 

Designed to assess an organization or event’s operations, supply chains and overall sustainability strategies to determine compliance with international standards and best practices, Reduce 2 evaluates a wide range of criteria, including energy efficiency, waste management, water conservation, carbon footprint, labor conditions, community engagement and ethical sourcing. 

Using a certification process involving audits, data analysis and stakeholder consultations to ensure accurate and reliable assessments, Reduce 2 produces a report with recommendations for continuous improvement toward achieving net zero carbon emissions within a desired timeframe.  

Big picture

According to Hansen, Reduce 2 is currently under contract with two industry associations to create sustainable guidelines and best practices for their respective memberships and is actively engaging in conversations with sporting facilities, venues, service contractors and hotels about ISO certifications. Up next will be creating opportunities to help exhibitors understand how they can exhibit in a sustainable manner.

Leading organizations and companies already using Reduce 2 to reduce the carbon footprint of their events include Destinations International, MasterCard and Maritz Global Events, he added. 

“Sustainability is ever-present in the lexicon of the events industry [and] not a day goes by that there isn’t a discussion about reducing the footprint of events and being more sustainable,” Hansen said. “People need help on their sustainability journey, particularly with getting certified to a standard. Consultants help with the planning and implementation.” 

He continued, “My role, as an independent third party, is to review what has been done and how well it is documented, as well as identify gaps and provide analysis that can be cycled through operations for continuous improvement and certify what has been done complies with an industry standard. In this way, the C-suite has a mechanism to assure their company is progressing on the path to net zero.”

Back story 

The name Reduce 2 stems from The Paris Agreement on climate change, adopted on Dec. 12, 2015, at COP21, with the overarching goal of limiting the global average temperature increase to 1.5°C (2.7°F) above pre-industrial levels, Hansen added.  

Hansen, who retired from BPA Worldwide on June 30, sits on the UFI Sustainability and Audit Committees and serves on task forces to refresh ISO standards for sustainability and event measurement. He also wrote the Waste Management Agreement for Enterprise Singapore, assisted in writing the sustainability standards for Dubai’s hospitality industry and sat with the working group to reduce the carbon footprint of events as part of the Net Zero Carbon Events initiative.