Reflections from SXSW Sydney 2025
Setting the Scene
At SXSW Sydney 2025, one of the most grounded conversations I attended explored the future of sustainability in events. With nearly one million professional events held across Australia each year, the environmental impact is immense. The discussion in Room C3.5 at ICC Sydney brought together practitioners rethinking how creativity, client expectations and climate responsibility can coexist.
Speakers included:
- Marky Rochford, Director, Frank Wild
- Henri Turra, Managing Director, Radish Events
- Kat Butterworth, Head of Marketing and Communications, CHU Group
- Luke Dean Weymark, Co Founder and Co Director, Compass Studio
Sustainability Without the Halo
Sustainability has become one of many business priorities rather than a moral headline.
- It now competes with finance, delivery and marketing outcomes.
- True progress depends on integration. It must live inside creativity, operations and service design.
- The risk is that sustainability becomes a requirement to satisfy, not a value to uphold.
The real work lies in embedding sustainability within every decision rather than attaching it at the end as decoration.
From Greenwashing to Silence
The fear of being accused of greenwashing has made many organisations stop speaking about sustainability altogether.
- Transparency matters more than perfection.
- Admitting where gaps remain builds trust and invites collaboration.
- Silence slows learning and limits accountability.
If the sector stays quiet, the conversation that drives improvement will disappear.
Data as the New Credibility
Mandatory Climate Reporting is transforming how events are planned and justified.
- Large organisers such as the Australian Open already report emissions, with smaller producers soon to follow.
- Suppliers will need to disclose their own impacts to stay competitive.
- Henri Turra and the team at Radish Events introduced a carbon calculator that measures material use, catering and logistics.
Measurement is now a language of trust. Data gives sustainability meaning beyond slogans.
The Cost Conversation
The assumption that sustainable choices are always expensive is being replaced by evidence.
- Modular staging, efficient resource use and reduced waste can save money while improving quality.
- Sustainable design is not a luxury; it is good practice.
- Communicating these outcomes to clients remains the main challenge.
Sustainability pays off when seen as investment rather than expense.
Insurance and Climate Risk
Insurance is becoming one of the biggest hidden issues in event planning.
- Extreme weather has driven premiums to record levels.
- Some outdoor festivals have been cancelled because they could not secure coverage.
- Shared insurance models could help distribute risk across communities.
Climate change is no longer an external issue. It is already shaping budgets, safety and viability.
Beyond Optics
Certification and ethics frameworks such as B Corp matter only when they strengthen governance.
- Labels and reports are not symbols of virtue but tools for reflection and reform.
- Education is needed across clients, suppliers and agencies to turn good intentions into shared practice.
- Collaboration between creative and technical teams is essential to close the gap between ambition and execution.
Progress comes from persistence, not perfection.
Closing Reflection
Sustainability in the events industry has entered a new phase. It is now a test of systems literacy and shared responsibility. The leaders shaping this change are not those with the loudest claims but those who align creativity with care and accountability.
When ethics and excellence meet, sustainability stops being a trend and becomes culture.
Tags: SXSWSydney, Sustainability, EventsIndustry, ClimateAction, CircularDesign, Leadership, Governance