How the Pandemic Shifted Perceived Sustainability Factors for Event Planners
Chapter One: Introduction
Overview and Background
The current study is intended to identify the perceived changes in sustainability factors in the event planning industry through a mixed-methods survey of event planners. Investigating how sustainability factors have changed during the pandemic for event planners is important for event planners to understand the strategic changes required during disruptive events. It is estimated that most event planners and event planning companies were severely disrupted or had to halt operations completely during the pandemic (Madray, 2020). Sustainability coves a broad array of factors across various scales, such as individual markets, industries, national economies, the world economy, and environmental, political, and social conditions. The concept of sustainability is comprehensive, given the diversity of human needs. To guarantee that sustainability continues to be a useful and relevant tool, it should adapt to local circumstances. It is recognized under sustainability models that all have should haveaccess to activities required for livability, such as dependable sources of income, and economic systems remain intact. The financial viability of an event planning company is a driving force behind the majority of the companys sustainability factors.
The research on sustainability factors is vast, covering a broad range of topics and industry-specific conditions. If business leadersare not totally committed to sustainability, companies cannot take the lead in this area. Dedicated leaders are able to grasp the broad picture, are more ready to accept perceived risks, make substantial investments, and transform their organizations to fulfill crucial sustainability goals. The most sustainable businesses incorporate sustainability into their fundamental business strategies, demonstrating how sustainability-oriented initiatives relate to company risk, opportunity, and expansion (Laasch, 2018). In addition to integrating sustainability and social impact objectives into the KPIs of company leaders and across organizational units such as purchasing and manufacturing, these organizations also incorporate sustainability and social influence targets into theirKPIs (Kemper, Hall, & Ballantine, 2019). In cases in which sustainability is clearly stated in the company’s goals, core values, and mission statement, it is much simpler for executives to prioritize it and invest the necessary time, money, and resources (Pieroni, McAloone, & Pigosso, 2019). This is something that the most highlysustainable businesses excel at. A firm might readily have hundreds of impact objectives;however,the most sustainable businesses are those with clear priorities, a vision for success, customer-oriented value propositions,links to business operations, and investments necessary for success. If a business spreads itself too thinlyby failing to invest indistinct sustainability initiatives, it may make almost no progress (Kemper, Hall, & Ballantine, 2019).
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to identify the perceived shifts in sustainability factors in the event planning industry. It is important for such research to be conducted because changes in sustainability in the event planning industry will impact the appropriate strategies to be utilized by event planners. In addition, understanding how sustainability factors were impacted during the pandemic will provide the groundwork for improving the resilience of event planners to major disruptions.
Research Objectives
1)To help fill the identified gap in the literature on how sustainability factors have shifted since the beginning of the pandemic in the events management industry.
2)To collect data on the perceptions of event planners on how sustainability factors have shifted since the beginning of the pandemic.
3)To generate conclusions and recommendations regarding sustainability factors in the events management industry.
