Why EAIE Chose Green Circle Solutions

With more than 7,500 attendees from over 100 countries expected at the Annual Conference and Exhibition in Gothenburg this September, EAIE needed a partner who truly understood the scale, complexity, and nuance of event sustainability.

“We spoke to a lot of consultants,” Sabrina van Spijker, Manager of Events and Sustainability explains. “But what stood out about Green Circle was their events industry knowledge. David and his team don’t just give you theory—they understand the real challenges of exhibitions and venues. That made us feel immediately confident we’d found the right fit.”

Green Circle was recommended by one of EAIE’s exhibition contractors, who recognised GCS’s event-specific expertise and their ability to provide data-rich, user-friendly carbon calculators for exhibitors and suppliers.

Sustainability in Action: Tools, Support and Impact

Working with Green Circle, EAIE is using a suite of integrated tools and consultancy services to support its Net Zero ambitions:

• The GCS Visitor Travel Carbon Calculator: Embedded directly into the event registration form for maximum engagement, allows attendees to log how they’ll be travelling to Gothenburg. “We’ve already reached a 30% completion rate within the first few weeks,” says Sabrina. “That’s double what we achieved last year, and registration has only just opened. This gives us real insight—no more assumptions about how people travel.”

• The GCS Event Carbon Calculator enables the carbon footprint of a conference, project, exhibition or event to be quickly and easily measured. Data from the GCS Visitor Travel calculator and GCS Event Project Build calculator can be incorporated to provide a complete picture of the event’s total carbon footprint. EAIE is overseeing 240 exhibition stands this year, and 30 free-build stands. “We now ask our major suppliers and all free-build exhibitors to input their data into the GCS Event Project Build Calculator,” says Sabrina. “The reactions have mostly been positive—many were surprised by their own emissions and have started asking what they can do differently.”

• The GCS Staff Travel Carbon Calculator can now track EAIE employee commuting and business travel, including air, rail, or car, and other forms of travel. Easy and quick for employees to use, it drives engagement and further evidences commitment to sustainability. Capturing staff travel data is crucial for Scope 3 greenhouse gas (GHG) carbon reporting.

• Advisory & KPI development: “Green Circle challenged us to be bolder,” says Sabrina. “After analysing our 2023 data and providing hands on support during event build-up in 2024, they helped suppliers use the tools and interpret emissions data across the board. They introduced us to the Net Zero Carbon Events pledge and helped us shape meaningful KPIs that are now embedded into our long-term strategy,” she said.

Leading by Example

EAIE’s sustainability campaign, #EAIEGreenGoals, sets out clear ambitions: encourages mindful behaviours year-round, promotes responsible consumption at the conference, and leaves a lasting positive impact on the sector and the planet. The partnership with GCS brings new credibility and measurability to these efforts.

“Last year was our first year with truly reliable benchmark data,” says Sabrina. “Now, we can start to track trends, measure real reductions, and know where we need to improve. And with Green Circle’s honest and practical guidance, we’re not just aiming for Net Zero—we’re making it feel achievable.”

The EAIE is now a proud signatory of the Net Zero Carbon Events initiative, aligning its efforts with a global framework to reduce emissions by 50% by 2030 and 90% by 2050. “Being part of a wider movement strengthens our case with internal stakeholders,” Sabrina adds. “It shows that this is an industry-wide imperative—not just our agenda.”

What’s Next: ESG Beyond Carbon

While carbon measurement has been the immediate priority, EAIE is now turning its attention to the broader dimensions of sustainability, including the social component of ESG.

“We’re beginning the next phase of our journey,” says Sabrina. “That includes developing a clear CSR policy, looking at inclusion, accessibility, and how we support our volunteers and partners. We want to take what we’ve done for the conference and build it across the entire organisation.”

As part of this, EAIE is running internal workshops this summer to shape its overarching social responsibility strategy. With more than 3,000 members and over 100 volunteers influencing education globally, the impact could be substantial.

A Model for the Sector

Sabrina is clear that EAIE’s sustainability journey isn’t just about internal accountability—it’s about sector-wide influence. “We see ourselves as a catalyst,” she explains. “Through solid data and transparent reporting, we can help shift expectations across venues, cities, suppliers, and the wider international education community.”

For Green Circle Solutions, the partnership with EAIE offers a powerful example of what’s possible when sustainability is taken seriously from the top down—and when it’s delivered with honesty, collaboration, and action.

“Our mission is rooted in creating positive global exchange,” she says, “but with that comes the responsibility to ensure our impact is as sustainable as possible,” Sabrina concluded.