Participating in JACE Training — Rethinking Sustainability

Hello everyone, this is Shigeta from GLOBAL PRODUCE.
This time, I participated in a sustainability training organized by JACE (Japan Event Industry Promotion Association). I’d like to share an overview of the program and some key takeaways from the experience.

What is the JACE Sustainability Training?

This JACE sustainability training was held under the initiative of the Japan Event Industry Promotion Association, using the office space of one of its member companies as the venue.

Among the various training sessions held throughout the year, this was the first time a session focused specifically on “sustainable ideas in events,” bringing together mainly younger professionals from JACE member companies. (From my perspective, most participants appeared to be in their early 20s to 30s!)

Workshop Overview

The workshop ran from 13:00 to 19:00 and began with lectures covering the fundamentals of sustainability, followed by group work based on a fictional event scenario.

During the lecture, we learned key concepts such as “carbon neutrality” and the “circular economy,” as well as how these ideas differ within the context of event planning and operations.

In the group work, we were given a fictional large-scale EXPO that was intentionally far from sustainable, and tasked with identifying “sustainable actions” that could be applied.

In my group, we focused on issues such as mass food consumption and waste, as well as the energy required for long-distance transportation. Our proposed solutions included:

• Local production for local consumption
• Automation through AI
• Implementing a pre-order system

As part of the exercise, we also used business card-sized cards with different sustainable actions written on them, selecting and discussing relevant ideas as a team.

What You Can Do: Events × Sustainability

Here, I’d like to briefly share what I learned about applying Carbon Neutral (CN) and Circular Economy (CE) concepts to events.

You may have heard these terms before, but do you clearly understand the differences in both meaning and action? Below is a simple breakdown along with examples in event settings.

Carbon Neutral (CN):

Focuses on greenhouse gases—how to reduce emissions.
[CN in Events]

• Providing vegan, halal, or vegetarian food options
• Using renewable energy (e.g., purchasing energy certificates)
• Encouraging the use of public transportation
• Using low-emission materials

Circular Economy (CE):

Focuses on resources—how to reduce waste and promote circulation.
[CE in Events]

• Reducing food loss
• Converting waste into energy resources
• Using locally sourced materials
• Using upcycled or recyclable materials

During the workshop, each group actively discussed and explored different sustainable actions.

Many participants (myself included) realized that while we may have heard these terms before, we didn’t fully understand their subtle differences until now.

Closing Thoughts

Looking at these examples, you might find yourself thinking, “Actually, this is something we can start doing right away.”

Taking that first small step and incorporating it into your event is what truly matters.

Events already have strong potential for sustainability through aspects such as meaningful work and knowledge sharing. By adding sustainable actions from perspectives like materials, energy, and food, that potential can be amplified even further.

At GLOBAL PRODUCE, we have a wide range of ideas when it comes to sustainable event solutions—and we are fully equipped to support you.

We hope you’ll remember:
Events × Sustainability × GLOBAL PRODUCE

And feel free to reach out to us anytime.