Saturday, 15 March 2025
We take our environmental responsibility seriously. That’s why, for the second year in a row, we partnered with Carbon Tool to calculate and better understand the carbon footprint of our event. This year, we went a step further by incorporating additional data, such as emissions from jury meetings, to ensure a more detailed and accurate picture of our impact.
What Was the Event Carbon Footprint?
The total carbon footprint of the CIJ Awards 2024 event was 6019 kgCO₂e, and here’s how it breaks down:
• Food and Beverages: 2644 kgCO₂e (44%) of total emissions, the largest contributor.
• Commuting and Team Effort:2490 kgCO2e(42%), reflecting travel and staff activities.
• Materials: 323 kgCO₂e (5%)
• Waste: 329 kgCO₂e (5%).
• Electricity: 233 kgCO₂e (4%), showing efficient energy use.
We learned that 96% of our emissions came from Scope 3 (indirect emissions like food, travel, and materials), while Scope 2 emissions (electricity) were just 4%.
What Does This Footprint Look Like?
Carbon Tool wanted to make these numbers easier to understand, so here’s what the event’s carbon footprint looks like in separate common items:
Additionally, these relatable metrics help us engage stakeholders, participants, and partners in our sustainability journey, making carbon reduction a shared goal for everyone involved.
Progress Since Last Year
We’re thrilled to report that our efforts to reduce emissions are paying off, the carbon footprint per participant dropped by 4.85%, from 17.70 kgCO₂e in 2023 to 16.86 kgCO₂e in 2024.
What’s more, this reduction shows the cumulative power of gradual changes. For example, encouraging remote participation for preliminary jury meetings or sourcing local ingredients for the gala could help us drive this number down even further in the coming years. Every small step contributes to a much bigger outcome.
What’s Next? Becoming Carbon Neutral
We’re not stopping at calculation the carbon footprint. Our goal is to reduce even further by considering strategies like:
• Reducing single-use materials.
• Exploring hybrid formats for jury meetings to cut down commuting emissions.
• Improving food planning to minimize waste.
As a shot term option of neutralizing the carbon footprint of this year’s event, we worked with Carbon Tool to offset all carbon emissions through Verified Carbon Offsets.
Building a Sustainable Future
At CIJ Awards, we believe events can celebrate achievements while taking care of the planet. Our partnership with Carbon Tool helps us stay accountable and make progress each year.
Next year, we’re excited to further integrate sustainable practices. Together, we can set the standard for responsible, environmentally conscious events. Thank you for joining us on this journey.
