Top 20 tips for hosting a Sustainable & Inclusive Plant-Based Corporate Holiday Event
As companies prepare to celebrate the end of the year, there’s a growing opportunity to align festivities with values that matter, sustainability, inclusivity, and wellbeing. Hosting a plant-based corporate holiday event isn’t just a culinary choice; it’s a meaningful statement about your organization’s commitment to the planet and its people. From reducing carbon emissions to accommodating diverse dietary and cultural needs, a thoughtfully planned celebration can leave a lasting impact far beyond the event itself.
The environmental impact of traditional celebration:
Traditional holiday meals, especially those centered around meat, carry a heavy environmental toll. Studies show:
A plant-based meal can reduce food-related carbon emissions by up to 73%.
Swapping meat-heavy menus for vegan alternatives can cut emissions by 80–89% per meal.
Reducing food waste and single-use items further supports your company’s sustainability goals.
Purpose-driven celebrations:
Corporate holiday events are more than just year-end parties, they’re opportunities to reflect your organization’s values. A plant-based, inclusive event:
Supports diverse dietary needs (vegan, vegetarian, halal, kosher, gluten-free, dairy-free)
Respects cultural and religious differences by avoiding exclusive themes
Promotes employee wellbeing through healthier food choices
Demonstrates leadership in sustainability and ESG commitments
Top 20 tips for event organizers
BEFORE THE EVENT
Choose a sustainable venue
Prioritize locations with green certifications, renewable energy, and public transport access.
Go digital
Use e-invites and qr codes to reduce paper waste.
Set a plant-based menu
Feature a vegan centerpiece (e.g., plant-based turkey roast) with traditional sides like stuffing, mashed potatoes, and cranberry sauce.
Partner with ethical caterers
Select vendors who source local, organic, and seasonal produce.
Swap secret santa for a swap shop
Encourage employees to bring gently used items to exchange, fun, free, and waste-free.
Plan inclusive entertainment
Choose performers or activities that reflect diverse cultures and values.
Design a low-waste dress code
Suggest “re-wear, upcycle, or rent” attire to reduce fast fashion impact.
Create a sustainability statement
Share your goals and expected impact in pre-event communications.
Offer carbon offsets
Partner with offset programs or donate to climate charities.
Team up with a food-rescue NGO
For a place to take your leftovers, prepare to record these donation results.
DURING THE EVENT
Serve plant-based drinks
Vegan wines, botanical cocktails, and mocktails with seasonal fruits.
Use reusable or compostable serveware
Avoid single-use plastics; opt for bamboo, compostable or reusable options.
Educate with signage
Display facts about the environmental impact of food choices.
Offer a diy goodie bag station
Fill with vegan treats, seed packets, reusable items, or charity donation cards.
Track waste in real time
Use bins with clear signage and measure food waste for post-event reporting.
AFTER THE EVENT
Send a thank you letter
Include food waste avoided, total emissions saved (e.g., “this event saved 1.2 tons of co₂”), leftover donations, positive feedback highlights and a message of gratitude.
Share impact metrics
Post on internal channels or social media with visuals and stats.
Gather feedback
Ask attendees what they enjoyed and what could improve.
Celebrate success
Recognize the team behind the event and share lessons learned.
Plan ahead
Use insights to make next year’s event even greener and more inclusive.
Supporting resources
Tips for positive communication:
To build excitement and ensure inclusivity:
Frame the event around shared values: sustainability, celebration, and community.
Use inclusive language: refer to it as a “holiday celebration” or “year-end gathering.”
Celebrate diversity: highlight how the menu and activities accommodate all backgrounds, it’s traditional, but exciting at the same time.
Share the impact: include carbon savings and waste reduction goals in invitations.
Tools for measuring your event’s carbon footprint:
To make your corporate holiday celebration truly impactful, consider measuring its carbon footprint using trusted online tools. These calculators help estimate emissions from catering, travel, venue energy use, and waste, giving you insights to reduce and offset your impact. Here are three widely used platforms:
MyClimate Event Calculator – A detailed tool for calculating emissions from venue, travel, and catering, with certified offset options.
SkootEco Event Carbon Calculator – A fast, user-friendly calculator that provides instant results and offset certificates.
Green Events Tool – Developed from UN frameworks, this tool covers emissions from food, transport, accommodation, and production.
Using these tools before and after your event helps you track progress, communicate impact, and make informed decisions for future gatherings.
Sample menu idea:
Sides: mashed potatoes, mushroom gravy, green bean casserole, cranberry sauce
Dessert: pumpkin pie with coconut whipped cream
Goodie bag suggestions:
Vegan chocolate or cookies
Reusable utensils or lunch boxes
Donation cards to environmental charities
Mini potted herbs or seed bombs
By embracing these 20 practical tips, your corporate holiday event can become a model of conscious celebration, one that nourishes your team, honors diversity, and contributes to a healthier planet. Whether you're planning a small team gathering or a large-scale company-wide celebration, every sustainable choice adds up. From the venue to the menu, entertainment to goodie bags, each detail offers a chance to reflect your company’s values in action.
If you have questions, need more tips, or would like to share your own success stories or case studies from past plant-based corporate celebrations, we’d love to hear from you.
