IAVM, Honeycomb Strategies, and TSNN Release the First-Ever Industry Benchmark Report on Sustainability Performance

53 venues across regions and venue types contributed foundational data to a new public baseline for energy, water, waste, and operations.

Informa (LSE:INF)

NEW YORK, NY, UNITED STATES, April 15, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Venue Sustainalytics released its 2024 Industry Report, the first publicly available, data-driven benchmarking analysis of sustainability performance across a broad range of event venues. Based on quantitative data submitted by 53 venues, the report establishes a much-needed baseline for how the venue industry is tracking—and implementing—sustainability practices.

This pioneering initiative, developed through a strategic partnership between the International Association of Venue Managers (IAVM), Trade Show News Network (TSNN) by Informa, and Honeycomb Strategies, aims to transform how the events industry approaches and measures sustainability.

Covering energy, water, waste, and operations, the report reveals a clear pattern: venues that consistently track data and assign formal sustainability responsibility are significantly more likely to implement impactful operational practices and communicate results transparently.

“This report represents a foundational step for venues in a complex and evolving event industry,” said Lindsay Arell, CEO, Honeycomb Strategies, which conducted the analysis. “For the first time, we can move sustainability conversations out of the abstract and into measurable, comparable performance data.”

Key Findings Include:

Energy:

809 million kWh of energy were consumed in 2024 by just 48 reporting venues—enough to power nearly 78,000 U.S. households for a year.

Venues with a Green Team or dedicated sustainability role were far less likely to appear among extreme high-energy users.

Waste:

86% of certified venues track waste data, vs. near-zero tracking among some non-certified venue types.

100% of venues with a sustainable procurement policy (16 venues) also reported a waste diversion rate for 2024, indicating venues with a sustainable procurement policy may be more likely to track their waste streams and diversion rates.

Water:

Stadiums consume the most water annually, but on a per-attendee basis, perform comparably to other venues.

19% of respondents (10 venues) are using reclaimed water.

Operations & Governance:

Venues with Green Teams are nearly 10 times more likely to publish a public sustainability report.

Policies matter: venues with environmental procurement or green cleaning policies show dramatically higher rates of certification.

“For the first time, our industry has a shared, data-backed view of where venues truly stand on sustainability,” said Trevor Mitchell, IAVM President and CEO. “This report moves the conversation from intention to performance, and that’s a critical shift for venues facing increasing operational, regulatory, and stakeholder expectations.”

Mitchell added, “What stands out is not just where progress is happening, but where the gaps remain. Venue Sustainalytics gives operators a practical benchmark and a clear starting point for turning data into action.”

The report also highlights regional performance patterns, success stories from venues like the Phoenix Convention Center and Oregon Convention Center, and clear opportunities for no- and low-cost improvements.

“This report gives the live events industry something it hasn’t had before: credible, comparable data that shows how sustainability is actually being implemented on the ground,” said Danica Tormohlen, VP of Content for TSNN. “What makes these findings compelling is their relevance to real-world operations—from energy use to waste diversion to transparency. This is the kind of insight venues, organizers, and partners can use immediately to make smarter decisions.”

The new 2025 Venue Sustainalytics survey is now open, asking for venues to report their findings for the second straight year, and inviting additional venues to participate, strengthen the industry baseline and track progress year over year.

Access the full report and dashboard at:
👉 venuesustainalytics.com

Sponsors

Venue Sustainalytics is supported by Founding Partner Legends Global, whose global network includes more than 450 venues, 20,000 events, and 165 million guests annually. The Green Sport Alliance, a membership organization for the sports and entertainment industries, is a supporting association.

Limited sponsorships are still available. For more information, contact Chris Conwell at chris.conwell@informa.com

About Venue Sustainalytics
Venue Sustainalytics is a first-of-its-kind sustainability benchmarking and data intelligence platform purpose-built for event venues and organizers. Launched in 2025, it provides insights to help the events industry move into a greener future through data collection, analysis, and reporting.

About IAVM
The International Association of Venue Managers is a leading organization representing public assembly venues from around the globe, committed to inspiring leaders, building expertise, and creating connections for life.

About TSNN
Founded in 1996, Trade Show News Network (TSNN) by Informa is the world's leading online resource for the trade show, exhibition, and event industry.

About Honeycomb Strategies

Honeycomb Strategies specializes in custom sustainable solutions for the event industry through tailored program development, accurate data management, and genuine stakeholder engagement for measurable impact.

Danica Tormohlen
Trade Show News Network (TSNN)
email us here

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