Partnering for Progress
How Waterloo Region Powered CSAE’s First Carbon-Neutral Event
When the Canadian Society of Association Executives (CSAE) set out to host its first carbon-neutral event, it partnered with Explore Waterloo Region (EWR) and a trusted network of local experts to bring that bold vision to life.
The 2025 Summer Summit became more than a conference. It was a case study in environmental and social responsibility, built through collaboration and purpose-driven planning, and it left attendees inspired to rethink what’s possible in their own events.
“Working with knowledgeable partners in this space was our greatest asset,” says Carrie Fisher, CSAE’s Director, Events & Engagement. “Everyone worked together on this – Explore Waterloo Region, Sustainable Waterloo Region, the venues, and many other partners. We planned it, brick by brick, and that sustainability lens through which we viewed every decision got stronger and stronger.”
CSAE Summer Summit 2025 – the Details
Summer Summit Date: July 9–11, 2025
Host venue: DoubleTree by Hilton Kitchener
Reception venue: Ken Seiling Waterloo Region Museum
245 attendees
A Mindset Shift
From the outset, CSAE embraced a mindset shift, balancing practicality, experience and environmental impact at every step.
The key to success? Early collaboration. Explore Waterloo Region connected CSAE with a network of sustainability coaches, waste experts and food rescue organizations, turning big ideas into achievable actions.
Their shared objective? To demystify sustainability, educate attendees and make greener choices feel intuitive rather than intimidating.
“The hardest part of sustainability work is the mindset,” says Tova Davidson, Executive Director of Sustainable Waterloo Region. “It might feel odd at first, but once you understand it, it’s not scary. Having someone guide you makes all the difference.”
The Carbon Accounting Process
“You can’t offset what you don’t measure.” That mantra became central to CSAE’s approach.
Sustainable Waterloo Region, which provided sustainability and carbon accounting expertise, coached the team on data collection, starting at registration, where attendees reported how they planned to travel to and from the event.
Other impact areas were measured too:
- Menus were optimized for lower carbon impact
- Venue operations were baselined for water and energy use
- Printed materials were minimized in favour of digital downloads
- Waste was tracked by weight, from compost to recyclables
Once organizers had driven the event footprint as low as possible, Indigenous-owned Great Bear Carbon provided offsets for the remainder, helping CSAE achieve true carbon neutrality without compromising the attendee experience.
Creative, Practical Solutions
Sustainability was woven into the Summit’s every detail:
- Menus featured vegetarian and vegan options – like crowd-favourite vegan fried chicken – that earned praise while cutting emissions.
- Attendees were kept informed about the impact of their choices, including why beef-free meals reduce carbon footprints.
- Attendees were invited to scrape leftover food from their own plates into green bins to promote visible, participatory waste sorting.
- Fill It Forward, a certified B Corp, provided reusable water bottles; each refill triggered a $2 donation to The Food Bank of Waterloo Region, raising over $500.
- Canadian pennies were used instead of traditional paper drink tickets during the welcome reception.
“Before making any decision, we always asked ‘Iis this the most sustainable option?’ With that question top-of-mind, everything just became easier,” says Vivian Vargas, Sales Manager, DoubleTree by Hilton Kitchener.
Social Sustainability: Giving Back to the Community
While the environmental impact was closely measured, CSAE didn’t lose sight of social sustainability.
During the host reception at the Ken Seiling Waterloo Region Museum, attendees took part in a hands-on activity led by local social enterprise WholeHearted. Together, they packed over 200 snack kits for Food4Kids Waterloo Region, using Canadian-made products and sustainable tote bags.
“This was a very simple activity and it tied back to Explore Waterloo Region’s sustainability priorities,” says WholeHearted founder Catherine McGuire. “Giving people the opportunity to do something hands-on really shows them that they have the power to make an impact.”
Progress Over Perfection
Not everything went perfectly. The ambitious goal to achieve carbon neutrality left some feeling overwhelmed at first. But with early planning, expert guidance, and transparent communication, those challenges gave way to empowerment.
“Carbon neutral doesn’t mean perfect,” says Jennifer Eddings, Director of Business Development at EWR. “You just need to take action you can measure. And as long as you’re learning, you’re moving forward.”
Ready to Plan Your Own Carbon-Neutral Event?
Contact us to learn how intentional planning can lead to planet-friendly results.
Jennifer Eddings, Director of Business Development
Explore Waterloo Region
519-590-8126
[email protected]
Explorewaterloo.ca