In an attempt to improve sustainability of events, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) have come together to start a technical study to discover more environmentally friendly branding and signage solutions.

The guide, titled, “environmental impact evaluation of branding and signage solutions for events”, goes through a range of branding and signage utilities used at events, all whilst attempting to improve their sustainability.

IOC director of corporate and sustainable development, Marie Sallois, said improving education on the issue is the first step to solving it.

“A better understanding of the composition of branding and signage materials and how to optimise their lifecycles, can help reduce their environmental impact,” Sallois said.

“This guide is a first attempt at improving our knowledge on this topic and encouraging more responsible production and use of such materials at events,” she said.

The guide suggested that many events include synthetic structures due to them being light weight, consequently making them increasingly difficult to reuse or recycle.

Environmental experts, Anthesis, produce the guide, which evaluates over 40 branding and signage materials, providing guiding principles to improve decision-making within organisations that acquire them.

The guide has been shared with future organising committees for Olympic Games to help their decision making process.

The new branding and signage guide will be updated regularly to reflect the changing nature of the market and the needs of the stakeholders.