Event Planning for Social Good

Event planning for social good is a conceptual approach to how we build, source, produce, and sustain special event programs over time. The application of this idea creates an interesting and potentially powerful intersection between two independent concepts: bringing people together, and improving the well-being of society. It can appear in all sorts of event concepts, across all types of formats and sizes:  

• music, arts, and other public events and festivals

• brand interactions with consumers via experiential marketing campaigns

• organizations’ use of events to build and support communities they serve 

Yet the approach includes in its regard the requirement to consider impact on society and impact on the environment. 

At CG Events, our approach prioritizes projects with a strong social purpose, working to bring focus and intentionality to the creation of world-class experiences that inspire connection, support community, and address social issues. 

But what does this mean, exactly? How do we differentiate between a strong social purpose and its absence, and what can our clients expect from us as we apply these concepts in our work? Let’s take a look: below we break down what each of these ideas mean for us, and how CG Events applies our experience and background to leave the world better than we found it.

Gatherings With a Purpose

A successful gathering has a clear mission. Our events are structured to achieve specific objectives, like raising money, creating culture or supporting campaigns. Through conferences, workshops, galas, festivals, sports activities and more, we deliver events that are educational, inspirational, connective, or transformative. We look for projects that are critical to strengthening community, highlighting the stated mission of our clients and reflect the guiding purpose of our day-to-day work.

Supporting Communities

Important work needs financial support, and the team at CG Events has years of experience raising money through event campaigns. In 2023, CG Events was hired to produce the new event Walk for Alopecia in the Bay Area. In addition to event operations and planning, we also supported walk-where-you-are kit development & fulfillment, as well as event merchandise. Because fundraising event programs are complex and multi-pronged, we remain nimble to respond to the needs of our clients, supporting all phases from campaign creation to execution. We understand that how a donor or a participant interacts with a brand is a key factor in their retention, so our approach unites these concepts: centering the participant experience through mindful application of the organization’s purpose and mission.

Sustainable Operations

Let’s face it, events can be wasteful. They create tons of recycling and landfill. Environmental impact is often not considered at all, or is forced on event planners through permits and venue contracts. There is a better approach. CG Events adopts the latest in sustainability operations for events, adhering to the Sustainable Event Standards set forth by the Events Industry Council. In addition to reducing waste and limiting single-use materials on-site, we collaborate with our clients to develop ongoing sustainability practices for event programs.