How to Handle Client Event Carbon Reporting for Marketing and PR Agencies
You've organised the venue, coordinated the suppliers, managed the guest list and helped your client deliver a successful event. Now you're preparing the post-event report, bringing together attendance figures, media coverage, engagement and campaign results.
Then your client asks another question: “Can you tell us the carbon footprint of the event?”
If you're working in a marketing or PR agency and haven't handled this before, you may be wondering where to begin. You probably already have information about travel, catering, venues and production, but turning it into a useful carbon report requires a different approach.
Client event carbon reporting involves gathering relevant information, estimating the greenhouse gas emissions associated with an event and communicating the findings clearly. For agencies, much of the work involves coordinating people and information, something you're already familiar with.
Whether you're organising a product launch, press event, brand activation or corporate conference, this guide will help you understand what to ask, what to measure and how to prepare an event carbon report your client can use.
Why Are Clients Asking Marketing and PR Agencies for Event Carbon Reports?
Marketing and PR agencies are used to demonstrating the value of their work. After an event, clients often want to know how many people attended, what media coverage was generated and whether the campaign achieved its objectives.
Some clients also want to understand the greenhouse gas emissions associated with delivering their events.
This might be because they're collecting information for wider sustainability reporting, responding to internal environmental objectives or looking for ways to understand the footprint of future events.
A client might ask for a carbon footprint estimate alongside the usual campaign results, or they may have specific reporting requirements that need to be considered from the beginning.
Carbon reporting for marketing agencies adds another type of information to the event review. Rather than replacing traditional campaign metrics, it helps explain the emissions associated with activities such as guest travel, venue energy, catering, accommodation and production.
It's important to distinguish between a client's request and a legal obligation. There isn't a general UK requirement for every marketing or PR agency to produce a separate carbon footprint report for every event it organises.
However, contractual obligations and wider organisational reporting requirements may apply depending on the circumstances.
If your client is exploring how events fit into its overall emissions reporting, our article on corporate event emissions and business carbon reporting provides useful background.
What's the Difference Between Your Agency's Carbon Footprint and a Client Event's Footprint?
Before collecting information, it's worth understanding exactly what you're measuring.
Your agency's organisational carbon footprint looks at emissions associated with operating the business, within its chosen accounting boundary. This could include office energy, business travel, purchased goods and services, and other relevant activities.
A client event carbon footprint focuses on the activities associated with delivering a particular event.
Imagine your agency is organising a press launch for a new product. The event involves a hired venue, external caterers, guest travel, lighting, staging and promotional materials.
Even though your agency doesn't own the venue or operate the catering equipment, those activities may still be relevant to the event footprint.
Some event emissions may also be included in the organisational inventories of the agency, client or suppliers, depending on the applicable accounting boundaries. That doesn't necessarily mean the event assessment has been calculated incorrectly.
The important distinction is that an event footprint is not automatically the same as an organisation's Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions inventory.
The GHG Protocol Corporate Standard provides guidance on accounting for organisational greenhouse gas emissions. Our guide to Scope 1, 2 and 3 carbon emissions explains these categories in more accessible terms.
If your client specifically needs to incorporate event-related information into its organisational reporting, our guide to including corporate events in Scope 3 emissions reporting explores that separate consideration.
1. Agree What Your Client Needs Before the Event
One of the easiest ways to make client event carbon reporting more manageable is to discuss it during the initial event brief.
You don't need to arrive with a complicated carbon accounting questionnaire. Start by understanding what the client wants to learn and how the information will be used.
Questions to ask your client
What do you want to measure? Are you looking for an estimate of the overall event footprint or specific activities such as travel and catering?
How will the information be used? Is it for internal learning, organisational reporting, a supplier questionnaire or external communication?
Are there particular reporting requirements? Does the client need a specific methodology, format or level of detail?
Which activities should be included? Should the assessment cover guests, staff, suppliers, setup, the live event and dismantling?
What information should the final report contain? Would the client like an emissions breakdown, data quality notes or a comparison with previous events?
Is independent assurance required? If so, clarify this early, as an emissions estimate is not the same as an independently assured report.
These conversations help you agree the work involved before suppliers are booked and information becomes harder to obtain.
Define the reporting boundary
A reporting boundary explains which activities are included in the event assessment.
For example, a client might want to include venue energy, attendee travel, staff travel, accommodation, catering, production materials, freight and waste.
You should also agree whether the assessment covers just the live event or includes preparation, setup and dismantling.
There isn't one boundary that automatically applies to every client event. The appropriate approach depends on the purpose of the report, any applicable methodology and the activities being assessed.
If something is excluded, record the reason. This helps prevent misunderstandings when your client reviews the results.
2. Work Out Who Will Provide the Event Carbon Data
Agencies are often the link between the client, venue, production team and multiple external suppliers.
That makes coordination an important part of event carbon reporting for agencies.
You might not have direct access to electricity readings, catering quantities or transport records, but you can help identify who holds the information and when it needs to be requested.
Event carbon data collection checklist
Activity | Who to ask | Information to collect |
Venue energy | Venue or facilities team | Electricity, heating and fuel use attributable to the event, or information for an appropriate estimate |
Attendee travel | Registration team, attendees or travel provider | Travel modes, distances and traveller numbers |
Staff and crew travel | Agency and production suppliers | Transport modes and journey information |
Accommodation | Hotels or booking providers | Room nights and locations |
Catering | Caterer or venue | Meal quantities, menu types and relevant food information |
Production | AV, staging and print suppliers | Materials, quantities, weights and purchasing or hire details |
Freight | Logistics and production suppliers | Transport distances, vehicle types and relevant activity information |
Waste | Venue or waste contractor | Waste quantities and treatment methods, where available |
The information available will vary from event to event.
A venue may be able to provide energy information for a specific room or event period. Another may only have whole-building consumption figures, which could require an appropriate allocation estimate.
Similarly, a production supplier may have detailed material records, while another may only be able to provide purchase information.
You don't need to expect every supplier to have perfect data. What matters is understanding what information is available, identifying gaps and using suitable methods to address them.
Our guide to tracking Scope 3 supply chain emissions for events provides more detail on working with suppliers.
3. Make Data Collection Part of Your Existing Event Workflow
If your agency already uses event briefs, supplier spreadsheets, registration platforms and post-event checklists, you have a useful starting point.
Rather than introducing an entirely separate process, consider where carbon data requests could fit into the way your team already works.
Before the event
Agree the reporting boundary with your client and identify which suppliers will need to provide information.
When booking venues, caterers and production partners, ask what activity data they can supply and whether there are any limitations.
You can also add relevant data requests to supplier briefs so everyone understands what's expected.
During registration and planning
Guest travel can be an important part of an event assessment, although its contribution will vary depending on the event.
Where appropriate, consider collecting travel modes and journey information through registration questions, travel booking records or a short survey.
You should also consider privacy and data protection when collecting information from attendees. The final carbon report will generally need aggregated travel information rather than personal details.
If this is new to your team, our guide to tracking attendee travel emissions for events explains the process in more detail.
During the event
Keep track of information that may differ from the original plan, including actual attendance, meals served, production changes and transport activity.
For some events, collecting information during setup and dismantling will also be useful.
After the event
Request any outstanding supplier data, check the information you've received and document anything that needs to be estimated.
Our article on on-site event emissions tracking explores the value of gathering event information as activities take place.
For agencies managing several client events, a consistent checklist can help make this process easier to repeat.
4. Calculate the Event's Carbon Footprint
Once you've gathered the relevant information, the next stage is to estimate the emissions associated with the activities in your agreed reporting boundary.
Greenhouse gas emissions are commonly reported in carbon dioxide equivalent (CO₂e), which expresses the warming effect of different greenhouse gases using a common unit.
For many activities, the calculation follows this principle:
Activity data × appropriate emissions factor = estimated greenhouse gas emissions
For example, you might use electricity consumption in kilowatt-hours or vehicle travel distances alongside suitable emissions factors.
The UK government publishes greenhouse gas conversion factors for 2026, which can support calculations for a range of activities, including energy and transport.
However, the government factors don't provide a complete calculation method for every event-related purchase or service. Catering, production materials and other activities may require additional datasets, supplier information or different approaches.
The factors and methodology should match the relevant activity, units, location and reporting period.
Our guide to emissions factors explains how they work and why choosing appropriate factors matters.
What if your agency doesn't have complete data?
This is a common situation when several suppliers are involved.
Perhaps you know how many guests attended but only have travel information for some of them. Or the venue can provide its total energy use but not a reading specifically for your event.
You may be able to use reasonable estimates or proxy information, depending on the activity and the methodology being followed.
For example, a suitable travel survey might provide information that can be used to estimate some missing journeys, provided the assumptions are appropriate and clearly documented.
An estimated figure can still be useful, but it needs to be presented as an estimate.
Your report should explain which figures came from actual activity records, which were estimated and where information remains unavailable.
For more guidance, see our articles on estimating carbon emissions and spend-based versus activity-based emissions for events.
5. Prepare a Clear Event Carbon Report for Your Client
Once the calculations are complete, your next task is to communicate the results in a way your client can understand.
This is where marketing and PR agencies can apply their existing strengths in presenting information clearly and explaining what the findings mean.
A useful event sustainability report may cover several environmental or social topics. A carbon footprint report is narrower: it focuses specifically on greenhouse gas emissions within a defined boundary.
If your client needs a broader sustainability report, clarify which additional information is required rather than treating the carbon calculation as the whole assessment.
What should a client event carbon report include?
Report section | What to explain |
Event overview | Event name, date, location, format and relevant attendance figures |
Reporting boundary | Activities and event periods included in the assessment |
Total estimated emissions | The calculated result in kg or tonnes CO₂e |
Emissions breakdown | Results by category, such as travel, catering, venue energy and production |
Methodology | Calculation approach, emissions factors and data sources |
Data quality | Actual activity data, estimates, assumptions and known limitations |
Exclusions | Relevant activities not included and why |
Findings and next steps | Areas to investigate or data collection improvements for future events |
You can also include an emissions-per-attendee figure where appropriate, but make sure it's calculated using a clearly defined numerator and attendance figure. It shouldn't be presented as a universal benchmark for events.
An example: reporting on a client product launch
Imagine your agency has delivered a one-day product launch involving a venue, catering, press guests, production equipment and promotional materials.
Your client report could begin with a short summary explaining the event, what was included in the assessment and the total estimated emissions.
You could then provide a chart showing the calculated contribution of each emissions category, followed by notes on the information supplied by venues and other partners.
If some guests didn't provide travel information, the report would explain how that gap was handled.
Finally, you could identify opportunities to explore when planning the next launch, such as collecting travel data earlier or requesting more detailed supplier records.
This is an illustrative workflow, not a real Scope customer case study or a measured event.
For clients who want help understanding the results, you can share our guide to reading an event carbon report.
6. Communicate Event Carbon Results Without Greenwashing
Clear communication is already a central part of marketing and PR work, and it's especially important when discussing environmental information.
An event carbon footprint can help a client understand the emissions associated with the activities assessed. It doesn't automatically establish that an event was sustainable, carbon neutral or environmentally friendly.
Similarly, introducing an initiative doesn't necessarily prove that emissions have been reduced.
For example, encouraging train travel or choosing a different catering menu may be worth considering, but any claim about emissions savings needs an appropriate comparison and supporting evidence.
How to communicate results accurately
Avoid unsupported statements such as | Consider evidence-led wording such as |
“We delivered a carbon-neutral event.” | “We estimated the greenhouse gas emissions associated with the agreed event activities.” |
“Our event had a low environmental impact.” | “The assessment identified the estimated emissions associated with the activities included in the reporting boundary.” |
“We reduced emissions by choosing this venue.” | “We recorded the available venue energy information and included the associated estimated emissions in the assessment.” |
“This was our most sustainable event yet.” | “We compared the available emissions results with a previous event, noting differences in attendance, boundaries and methodology.” |
The wording should always reflect the evidence available. Even these examples may need adjusting to match the actual assessment.
If you're comparing two events, check that the reporting boundaries, methods and activity levels are sufficiently comparable.
A smaller event might have a lower total footprint simply because fewer people attended, while a larger event might have a different emissions profile because of its location or format.
The aim is to help your client understand the information, including its limitations, so they can make informed decisions about future events.
7. Build a Repeatable Client Event Carbon Reporting Process
Your first event carbon report may involve learning some new terminology, asking suppliers unfamiliar questions and working through data gaps.
After each event, you can review what worked and where collecting information was difficult.
Perhaps the venue provided detailed energy records, but attendee travel information arrived too late. Or the production team had useful material quantities, but those details weren't requested until after the event.
You can use that experience to improve your next event brief or supplier checklist.
For agencies managing repeat events, it may also be useful to develop a consistent reporting structure. This can make it easier for account teams and clients to understand what information is being requested and how the results will be presented.
Our guide to improving carbon data over time explores ways to make emissions information more useful as your reporting process develops.
Carbon reporting for PR agencies can become more manageable when data collection and reporting responsibilities are built into the event planning process.
How Scope Carbon Tracking Can Support Agencies Measuring Client Events
When you're managing an event on behalf of a client, there's already plenty to coordinate. Adding carbon measurement can feel unfamiliar, particularly if your team hasn't been asked to provide emissions information before.
At Scope Carbon Tracking, we want businesses and event organisers to feel welcome to begin understanding their emissions, whatever their current level of experience.
Once you've agreed what to measure and gathered the available event data, Scope's event carbon measurement tools can provide a starting point for estimating emissions.
Your agency can then use the results, alongside its documented assumptions and supplier information, when preparing the client-facing report.
Scope's tools support the measurement side of this work. They don't replace the need to agree reporting boundaries, obtain information from suppliers or review the quality of the data being used.
It's also important to distinguish an emissions calculation from an independently assured report. Using software doesn't automatically guarantee complete reporting, compliance with a particular framework or emissions reductions.
If you're beginning to explore client event carbon reporting, you can learn more about Scope's Event Carbon Tracking offering.
You can also explore our Event Carbon Calculator and read our guide to measuring and understanding an event's carbon footprint.
Frequently Asked Questions About Client Event Carbon Reporting
Do marketing and PR agencies need to report the carbon footprint of client events?
Carbon reporting for marketing and PR agencies is not automatically a general legal requirement for every client event in the UK. However, clients may request event emissions information through their briefs, contracts or internal reporting processes. The requirements will depend on the circumstances and how the information will be used.
What should marketing and PR agencies include in an event carbon report?
Client event carbon reporting should explain the activities included in the assessment, the estimated greenhouse gas emissions, the methods used and any assumptions or exclusions. A clear breakdown by emissions source can help clients understand the results and identify areas to investigate further.
Can agencies calculate an event carbon footprint without complete supplier data?
A client event carbon footprint may include appropriately calculated estimates where complete activity data isn't available. Agencies should document the assumptions, identify which results are estimated and explain any material data gaps.
Who is responsible for collecting carbon data from event suppliers?
Event carbon reporting for agencies works best when responsibilities are agreed early. The agency may coordinate requests, while venues, caterers, transport providers and production teams supply the relevant information. The client and agency should agree who is responsible for reviewing the final assessment.
Can clients use event carbon reporting in their wider sustainability reporting?
Event sustainability reporting can provide supporting information for a client's wider environmental disclosures. However, a standalone event footprint isn't automatically a complete organisational emissions inventory or Scope 3 disclosure. The client will need to assess how the information fits its own reporting boundary and requirements.
Making Carbon Reporting Part of Your Client Event Service
For marketing and PR agencies, preparing an event carbon report can build on the processes you already use to coordinate suppliers, manage information and present results to clients.
Carbon reporting introduces some additional data and calculation requirements, but many of the organisational skills are familiar.
You can begin by agreeing what needs to be measured, adding relevant questions to supplier briefs and keeping track of the information available. As you gain experience, you can refine the process and build a clearer understanding of the emissions associated with the events you help deliver.
If you're new to carbon tracking, understanding what information matters and how to use it is a valuable place to start.
Looking to understand the carbon footprint of your next client event? Explore Scope's Event Carbon Tracking tools and see how you can begin measuring event emissions.
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