Sustainability motivation for Fieldays® visitors and exhibitors

30 April, 2026

SUSTAINABILITY MOTIVATION FOR FIELDAYS® VISITORS AND EXHIBITORS

Fieldays has long been one of New Zealand’s pioneers in sustainable event organisation at scale. Since 2012, it has worked with external reporting company Instep and holds certification for the international ISO 20121 standard for sustainable event management.

“We recognise the unique platform we have to not only lead by example by incorporating sustainable initiatives into our four-day event, but we can also integrate insights and innovations of our exhibitors and their learnings,” says Janine Frohlich-Monk, Community & Sustainability Executive at the New Zealand National Fieldays Society.

For visitors looking for practical advice, Fieldays Tent Talks, in association with the University of Waikato, features 20-to 40-minute “drop-in” sessions on topics such as sustainability in the food and fibre sector, solar energy, regenerative practices, and more.

For those seeking information on sustainability regulations, the Fieldays Rural Advocacy Hub, in collaboration with Federated Farmers, provides a space for farmers to stop by for a chat or share thoughts and concerns on farming-related issues.

Beyond the Hubs, the expertise shared by exhibitors provides a valuable opportunity for conversations that can lead to practical, on-farm solutions.

By taking the free bus or using Fieldays Park & Ride options, visitors can also help reduce the event's carbon footprint. As public transport becomes an increasingly appealing topic amid the fuel crisis, organisers expect increased use of their complimentary bus services that run daily during the four-day event.

“It’s a simple way to reduce traffic congestion, lower emissions, and make travel to the event smoother for everyone,” says Frohlich-Monk.

For exhibitors, the Fieldays Sustainability Awards, in association with Instep, provide a platform for exhibitors to gain recognition for their efforts.

The awards are supported by a practical ‘Sustainable Exhibitor Framework’, which forms part of the awards entry process. The framework acts as a clear scoring guide, helping exhibitors understand what good sustainability practice looks like onsite at Fieldays and how different actions contribute to a stronger entry.

“Sustainability is considered across a range of areas, not just waste, including site design, materials, resource use, transport choices, and overall onsite behaviour during the event,” says Frohlich-Monk.

Exhibitors can use the framework to identify simple changes that improve both their Fieldays site and their award score.

“A positive example of this is where an exhibitor introduced reusable cutlery for use on their Fieldays site after seeing how it was recognised in the framework and later took that change back into their wider business operations. This is exactly the type of practical, behaviour focused learning the awards are designed to encourage,” says Frohlich-Monk.

Entries are now open for the Fieldays Sustainability Awards and close on 15th May. Finalists will be announced before Fieldays starts, giving entrants the chance to promote their sites as finalists. Winners will be announced on Friday, 12 June, during Fieldays. 

Instep director Peter Birkett said, “The Fieldays Sustainability Awards, in association with Instep, represent a major advancement in recognising and rewarding exhibitors of all sizes for the initiatives and tangible actions that help Fieldays meet international delivery standards and embed long-term sustainability objectives and targets.” 

The award has two categories: Small Business Sustainability and Large Business Sustainability.

Winners will share in up to $10,000 worth of services from Instep. “Supported by Instep, award recipients gain the opportunity to evaluate their Fieldays delivery in greater depth, including analysing and reporting on annual operational greenhouse gas emissions, energy efficiency measures, and broader sustainability actions and plans, aligned with ISO 14064,” says Birkett.