Continuing Our Commitments to Creating a More Sustainable Future at Workday Rising

At Workday, we think about sustainability in everything we do and measure our success not only in financial terms but also in how we impact the world. Guided by our core values, we’re committed to creating a sustainable future and know we’re stronger when we work together with our community. Through collaboration, we can make a greater impact. 

At Workday Rising, we have sustainability throughout the full program, including our registration, expo builds, transportation, etc. We’re committed to creating experiences aligned with our pillars of sustainability: measuring carbon impact, partnering with sustainable supply chains, reducing our waste, and engaging with the Workday Rising community.

Committing to Carbon Reduction 

As we’ve done since Workday Rising in 2018, we’re proud to share that we’ll once again be offsetting emissions from travel not only for Workday employee travel to Workday Rising, but all attendee travel. We’ll do this by purchasing high-quality carbon credits that support sustainable development projects around the world. By limiting on-site travel to only essential needs, we’re taking a strategic approach to travel. In addition, Workday Rising attendees will be able to view a robust library of content remotely and be able to view recorded sessions post-event.

For on-site transportation, attendees are encouraged to ride the provided fuel- efficient shuttles to reduce traffic congestion between hotels and the convention center. The routes are designed to maximize ridership and minimize the number of shuttles on the road, lessening environmental impact. In addition, we’ve increased the number of hotel rooms for attendees within walking distance of the convention center, further eliminating the number of shuttles needed. 

Calculating Carbon Emissions With TRACE: How We’ll Measure Our Impact

We’ll gather data from our vendors at Workday Rising across key areas to develop a per-person carbon footprint. Using a carbon emission measurement tool specifically for large events—TRACE by isla—we’ll create a baseline this year for future event measurement. By collecting data on energy, water usage, food, beverage, travel, graphics, building materials, transportation, waste, and recycling, we’ll be able to evaluate total carbon emissions. We’ll incorporate this data into future event planning and share our post-show outcomes.

Nurturing a Sustainable Supply Chain

Our vendors and venues are a core part of event sustainability success. This year, we’ve created a more diverse and inclusive supply chain to better support the local economy. As we move forward in coming years with Workday Rising, we’ll look at new venues and new vendors that align with our values in a multiyear approach, in addition to ensuring we’re meeting our sustainability goals and minimizing our environmental impact. 

Prioritizing Waste Reduction 

One of our goals is to reduce waste and enhance our post-show donation programs to support local charities in the community. Charities we’ll be donating to include: Habitat for Humanity, A Gift for Teaching, Great Oaks Village youth shelter, and Central Florida Children’s Home.

Our waste-reduction initiatives include:

• Decreasing food waste. Our menus have been designed to have minimal impact on the environment with food items that have low carbon footprints. Many of the herbs and vegetables are grown at the convention center’s indoor vertical garden or are locally and organically sourced. In addition, menus emphasize plant-based options by making animal protein a side rather than a main course; generally, plant-based foods use much less water and have a much smaller carbon footprint compared with meat. Also, unserved food will be donated locally. Charities will come on-site for food pickup and either serve meals the same day or flash freeze them for later. Food will be composted as a last resort.

• Recycling and composting. Our waste stations will collect recycling, trash, liquids, and compost, and all serviceware will be plant based and recyclable and/or compostable. Our booths, signage, and event decor have been created from recycled material that’s designed to last and be repurposed for other events or on our Workday campuses. And to minimize paper waste, we’ve eliminated printed handbooks and manuals and replaced them with digital copies or QR codes. Post-show, we’ll donate to the local community any leftover items we can’t repurpose, including furniture, office supplies, and some signage. 

• Reusable water bottles only. Attendees will receive a conference bag made from sustainable materials and a reusable bottle to refill at FloWater refill stations throughout the expo. By using refillable water bottles, we’ll divert more than 40,000 plastic water bottles from the landfill.

Communication and Engagement With Event Attendees

We’re connecting with attendees via our website and mobile app to share the wellbeing and sustainability experiences that are available. Post-show, we’ll provide a follow-up article with our measurable outcomes. In addition, we’ll have educational opportunities, including our sustainability sessions, and information at waste stations on the importance of waste management. And, recognizing that environmental and social issues are pillars of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) efforts, we’ll have a “Be the Change” activity at our VIBE™ (Value Inclusion, Belonging, and Equity™) station.

At Workday, whether it’s inside our offices, at our events, in our communities, or in the world at large, we remain committed to doing our part to create a more sustainable future. 

And there’s more to come; we’ll be hosting our Workday Rising Europe event in Stockholm, Sweden in November. Later this winter, we’ll share insights into the results of the sustainability initiatives we implemented at both events. Stay tuned.