Leadership and advocacy: What does it mean for sustainable spectator and audience travel?

Modeshift Executive Board Member, Jon Foley will be leading the Sustainable Spectator and Audience Travel Workshop at the National Modeshift Convention on Tuesday 19 November, at The Royal Armouries Museum, Leeds.

Here Jon shares his thoughts on Leadership and advocacy: What does it mean for sustainable spectator and audience travel?

‘With less than 3 weeks to go until this year’s Modeshift Convention in Leeds, I’m looking forward to facilitating an extended session dedicated to a passion of mine – sustainable spectator and audience travel. On behalf of the Modeshift Board, of which I’m delighted to be a member, we hope that anyone involved or interested across the events, sports, and cultural sectors comes along.

In preparation my mind has been turning to the importance of leadership and advocacy in pushing the boundaries on this crucial topic. Important not just in the context of sustainability – as the single biggest emissions contributor of an event – but also in relation to spectator / audience event experience, associated commercial opportunity as well as practical operational benefit.

Why now?

The impacts of audience travel are becoming too significant to ignore. Events and venues are at a unique crossroads, where they can no longer view audience travel as just another logistical concern. It’s now an essential part of both sustainability and business strategies.

Embedding sustainable travel into event planning isn’t just about reducing carbon emissions. It’s about improving the overall experience for attendees: less congestion, better accessibility, and safer journeys. Venues and events that lead the way in sustainable travel also enhance their reputation, demonstrating forward-thinking leadership and social responsibility.

Organisational leadership as the key driver

At the heart of sustainable travel adoption is organisational leadership. Venues and events have a real opportunity to set the standard for how their audiences travel by making sustainable travel a priority from the top down. Leadership isn’t just about compliance or token gestures — it’s about actively building sustainable travel into the DNA of every event and venue.

When senior leaders embrace sustainable travel, the ripple effect throughout organisations is palpable. Teams are more motivated, planning is more cohesive, and the message to the audience is clear: reducing the environmental impact of travel is a critical part of the event experience. This approach positions organisations as industry leaders in both sustainability and operational excellence.

Operational advocacy to elevate the conversation

However, organisational leadership can only go so far without advocacy from the highest levels especially at senior operational level. Too often, worthy initiatives get siloed within environmental or operational departments, limiting their impact. For real change to happen, board level directors should champion these efforts as part of the organisation’s strategic priorities. Specifying robust business cases is a pre-requisite to avoid lip service being paid – irrespective of whether organisational budgets are required, or external investment is being sort.

Sustainable audience travel impacts brand reputation, financial performance, and long-term success, which makes it a board-level issue. When travel is part of the overall business strategy, it gains the attention and resources necessary to succeed. Board-level advocacy ensures that sustainable travel becomes integral to future plans and not just a side initiative.

Ambassadors to help inspire behaviour change

Beyond leadership and advocacy, ambassadors within the sector can play a crucial role in promoting sustainable travel. Athletes, performers, and venue operators can inspire audiences in ways that organisations alone cannot. These ambassadors can become the face of the activity, showing the community of the event or venue that it’s not just the responsible choice but the better choice. Leveraging on fan or audience affinity with their passion is key.

Ambassadors can make sustainable travel feel personal and accessible, helping to influence real behaviour change. Whether promoting public transport, cycling, or car sharing, their reach extends far beyond traditional marketing campaigns, driving a stronger connection between sustainability and audience engagement.

What to expect at the National Modeshift Convention & Team Modeshift National Sustainable Travel Awards

At the Convention we will delve into these themes, with national bodies sharing their perspective. We will also explore how event organisers, local authorities, and sustainability advocates can work together to make sustainable travel a natural part of the audience experience, improving environmental outcomes, operational impacts and attendee satisfaction as a few examples. A key part of the event will be the unveiling of Modeshift’s Toolkit for practitioners which seeks to demystify the delivery of sustainable travel to venues and events. ‘