Big Path Capital’s focus on impact is rooted in its work to connect mission-driven companies and funds with values-aligned investors. The company’s ongoing desire to enhance its positive social and environmental impact is evident in its status as a Certified B Corporation since 2007. The impact-improvement mindset extends throughout the company’s operations, from internal policies and benefits to external partnerships and events.
Project Manager Kristin Remenschneider does the behind-the-scenes work to make Big Path’s events valuable convenings for mission-driven companies, impact private equity funds, and investors. Through intentional strategies and innovative practices, she ensures Big Path events align with company values like sustainability and transparency.
“We work with clients with similar values, and it’s important to us to be authentic and do what we say.”
Remenschneider says the company identified its events as an area of opportunity to lean into its commitment to responsible business practices. These annual events include the Impact Capitalism Summit, where investors gather to explore timely topics; the MO Summit for leading impact CEOs; and the Five Fund Forum, which includes in-person and virtual events for leading impact fund managers. “Working to eliminate the carbon footprint of our events reflects our mission to drive positive change and is a core aspect of our identity as a B Corp,” she says. “We work with clients with similar values, and it’s important to us to be authentic and do what we say.”
Mapping Out the Best Options
Remenschneider taps into her creativity as she collaborates with event partners for planet-minded practices at Big Path events. From the start, she communicates the importance of more sustainable options and looks for opportunities to reuse materials. At Big Path events, this includes:
- Ensuring that recycling and composting options are available on-site.
- Avoiding use of disposable items like paper cups and single-use plastics like disposable utensils.
- Reusing magnetic ID badge holders and recycling paper name inserts.
- Limiting event swag — the T-shirts and tchotchkes that often get thrown away after events — and their related production and shipping costs and impacts. When needed, Big Path works with B Corp Eco Promotional Products for environmentally and socially responsible promotional products.
Remenschneider also seeks unique opportunities to reduce, reuse, and recycle. One recent example: Foam-board signs from this year’s Impact Capitalism Summit in Nantucket were donated to a local children’s art program, where they can regain another life as the canvas for young artists. “All of these small decisions really add up for events,” she says.
Guests exploring B Corp products at the 2024 MO Summit.
Offsets for Travel Emissions and Other Sustainable Strategies
Because travel and venue make up a large portion of each event’s environmental footprint, Big Path works with partners like B Corp TripZero, which provides hotel sourcing services and carbon offsets for greenhouse gas emissions created by travel to and from the event. “When we work with TripZero, they know we’re looking for a venue that has sustainability practices already in place. They help us map out the best options,” Remenschneider says.
Big Path’s recent collaboration with TripZero includes offsets for carbon emissions related to attendee and employee travel to and from the MO Summit and the Impact Capitalism Summit. She recommends including carbon offsets as a budget item for events. “It’s not as expensive as you would think — about $3,000 to $5,000 for 120 to 160 attendees.”
Big Path also purchases offsets for carbon emissions related to event meeting space, food and beverages, audio/visual equipment, shipping, printing, and any transportation during the event. “We work with Offset Alliance, another B Corp, which calculates the event’s carbon emissions. We buy the carbon credits from them to complete the offset.”
Remenschneider, third from the right, with members of the Big Path Capital Team at ICS on Nantucket.
Growing Expectations for Event Sustainability
Each event is unique based on location and other factors. Some venues that Big Path partners with have a sustainability program in place, like the AT&T Hotel & Conference Center in Austin, Texas, which was the site of MO 2024. At others, Remenschneider works directly with venue staff to improve what’s available and align with Big Path’s sustainability goals.
“Emphasizing these values aligns with our commitment to responsible business practices.”
The environmentally friendly strategies that Remenschneider oversees are becoming a common expectation among Big Path event attendees, many of whom are from the B Corp and purpose-driven business communities. To let attendees know that impact is also a consideration at the events, Big Path communicates the steps it takes to minimize environmental impact in event registration information, on event apps, and with signage at events.
Making these arrangements does require additional effort, but it’s how Big Path and its clients and partners do business for the good of people and the planet. “Emphasizing these values aligns with our commitment to responsible business practices,” Remenschneider says.