The annual event for Mastercard employees and their families was assessed across a range of measures including climate action, waste reduction, accessibility, diversity and inclusion, responsible sourcing and community impact.
Ellen Jackowski, Chief Sustainability Officer at Mastercard, said: “Sustainability is an important consideration in how we bring our people and communities togetherAchieving Gold certification for Family & Friends Day reflects the thoughtful work of teams across Mastercard to create zero-waste events, reduce our environmental footprint and make more responsible choices at every stage of the event experience. We’re proud to have those efforts recognized by the Events Industry Council, and we’re focused on continuing to raise the bar for ourselves as we advance our journey toward a more sustainable future.”
Standards assess environmental and social performance
The EIC Sustainable Event Standards were developed through a global collaborative process involving subject matter experts from across the events sector. They provide a framework designed to help event professionals implement, measure and improve sustainable practices.
The standards set performance criteria covering organisational management; marketing; communications and engagement; climate action; water management; materials and circularity; supply chain management; diversity, equity and inclusion; accessibility; and social impact.
More than 300 professionals have participated in reviewing the standards to date. The event organiser standard is one of several comprehensive standards developed to support more environmentally sustainable events.
Amy Calvert, EIC President and CEO, said: “Mastercard’s Family & Friends Day demonstrates how sustainability can be thoughtfully integrated throughout the event experience. Achieving Gold certification reflects a strong commitment to environmental and social responsibility and shows what can be accomplished when sustainability is considered from planning through execution.”
Event achieves 98% waste diversion rate
Sustainability measures were incorporated throughout the Family & Friends Day experience, which attracted more than 3,000 attendees. Initiatives included recycling and composting stations alongside the use of responsibly sourced materials and supplies.
The event achieved a 98% waste diversion rate, exceeding the 90% threshold often used to define a zero-waste event under sustainable event standards and related industry practices.
A 98% waste diversion rate was achieved, significantly exceeding the 90% threshold often used to define a zero-waste event.
More than 1,000 pounds of leftover food was composted, while safely stored surplus food was repurposed for additional use.
A total of 222 pounds of vinyl banners and unused craft supplies were donated to Retake Remake, a local nonprofit organisation that redistributes materials to teachers, artists and community members throughout Westchester County.
The measures were designed to reduce environmental impact while maintaining the event experience for Mastercard employees and their families.
Gold certification recognises measurable sustainability goals
Richard Murphy, Alliance for Audited Media’s CEO, President and Managing Director, said: “Mastercard’s achievement demonstrates the value of setting clear sustainability goals and measuring progress against rigorous standards. We congratulate the Mastercard team on achieving Gold certification and demonstrating its commitment to creating sustainable events.”
The Gold certification places Mastercard’s 2026 Family & Friends Day within the EIC framework for assessing measurable sustainability performance, with the sustainable event standards covering both environmental management and wider social impact across event planning and delivery.
Tags: Ellen Jackowski, Mastercard Amy Calvert, Events Industry Council (EIC)
