From Excel sheets to cloud-based insights: how Informa tracks event sustainability

In event management, sustainability is becoming an ever more important consideration to limit the carbon footprint of events and demonstrate social responsibility.

Informa, the international events, digital services and academic knowledge group with 11,000 employees in more than 30 countries, initially used a Microsoft Excel-based solution to monitor the sustainability impact of their managed events.

While this approach was effective, it wasn’t always easy to use and didn’t scale well amid a growing number of events. Informa also wanted to extract deeper insights from the collected data.

So, NTT DATA designed an intuitive, cloud-based solution to meet Informa’s global needs.

Their sustainability team are now expanding their data-based insights and making every event more sustainable. And, instead of just addressing immediate challenges, they can also anticipate issues to resolve down the line.

Simple, scalable and secure

Because we rely on the power of public cloud services for our solution infrastructure, it is scalable and secure with high availability. The cloud resources are scaled automatically based on usage, which delivers optimal performance but also significantly cuts costs as Informa is charged only for the resources used.

We fortified our security framework by integrating Front Door services and application programming interface management gateways. This created a powerful shield that mitigates vulnerabilities and prevents unauthorized access, keeping our systems resilient and secure.

Another key aspect of our solution is its seamless integration with Informa’s Entra ID. This enables single sign-on, allowing users to navigate easily and securely between Informa applications and our solution. It’s an approach that prioritizes both user convenience and security.

At the heart of our data management strategy is a cloud-native database platform that captures myriad event details. It not only facilitates data storage but also integrates with reporting and analytics platforms such as Microsoft Power BI to turn data into actionable insights that improve business performance and guide strategic decisions.

Ben Wielgus, Head of Sustainability at Informa, says: “Our award-winning and business-critical Sustainable Event Fundamentals system was suffering because of its success. More than 400 events were throwing Excel sheets at each other trying to collect data.

“NTT DATA combined digital infrastructure, user design and workflow management to create a cost-effective, beautiful and intuitive system that brought all our processes into the cloud, allowing in-time reporting and a much easier process for thousands of colleagues around the business. We are delighted with the system and can’t wait to see what we do with it next.”

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Designing for success

We designed our infrastructure with technology in mind as well as user experience (UX) and business value. This balance of technical robustness and practical application means our solution has advanced capabilities but also supports Informa’s business objectives of improved performance, cost efficiency and insight generation.

To craft the UX and user interface (UI), we used interface design tool Figma and insights from past research to create a prototype that highlighted the solution’s functionality and led to immediate feedback on the interface to validate our design hypotheses.

Drawing on their extensive branding, UX and UI expertise, the senior design team then offered suggestions on data management and screen space utilization that helped us streamline the UX.

“Being the design team entrusted with shepherding this project from its conceptual stage to the realization of a functional sustainability system is one of the most gratifying experiences of our careers, offering a sense of privilege and accomplishment,” says Vandana Morar Chirkoot, Marketing Manager at NTT DATA.

Other departments at Informa are now exploring how the solution might address their needs, as it is a scalable platform able to tackle diverse challenges across the organization.

By empowering Informa’s sustainability teams and fostering innovation, NTT DATA’s solution lays the foundation for more sustainable and resilient event management.