People that matter: buying local, and buying from the people who make it.

When people talk about sustainable events, they usually talk about the planet: waste, carbon, compost. That matters. But sustainability stands on three pillars, and one of them is people. Who grew it, who made it, who gets paid when you place the order. Every purchase order you write is a decision about who in your community gets to grow.

Some of the best things I've ever put in front of a client came from someone working out of a garage, a kitchen or a backyard greenhouse a few miles from the venue.

Look beyond the usual catalog

Most event companies buy from the same handful of large suppliers, because it's easy. Easy isn't wrong, but it leaves a lot of talent out. Think about who else could be in your supply chain:

• Food: local farms, bakers, chocolatiers, coffee roasters, hot sauce makers, beekeepers.
• Flowers and plants: local growers and small flower farms that can supply seasonal stems a wholesaler never will.
• Print and paper: letterpress studios, calligraphers, illustrators and sign painters.
• Niche products: ceramics, woodwork, textiles, candles, soaps, leather goods, the things that make a gift bag or a centerpiece memorable.

Make a point of including minority-owned and women-owned businesses in that search. They are often the ones the big catalogs leave out, and they are just as capable of delivering.

Go to the farmers market

The fastest way to find these people is to go where they already are. Spend a Saturday morning at your local farmers market. In Central Florida, markets like Lake Eola and Winter Park are full of growers and makers. Walk every row. Buy something. Ask questions.

Get to know who is out there, then ask two questions:

• How can I help them? A steady order, a referral, a spot in a proposal, an introduction to a planner. For a small business, one event client can change a season.
• How can they help me? Something local, seasonal and one of a kind that no competitor can copy, and a story your client will remember long after the event.

Talk about it, but don't do it to market it

Do this because it's the right way to run a business, not because it makes good copy. Clients can tell the difference.

That said, it's absolutely fine to talk about it. When the small, local woman who makes a handmade craft is part of your next event, say so. Promote her on your social media. Put her name and her story in your proposal. Tag her. Send her the photos. These are people that matter, and telling their story is part of how you help them grow.

Vet them: shared values matter most

Buying local doesn't mean buying blind. Before you bring a new supply partner into a client's event, get to know them:

• What do they represent? How do they make their product, where do their materials come from, and how do they treat the people who work with them?
• Do they share your values? Honesty, quality, reliability, and care for people and the environment.
• Can they deliver? Talk through quantities, timing, insurance if the venue needs it, and what happens if something goes wrong. Start with a small order before a large one.

Not everything needs a certification

Certifications matter for large farms and global supply chains, where you can't see the operation yourself. Here's what the floral ones cover. But a woman making candles in her kitchen doesn't need a certificate to be a good partner. For small local businesses, knowing them, seeing how they work and confirming that they share your values is enough.

If a business does hold a certification, such as minority-owned or women-owned business certification, that's useful to know, and some corporate clients track it. But it's not a requirement to be part of your supply chain.

Start with one

You don't have to rebuild your supplier list overnight. Find one local maker this month. Put them in one event. Tell their story in one proposal and one post. Then do it again. Like every part of sustainability, it's baby steps that add up.