An eco-friendly corporate event on a boat: local catering, zero plastic and a CSR review

Your company has a CSR policy, and the annual party, seminar or client cocktail reception should reflect it. A privately hired boat on the Seine is a favourable setting: the venue is already there, with no construction or heavy fit-out, and the guest numbers stay under control. But the venue is not everything. It is the choices you make on catering, tableware, decoration and transport that make the event consistent.

We have already covered the propulsion and navigation side of an eco-friendly cruise. This article takes a complementary angle: a list of practical actions for the organisation, and how to showcase them internally once the evening is over.

Set out your approach before choosing the boat

An eco-friendly evening is planned like a project: a few simple objectives, shared with every supplier from the very first conversation. Three commitments that are kept are better than ten diluted promises.

• Choose two or three priorities linked to your CSR policy: waste, food, mobility or inclusion, for example.
• Write them into the brief sent to the boat, the caterer and the other suppliers.
• Appoint a contact person on the company side to follow the commitments on the day.
• Decide from the outset what you will measure, because data that was not recorded on site cannot be reconstructed afterwards.

When requesting a quote, state your expectations clearly: what is possible on board in terms of tableware, waste sorting or sourcing depends on the boat and its suppliers. It is better to know this at the start than to find out the day before.

A local, seasonal caterer: the most visible lever

Catering is often what guests remember, and it is where your message comes across best. A caterer working with producers from the Paris region and with seasonal produce tells a story without the need for long speeches.

• Seasonal produce: ask for a menu built around the harvest calendar, not a fixed year-round menu.
• Local sourcing: favour suppliers from Île-de-France and neighbouring regions, and have the producers named on the menu.
• The role of plant-based food: offering an appealing vegetarian option, or even a mostly plant-based menu, reduces the footprint of the meal. Remember to plan ahead for special diets, a subject we cover in our article on diets and allergies on board.
• Adjusted quantities: base volumes on actual guest confirmations rather than a generous margin, to limit waste.
• Drinks: juices, beers and wines from small producers, served in carafes or from kegs rather than in small individual bottles.

To put the menu together with a supplier, you can use our guide to catering on a boat in Paris. Be precise about your criteria: "local" and "seasonal" are not regulated in the same way everywhere, so ask for concrete examples.

Zero single-use plastic: tableware and the rest

The "zero single-use plastic" goal is easy for everyone to understand, and it can be checked by eye on board. It means looking at the whole chain, not just the glasses.

• Reusable tableware: washable glasses, plates and cutlery, supplied by the caterer or the boat, depending on how service is organised. Check washing and storage options in advance.
• No disposable bottles: water in carafes, drinks served by the glass or in returnable containers.
• No plastic straws or stirrers: a durable alternative or nothing at all.
• Signage and badges: recycled paper, reusable holders, or digital display rather than dated printouts.
• Decoration: potted plants that are given away afterwards, seasonal flowers, reusable items. Avoid confetti, balloons and glitter, which are in any case rarely compatible with the rules on board, as our article on the rules on board points out.
• Gifts: if you give any, choose a useful or local product, or an experience, rather than a throwaway giveaway.

On the water, particular care is needed: nothing must fall overboard, neither cigarette butts nor packaging. Waste sorting at the end of the evening should be organised with the crew and the caterer.

Low-carbon transport: plan your guests' journey

For many companies, travel weighs more heavily in an event's footprint than the meal. Yet Paris is well placed to limit car use: boarding quays are generally accessible by public transport.

• State in the invitation the metro, RER and bus lines, or the bike-share stations, close to the quay.
• Encourage cycling and walking, checking the bike parking options nearby.
• For guests travelling from afar, suggest the train rather than a plane when that is realistic.
• Organise the journey home: car-sharing or the last public transport services, rather than individual vehicles. We cover this point in the article on getting home after the evening.

Choosing a well-served quay is part of the approach. To compare the options, see our guide to access, parking and transport.

Measure and showcase internally: the evening's CSR review

An eco-friendly action that is not documented remains invisible in your reporting. A few simple records are enough to build a small review, without claiming to produce a full carbon footprint calculation, which only a recognised methodology can establish.

• Before: note the commitments made, the list of chosen suppliers and the criteria applied.
• During: have your contact person record the number of guests, the declared mode of transport, the waste sorted and any leftover food that was redistributed.
• After: send guests a short questionnaire, and gather feedback from the caterer and the crew.

Several formats work well for showcasing the approach: a page in the CSR report or the non-financial performance statement, a message in the internal newsletter, a short presentation to the management committee, or photos of the evening with a caption explaining the choices made. Stay factual: state what was done, acknowledge what still needs improving, and set a goal for the next edition. This is what makes the communication credible and avoids accusations of greenwashing.

You can complement this work with our article on the review after a boat event, which helps you structure participants' feedback.

Pitfalls to avoid

Three pitfalls come up often. The first: announcing a very ambitious message without being able to prove it on the day. The second: piling on constraints at the last minute, which forces suppliers to improvise. The third: forgetting guest comfort, because a restrained evening must still feel warm. Successful eco-responsibility goes largely unnoticed: the service is smooth, the menu is good, and people leave having learned something.

If you would like to organise an evening of this kind, tell us your CSR priorities, the number of guests and your planned date. We will let you know what is achievable on board the most suitable boat.