The sustainability section makes for some good reading: You can read it here:

deloite_2015_sustainability.pdf

Today the Climate Disclosure Standards Board in conjunction with the  Carbon Disclosure project and the big 4 accounting firms launched a globally accepted framework, based on existing standards, for corporate reporting on climate change. This will be interesting for your CFOs – http://www.cdsb-global.org/draft-reporting-framework/

Sustainability and carbon reporting will become mandatory in many countries in the near future. It already is in Denmark, the UK, probably will soon be in Norway, Australia and perhaps even in China. The US is not far behind.

The meetings industry will soon be under pressure to measure their emissions. It wont be optional!Perhaps its time for an industry standard way of measure the GHG emissions of the events sector?

Its interesting that some countries have chosen the Global Compact as their reporting standard. Thankfully sector companies such as MCI and Intercontinental Hotels and associations such as MPI, have already signed the compact so will be ahead of the game.

MCI is working towards its footprint measurement implementing the GreenGlobe Index system and will publish its footprint in the next annual report.

For more info on sustainability reporting

http://www.ethicalcorp.com/content.asp?ContentID=6385

This is not the first time I’ve thought about this …it comes up all the time. Examples that prompt this posting:

• Planners tell us that they refrain from sustainable meeting strategies saying that they are too costly, brandishing organic menu prices as exhibit.
• An “all organic” menu that features wine from Chile and lamb from New Zealand and served in Northern Europe as part of a “green” event
• Produce grown in the Netherlands requires about 15% more energy (to heat the greenhouses) than those in Spain. Spain, meanwhile, uses about 20% more toxic pesticide than does the Netherlands.

So, the thoughts:

• Before your event, set goals for your menu planning and share these with your supplier. Maybe it’s 40% local, 20 % organic, 100% seasonal. Decide which issues are most important to you or your client. Make it clear that you seek their support to help you achieve them. Planners can have great influence over the practices and purchases of their suppliers. Suppliers are often surprised to learn of how much cheaper high quality local product is. A good example is bread. Many venues have contracts with food wholesalers that ship bread in from great distances when, across town, a better product can be offered at equal or better pricing.

• Before assuming that a responsible, sustainable menu is too costly, check it out (bread example above). If a particular item is more costly, another may be cheaper. Think about the entire event and ways that smart choices can offer savings to compensate for your menu planning goals.

• When planning a menu with a big organic component, consider the emissions when making selections. I think we’re missing the point to ship things great distances in the name of being environmentally friendly, no disrespect to the Chilean wine producers.

• As for the 3^rd point, this gets tricky fast. Most planners don’t have the time or resources to complete a life cycle analysis for every menu item and the variety of dramatic environmental impacts in today’s world of industrial agriculture make thoughtful selections awfully complicated. Until better, faster, more affordable tools are available, consider the following:

Michael Pollan’s latest book, In Defence of Food, http://www.michaelpollan.com/indefense.php makes a compelling and supporting case for taking a simpler, yet more holistic approach to food purchases. While he admits that it’s not perfect I think it’s safe to paraphrase one aspect of his argument as encouraging people to think local first, then organic. His thought is that a person will make fewer mistakes with such a practice. So, let’s call that a place to start. Maybe the place to start is reading this book!

short intro:

Steve Ward, Executive Chef for the award winning Doubletree Hotel Portland in Portland, OR, has a practice of purchasing and promoting a philosophy based on his FLOSS principle. Fresh, Local, Organic, Seasonal, Sustainable. In that order, it’s a great framework for making menu choices. Check out: http://doubletreegreen.com/cuisine/index.htm

Lastly, ask your provider. Most established venues, be they hotels or congress centers, have skilled culinary teams that have the resources to help you make better decisions for your event’s unique particular location or season.

Note that this is a topic being studied by thousands of people in think tanks and universities across the globe. Scratch the surface and a web of confusing issues is quickly revealed. Still, I assert that it’s important to make positive changes where you can, and to bring positive influence where ever possible. A maxim to consider: Nobody can do everything but everybody can do something. What can you do?

Let us hear from you. We look forward to sharing your insights.

Future post sneak preview: Embedded water in food: seeking more sustainable practices

In 2008, a study by UK’s Carbon Trust revealed that a potato chip company could save money and carbon emissions by changing the way they purchased potatoes. Farmers, paid by weight of their potatoes, went to elaborate and expensive measures to add water to their product. The potato chip company, then, had increased emissions due to the frying time needed to remove the additional water. Now farmers are rewarded for low water product and everybody wins.

click to download

It reports on how the ‘green’ movement has affected the hospitality industry, and what the lodging sector has done to incorporate sustainable elements into their business models

Its well written and gives a good introduction for someone who wants a wide intro level understanding of global trends. The sections on the developing world were well done, but the European section is a little light.

In terms of certification it mentions in detail the excellent GreenGlobe and Leed systems but it does not discuss the other major systems or standards. I guess this is for a latter report.

Its good to see that the major consultancies are now “helping the cause” and writing about the business case of “going green”.

In summary – its only 16pages and worth the read