Sustainability as a driver for successful associations

I was at the IMEX tradeshow this week in Frankfurt, and had the opportunity to present at the Association Day. This is a yearly event which brings leaders together to discuss trends and issues effecting the successful management of associations and societies. Together with Lucy Goodchild of the Global Reporting Initiative, we ran a workshop [...]

Behind the scenes of a sustainable EU Presidency

“To have success in sustainability – you just have to make it sufficiently hard for yourself that it becomes easy”. This was the advice from Kirsten Aggersborg, the director of the super sustainable Hotel Axel in Copenhagen. I think there is some real value to this observation, and this is no where more true than [...]

Launch of GRI event organizers reporting guidelines

Launch of new event reporting guidelines from GRI In continuation on our series of posts about reporting, we have a great announcement to make: From today event organizers around the world now have a new tool that can help them to report on economic, environmental and social sustainability issues. The new guidelines have been developed [...]

Predictions for sustainable meetings and events, 2012: part 3

We ring in the New Year by rounding out our predictions list for 2012.  As with our earlier posts (here and here) we explore the trends and practical sustainable business practices which are helping planners and suppliers save money, build community and help the planet.  If we were counting these down New Year’s style, we’ve [...]

Sustainable Events 2012: Bold (and not so bold) predictions

As 2011 becomes 2012, lists and reviews abound (including this frightful recounting).  In this spirit, and to bring a focus to meetings industry issues, we consider the influence sustainability will have on the organizations that comprise the industry. This time last year, we created a list of predictions.  While a few examples were perhaps a [...]

Green and Sustainable events: can 2011 be a ‘corner turner’?

The many ’2010, a year in review’ lists (random example here) prompt consideration of what meeting industry trends might indicate, if anything, for 2011.  2010 saw many high water marks in the pursuit of greater sustainable event performance which, in list form, might look like this: 10.  The app.  Rapid uptake of smart phones and [...]

Green Meetings: FAQ’s

We continue to see a demand for answers to fundamental questions related to ‘green’ or ‘sustainable’ events.  What follows are responses to some of the questions which, while general, may provide some helpful background of the concepts related to this rather complex process and which may help with the growing challenge so many people are [...]

Green Meeting Seminar Estoril – Presentations

Yesterday I was privileged to be in Estoril, Portugal and to be organising a seminar program about sustainable events. The days previous to the event I was participating in a workshop to co-develop the GRI Reporting guidelines for the event sector. My fellow participants are some of the best brains in event sustainability from around [...]

Resolved: Quality and Sustainability standards should align

When well-meaning ‘green meeting’ planners ask hotels to commit to sustainable practices (e.g. purchasing locally produced food products; providing ‘bulk’ soap/shampoo dispensers in guest rooms, etc) they inadvertently put hotel operators in a perplexing dilemma: Comply with the planner request  or violate brand standards? Brand standards are only part of the picture.  Hotels participating in [...]

APEX green meetings and events standards: the Debut

Next week, in sunny Vancouver, BC,  Meeting Professionals International will present the 2010  World Education Congress.  There, the Green Meetings Industry Council will present for the first time ever an introduction to the APEX/ASTM Green Meetings and Events standard.  A day long training session will provide attendees an understanding of how these standards are organized [...]

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