PORTLAND, ORE.—According to recent research, 67 percent of meeting and incentive professionals have taken environmental considerations into account when planning a conference or incentive program (IMEX 2007). The corporate model is fast changing to one where sustainability is no longer fringe, but mainstream.
This year promises to be an unprecedented year for the global meetings industry. In response to this trend, the Green Meeting Industry Council (GMIC) is helping to prepare meeting professionals to meet the challenges of a sustainable approach and experience how greener meetings are creating better meetings.
On the heels of a successful annual conference in Portland, Oregon in February, GMIC has released “The Future is Green: Charting a Sustainable Future for Meetings.” The report is the outcome of a dynamic workshop that engaged a diversity of meeting and sustainability professionals in answering the question: If our vision as individuals is to make meetings more sustainable, what can we and our partners do in 2007 to make this happen?
The report provides a snapshot of sustainable practices by the hospitality industry, highlighting best practices by leaders in destination management, accommodations, food and beverage, exhibits and meeting planning. The report also outlines GMIC’s commitment to action on sustainability and issues an invitation for others to join in the process.
As part of this commitment, GMIC already has undertaken the following:
• Contacted key meeting industry associations about the outcomes of the report and issued invitations to engage in specific activities that support sustainability.
• Partnered in the creation of a green meetings business directory in partnership with Green Global Village, IMEX and MCI Group.
• Initiated research in support of greener meetings, including a study regarding climate change and its relationship to the meeting sector, and a Green Meetings Scorecard to track the impacts of sustainable meeting practices.
• Partnered with MPI Foundation and the PCMA Education Foundation to create a green meetings speakers’ series.
“Within the last year interest in green meeting practices has jumped significantly,” says Amy Spatrisano, GMIC President. “GMIC is looking to initiate a coordinated approach to sustainability for the meeting sector and provide leadership in terms of creating timely and useful resources for professionals who are trying to integrate this as a business strategy.”
“Many people are looking at opportunities to integrate sustainability into their meeting activities,” adds GMIC Executive Director Shawna McKinley. “The purpose of GMIC’s workshop and this report has been to show others what is possible in terms of practice, and identify priorities for all of us in moving forward. With such interest in the issue by the industry, our concern is that we plan for a consistent long-term plan to engage people in sustainability in a coordinated way. Our hope is this report will lay the foundation to do this.”
For further information, contact Shawna McKinley at shawna@greenmeetings.info. The full report may be downloaded at: www.greenmeetings.info/TheFutureIsGreen.pdf.
