CWT Meetings & Events, the global meeting and events division of CWT, just released “The Future of Sustainable Events.” Within it are nuggets of information worth sharing to the entire meetings and events community. Be sure to take a look at the report.
First, CWT Meetings & Events concludes that sustainability will continue to be an ever more important business consideration for the $840 billion meetings and events industry in 2020.
“The sustainability of the meetings and events industry, in fact of the entire travel industry, is at the forefront of companies’ and planners’ minds in 2020,” said Derek Sharp, Senior Vice President and Managing Director, CWT Meetings & Events. “It’s driven by news coverage of climate change but, more importantly, it’s supported by the next generation of travelers—the millennials who are poised to become the biggest group of business travelers globally from 2024 onwards, and the centennials who are right behind them.”
“These are people for whom travel has become commonplace and accessible in a way that it wasn’t for older generations,” Sharp added. “They want to continue meeting in popular destinations, but they are also hyper aware of the need to adopt sustainable practices that respect the environment and local communities wherever they go.”
Much More Than Just Recycling
The report states that sustainability is no longer just about recycling, but taking a meticulous approach to all sustainability aspects, from environmental footprint and how to reduce it, to reducing risks in supply chains, tackling modern day slavery and gender equality, as well as diversity and inclusion. This level of focus requires a specific set of skills from your meetings team.
“There is a huge opportunity for meetings and events to embed and showcase sustainability and responsibility,” the report says.
“There is a market incentive to develop and implement a sustainability program,” adds Francoise Grumberg, Vice President, Global Responsible Business and Diversity & Inclusion, CWT.
Those companies and properties that lead the meetings and events industry in sustainability practices will draw the most attention and win the business of increasingly green-conscious meeting planners.
The following are some additional highlights from the report:
- Copenhagen is aiming to become the first carbon neutral city in 2020. More than seventy percent of its hotel rooms already hold official eco-certification.
- Congress Center Hamburg is set to re-open in 2020 as the largest convention center in Germany, with state-of-the-art exhibition halls seating up to 12,000, all with low energy consumption, and designed to let light flow in.
- Socially responsible incentives are top of the agenda for 2020, with team-building activities, including carrying out work in hospitals, schools or with community groups becoming an important way for companies and their incentive guests to leave a legacy in the destination.
- In line with its focus on responsible meetings and events, which are increasingly important to its clients, CWT Meetings & Events Italy took the initiative to certify to ISO 20121: 2013 for Sustainable Events. With this certification—which addresses all stages of an event’s supply chain—CWT Meetings & Events Italy is able to offer tailored sustainable meetings and events solutions to its clients to manage the social, economic and environmental impact of any event.
- The report includes a “Five ways to plan a more sustainable event—without increasing your costs” section.
For more information, access the CWT Annual Responsible Business Report.
Who is Your Sustainability Champion?
Green Lodging News is always looking to profile sustainability champions in our Personnel Profile section. If you would like to nominate someone for this section of Green Lodging News, contact me at (813) 510-3868, or by e-mail at editor@greenlodgingnews.com.
Looking for Guest Columnists
Every two weeks Green Lodging News posts a new guest column on its website. (Click here for examples.) The guest column also appears in the weekly e-newsletter. Green Lodging News is currently in need of industry experts to contribute occasional guest columns. Experts may include consultants, architects, designers, suppliers and those who own or operate green lodging establishments. Columns may be articles that take a stance on a particular subject or be strictly educational in nature. Columnists benefit by having their photo included along with a one paragraph description of their company. Interested in writing a column? Contact Glenn Hasek, publisher and editor, at (813) 510-3868, or by e-mail at editor@greenlodgingnews.com.
Get in the Green Suppliers Spotlight!
Green Lodging News, lodging’s leading environmental news source, announces the launch of Green Suppliers Spotlight, an e-blast to 21,476 subscribers that features the lodging industry’s leading green products and services. The e-blast features multiple vendors—unlike the current Green Supplier Spotlight that allows one supplier to “own” the Green Lodging News subscriber list for one e-blast. (Click here for a Green Suppliers Spotlight sample.)
Green Suppliers Spotlight is published weekly on Thursdays to general managers, owners, management companies, directors of sustainability, directors of engineering, facilities managers and many others who are either in purchasing positions or who influence purchasing decisions. Suppliers of green products and services throughout North America and beyond are invited to participate in the e-blast. (Minimum two suppliers per e-blast.) Green Suppliers Spotlight was created to give vendors an opportunity to reach a high number of industry purchasers at a very low cost—as low as $200 per e-mail. (Click here for rate sheet.)
Those advertising in Green Suppliers Spotlight can include up to 100 words, one image, contact information and multiple links to their website in their ad. At the end of each month, a report will be sent to each supplier with information on delivered e-mails, opens and click-throughs.
Planning Advertising for 2019 or 2020?
Green Lodging News is accepting reservations for advertising spots for 2019 and 2020. Many excellent spots are available on our new website and in the weekly e-mail newsletter. Many Green Supplier Spotlight dates are also available. Interested in receiving a 2019 or 2020 media kit? Be sure to contact me as soon as possible at (813) 510-3868, or by e-mail at editor@greenlodgingnews.com. Media kits can also be accessed by clicking here. Thank you to all those companies that consistently support Green Lodging News.
Newsletter & Green Supplier Spotlight Circulation
The circulation of our weekly e-newsletter and Green Supplier Spotlight currently stands at 21,476. Thank you to our new subscribers for signing up. Be sure to encourage your colleagues to do the same. There are “subscribe” links on the Green Lodging News home page. You may also e-mail editor@greenlodgingnews.com to be added to our list.
Green Lodging News & Social Media
Green Lodging News now has 1,818 Twitter followers. Thank you to all of those who follow our tweets. In addition to following us on Twitter, be sure to bookmark the Green Lodging News Blog in your browser. More importantly, participate with your comments. Green Lodging News is also on Facebook. Be sure to “Like” us there. Green Lodging News now has 937 Facebook likes.
As always, I can be reached at editor@greenlodgingnews.com.
