Meet with a clean mind

As the success of the Olympics has left lasting legacy on the sport industry, so the meetings and events industry is looking to develop a positive legacy for the future of meetings. Large events now have ISO 20121 to help them bring sustainability to their supply chains and event planning. This is great for regular events particularly if they are held at he same venues as they can demonstrate continuous improvement compared to previous events.

However, many events and meetings may be one off activities or may be hosted in a range of different building types and locations. Therefore a more holistic approach is also required. Sustainable venues can seek to gain a certification. For example, in Canada the Vancouver Convention Centre was built along sustainability themes and gained a Platinum LEED certification for its design and build. In the UK the Building Research Establishment operate BREEAM a certification for sustainability used in designs and developments.

In order to assess the management of buildings and businesses, ISO14001 was created many years ago and the Green Tourism certification operated by Green Business UK covers the hospitality sector specifically with three award levels, bronze, silver, and gold. This certification is updated every four years and is now operating version four. The award covers the management of the business (and its products and services), awareness of staff and the achievements in minimising the footprint of the building.

In order to pass through the certification programme sites follow a common framework which considers energy, waste and water monitoring and targeting as well as key performance indicators in social and environmental activities. A sense of place is also important and this is measured through further voluntary indicators.

To assess how sustainable a venue is, the Green Tourism auditor on the site visit assesses 150 different criteria – everything from the kind of fish on the menu to proficiency at waste management and the control of heating and cooling. Through this process potential practical improvements are readily identified and these form part of the action plan set for each site in moving forward.

Businesses and venues are scored and receive a Bronze, Silver, or Gold award based on their level of achievement. Many of the measures relate to providing a better experience for their customers and ensuring that the venue is reducing the environmental impact of the meeting for their clients.

Buildings old and new
“The first rule we operate under is that any building can be classified as sustainable (provided it operates best practice in management and resource use issues),” said Jon Proctor, technical director of Green Tourism “This means that historical houses and venues can tackle sustainability just as well as new build developments.”  

In fact as evidenced through Green Tourism assessments a number of new developments have significantly larger carbon footprints than historical properties.

Thermal imaging surveys carried out on historical properties show that historical shutters massively reduce heat losses and together with good temperature and humidity control can be extremely effective in helping a historic venue have a very low energy demand, much lower than many new builds with double or triple glazing.

Proctor continued: “We find the best benchmark for focusing on improvement is to look at your history. A significant number of the hotel brands we deal with have annual targets of five per cent reductions in energy and water. This may not seem to be a high objective but if all of us in the UK did this from 2012 to 2020 we would be on target with a 40 per cent reduction in carbon and what with the efforts of the energy supply industry would easily meet the government’s tough objectives on climate change.”

Share the story
Getting the message across is vital. Proctor explains: “We need to share our objectives in an engaging manner. We deal with many wonderful properties (over 2,400) and they often miss the opportunity to engage with the customer as well as they could. Having recently returned from British Colombia where we are rolling out Green Tourism Canada we noticed how much better North Americans are at telling their story. Somehow we in the UK are reticent about saying why we care and how much we are or would like to achieve. Some businesses hide behind a rather dry policy rather than positively engage with their customers.”

“One example I can give is one of our leading GOLD award winners, Venus Beach Café, they also hold a prestigious Queens award for sustainable development but couldn’t think of a simple message to inspire their visitors. I remember asking them why a Devon business was called Venus. After a moment or two the owner said: “I used to come to this beach as a child and really it’s because we love the beach.” They went on to use this as their strapline and have been instrumental in establishing concepts such as visitor payback and the South Hams Food and Drink Association.”

Finally another tip is to build from the foundations. Can a meeting be sustainable in a non sustainable building? “Personally I think not,” explains Procter. “To me the two things are inextricably linked and part of the reason we established Green Tourism in the first place. Hospitality is not only a major economic driver, it is part of the lifeblood of a successful economy and lifestyle. Humanity and sustainability are not defined by what we take but by what we give and altruism works as well in the economic world as in the ecological one. I think this is the great lesson from this present recession and there is plenty of evidence that good supplier relations are key to progress in the 21st century. What we have to do now is to drive them towards ever more sustainable solutions.”

“When people buy into events and venues it’s because of the stories they can share or become a part of whether a concert, a conference or a board meeting. There are some simple practical actions which any venue can adopt to green its meeting however we would warn businesses about over-spinning their actions or plans as these can be very damaging, hence the real value in getting a third party assessment.

Steps to a greener meeting
To finish, here are some of the top tips to green any meeting.

Help people plan their travel to and from the destination. Help with car or taxi sharing, promote public transport options and consider the value of a minibus pick up.

Local or home bottled or iced tap water linked to a donation to a good cause (such as water aid). This not only should reduce costs compared to bottled waters but the saving can be donated helping all to realise access to clean drinking water should not be taken for granted.

Seasonal produce. Choosing a seasonal menu helps ensure local items are supported why not consider something which is a taste of the region. This provides a sense of place and a positive impression for future bookings. Seasonal food is often less expensive than non-seasonal food imported from abroad.

Be efficient. Consider the venues facilities and see how your event can be more efficient such as switching off certain lighting or appliances. Having a cold buffet/ break. Install sensors or timers and avoid over heating or cooling spaces.

Reduce waste. Avoid excessive merchandise such as bags and give away items. Consider the embodied energy of some materials such as USB keys. Establish a zero waste to landfill policy for the event with waste contractors.
Minimise carbon. Find out how much energy will be used for the event and minimise it. Convert the kWh into carbon and support a project which will absorb these emissions (such as tree planting or a social energy programme).

Support biodiversity. After climate change this is the most pressing environmental challenge. Why not have a mascot for the event, sponsor an endangered species at the local zoo or aquarium or support a wildlife charity, plant a native memorial tree in the grounds.

And don’t forget to tell your story. Ensure there are a few minutes to explain to delegates what is going on both front of house and behind the scenes. Be simple and fair and don’t over spin your plans or achievements. A simple story told well will create a lasting memory which will ensure your meetings contain a unique selling point. One which will help us all succeed through challenging times.       

Further information
www.green-business.co.uk