Greening Great Britain's meetings

With the Olympics becoming a wonderful memory of last summer in the UK we are looking at how the meetings and events industry can 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 the 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.

Sustainability Agenda
We asked Jon Proctor, technical director of Green Tourism to provide some top tips and insights into the development of green meetings through his own experience of how the leaders in the industry are applying sustainability to conference centres as well as on the small scale through hotels and other venues.  

“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). 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 E 
F 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: “Secondly, 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 2013 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 governments tough objectives on climate change.”

“Thirdly 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, how much we are achieving or would like to achieve. Some businesses hide behind a rather dry policy rather than positively engaging with their customers about sustainability issues.

The role of the building
Proctor added: “Finally another tip is to build from the foundations. Can a meeting be sustainable in a non-sustainable building? Personally I think not. 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 community. 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 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,” concluded Proctor.

Tips to go green
There are many simple ways to green a meeting. For example, you could 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.

Consider the water delegates drink. 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 thus helping us all realise access to clean drinking water should not be taken for granted.

Also bear in mind the menu. 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.

What’s more, 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. Install sensors or timers and avoid over heating or cooling spaces.

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.

Energy use
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).

You could also 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 tree in the grounds.

You could then use it 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.             

I hope this helps you consider how to approach sustainability in meetings. If you do need further help in greening your meeting or venue, please get in touch.
Otherwise encourage the venues you deal with to operate good and best practice in sustainable development.

Further information
www.green-business.co.uk