Meetings Industry Celebrates Earth Week

April 23, 2024

It’s Earth Week and there’s news worth celebrating from organizations across the meetings industry.

Meetings industry organizations are celebrating Earth Week with new developments and hires. Among them:

The Global Business Travel Association (GBTA) has joined Net Zero Carbon Events (NZCE), the worldwide events industry initiative to address climate change as a supporter of the campaign. Since its launch at Cop 26 in Glasgow, Scotland, in 2021, Net Zero Carbon Events has developed a wealth of resources to support events industry organizations on their journeys to net zero carbon emissions. These include a Roadmap and advisory reports on Venue Energy; Smart Production and Waste Management; Logistics; Travel and Accommodation; Food and Food Waste; Offsetting and Measurement. GBTA and NZCE will be working together with the International Congress and Convention Association on implementing the Travel and Accommodation element.

ConferenceDirect announced that its Annual Partner Meeting (APM) 2024 in Arlington, Texas, was its first carbon neutral event. Carbon offsets were purchased to mitigate the carbon footprint of attendee travel to the event. ConferenceDirect follows the Sustainable Development Goals that were adopted by all United Nations Member States in 2015 and has committed to a 30 percent carbon reduction by 2030. Its team of sustainable meeting planners also have completed the Sustainable Events Professional Certificate by the Events Industry Council (EIC).

Elements AV’s new Blue-Planet Initiative program allows clients to offset their events’ carbon footprints, as well as the carbon footprint of their delegates. Carbon offset projects including Elements AV’S own Elements Forest, where they plant trees to absorb carbon dioxide and promote biodiversity. Every tree planted not only offsets carbon emissions but also creates habitats for wildlife, improves air quality and restores ecosystems.

IAEE’s Jason Ware, vice president of events & experiences, published a LinkedIn article with tips for sustainable events and exhibitions. “Implementing even just one of these tips can make a significant difference,” he said. (And he’s right.)

ASM Global, with more than 50 green-certified venues, has appointed Lindsay Arell as its new chief sustainability officer. Arell created the ASM Global ACTS sustainability plan and is former chair of the EIC Sustainability Committee and ASTM Venue Sustainability Standard.