Tamara Kennedy-Hill from GMIC outlines best practice steps that can be taken to make events more sustainable. These steps can be delivered using the framework APEX/ASTM.
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A Practical Guide to Sustainability in Meetings
1. A Practical Guide To
Sustainability in Meetings
November 2012 EIBTM
Tamara Kennedy-Hill, CMP
GMIC Executive Director
2. Key Elements of a Sustainable Event:
• Leadership and Vision
• Identify and Define Measureable Objectives
• Engagement of Stakeholders
• Integration into Operational Procedures
• Measurement and Performance
• Transparency and Reporting/3rd Party Certification
Courtesy of CSMP and MCI
www.gmicglobal.org
3. The Sustainability Paradigm
Innovation
Risk Management
Margin Improvement
Growth Enhancement
Job Creation Economic Resource Efficiency
Skills Enhancement Growth
Product Stewardship
Social Investments
Life-Cycle Management
Business Ethics
Products to Service
Security Socio- Eco-Efficiency
Economic
Socio-
Social Environmental Environmental
Progress Stewardship Clean Air, Water & Land
Diversity Emissions Reductions
Human Rights Zero Waste, Releases & Spills
Community Outreach
Labor Relations
Safety & Health
Environmental Regulations
Global Climate Change
Crisis Management
Source: Brundtland Commission Report, 1987 www.gmicglobal.org
Slide courtesy of Paul Salinger, Oracle
9. Scope and Examples
• Focus on 3-5 key areas that you can control, are
related to key issues of impact and are scalable
• Create specific indicators and targets to measure
performance
www.gmicglobal.org
10. KPI Examples
• Economic indicators: Estimate any cost savings/additions
associated with efforts:
– Shuttle reductions
– Signage reductions
– Food procurement– water bottles, local
– Print reductions
www.gmicglobal.org
11. KPI Examples
• Environmental Indicators:
– Shuttle fuel use
– Facility energy use
– Facility water use
– Venue waste
– Food miles
– Paper use
– Miles traveled
www.gmicglobal.org
12. KPI Examples
• Procurement: Environmental specifications and amounts
for
– Food & beverage procurement – amounts of local, organic, etc.
– Trade show procurement – carpet, signage, freight, materials
reuse, etc.
– Signage – reuse, recycled, donated.
– Printed materials – reductions, recycled content.
– Airline partnership program use.
www.gmicglobal.org
14. Strategic Objectives Actions KPIs Assigned To
1. Demonstrate latest industry Integrate elements of APEX/ASTM, Conduct a Gap analysis against APEX/ASTM Level 1
standards, measurement tools and ISO 20121 into the event planning criteria.
innovative approaches to test and cycle. Create a case study sharing process and performance to
model sustainable event management objectives of the 2013 event
theory in a practical way.
2. Create A Social Responsibility Engage local host committee to A minimum of 25% of registered attendees participate
Project and activate participation research and create a list of viable A minimum of $2000 US raised for NGO
from registered attendees project option to bring needed 2 media articles in local and/or industry press
support to an NGO whose mission
aligns with GMIC values
Create a pre-and post event survey of Achieve minimum of 75% approval rating based on
event delegates returned survey response to delegate perception of social
responsibility project
Publish survey results as part of case study
4. Actively engage conference For program committee, create a 40- -measurement of content education components (what
attendees through conference design 40-20 rule: 40 designed, 40 open for are the % at each level that we want to address)
and the content delivery of innovative delivery and 20 open for -Post Survey X% of respondents felt that they had gained
sustainability education. new opportunity knowledge or tools that would enable them to actively go
Assess level of sustainability home and implement change.
knowledge pre and post event -25% of the audience participates in a challenge to do one
act of change post event. 5 -10 Video testimonials
14
www.gmicglobal.org
16. Creation Process
• Review strategies and
actions completed to date
– corporate and event
organization
• Determine and assess
strategic objectives
• Develop plan to get there
• Identify holes
• Map out key activities
• Gain buy-in
www.gmicglobal.org
18. RFP – Planner Perspective
– Use your existing RFP
– Add the desired level
specifications
– Include a rating system
www.gmicglobal.org
19. RFP – Supplier Response
– Use your existing
bid materials
– Illustrate your
current level of
implementation
– Describe what will
be in place or a
willingness to
comply
www.gmicglobal.org
24. Questions?
Questions?
Tamara Kennedy-Hill, CMP
Executive Director
Green Meeting Industry Council
503-332-5739 direct
1-888-450-2098 main office
tamara@gmicglobal.org
www.gmicglobal.org
www.gmicglobal.org
Notas del editor
All are found in standards, what does this mean?
This paradigm is like a three legged stool – each leg is important and supports the others. We are focusing on the environmental area, including the intersection of business and the environment (eco-efficiencies, product lifecycle design) and the intersection of society and the environment, incl. its impact on business (regulation and compliance). We are not saying that the social side of sustainability is not important but the environmental area seems to be first area of focus for our customers and overall is more measurable thus lending itself better to the application of software. Software is not the sole aspect or technology that is important in companies becoming ‘ greener ’ but it is one of the tools that can be used to support companies to manage, execute, and measure their environmental sustainability initiatives.
Script: So what does all this mean to you? To be able to understand these standards and apply them to your events will provide you with an expanded level of expertise. By following the standards and aspiring to be performing at the next level of the standard will afford you and your organization a concrete pathway to planning and producing credible, environmentally sustainable meetings. Furthermore, (next slide)
Andrew
AW-I modified colors to match previous slides, plus tweaked text Andrew ISO 20121, based on BS 8901: This is not a “green meetings” standard. It focuses on sustainable management of economic, social and environmental aspects of events including process , design , execution , documentation and process improvement APEX: Being developed by APEX in conjunction with the US Environmental Protection Agency and ASTM Int. Areas: Destinations, Accommodations, Venues , Transportation, Food and Beverage, Exhibitions, AV & Production, Communications, On-site Office GRI: Developing a reporting template for the events sector. Has previously created sector supplements for industries such as the financial sector.
Script: They are all important steps/components of an environmentally sustainable meeting. You do not have to do all of these. For the purposes of APEX/ASTM you are only required to meet APEX/ASTM standard. APEX/ASTM Environmentally Sustainable Event Standard is a prescriptive, measurable standard. BS 8901/ISO 20121 is great for developing a methodology, process for decision making. GRI is a reporting process. Three bodies of work are expected to be completed and launched by the end of 2011. Instructor note: (Will need to modify this when APEX/ASTM standards are completed.)
Activity: Take one or two of top 5 issues, write an objective, define a strategy and metric and identify action plan next steps. From the SWOT we identified that since this was the first time we had incorporated green meeting standards into our conference, we would maximize our strengths, keep it simple and we focused on three key areas: Destination – this was something within our control, we were looking for the least amount of air travel for our North America wide audience, and the least amount of ground transportation, i.e. all events were held within walking distance, and we encouraged delegates to spend their spare time in the LA Live region Venue – the new LA Convention Center is LEED gold certified (the previous year we were in another LEED certified facility, the new Vancouver Convention Center. Transportation – we encouraged delegates to purchase carbon offsets and helped facilitate carpooling for those from San Diego and Las Vegas Both of the SMART objectives were up to the attendees to fulfill, so we needed to have a communications strategy that Inspired them to action Made it easy for them to purchase the offsets Provided thorough information about the venue so that they would make their “offsite” plans at venues within walking distance.
Nancy Before we get into the results of our verification, here are some of the highlights from 2007 by the numbers.
Nancy Before we get into the results of our verification, here are some of the highlights from 2007 by the numbers.
Nancy Before we get into the results of our verification, here are some of the highlights from 2007 by the numbers.
Process Plans for identification Issues Goals and targets Stakeholder engagement Policy (use of planning process from APEX and determine indicators you want to report with GRI)
Identify Resources to Support Your Efforts Communicate Commitment Celebrate Success It’s not the easy button but it’s a start.
Instructor notes: Introduce the RFP sample. Script: We have a sample RFP we ’ll work through to give you a better idea how this might work. We’ll start with the planner perspective in creating the RFP. This RFP is a modification of the APEXs ’ Request for Proposal format. We took Level 1 specifications for meeting venue and food and beverage and included them in the sample RFP. Instructor notes: The majority of the standard components within the RFP start on page 5 of the RFP. The intent is for a planner to see how they might integrate the desired level of the standard within their current RFPs. For the supplier, it ’s to get a feel for what an RFP from a planner could look like. You may ask the suppliers in the room if this makes sense to them. Script: We ’re going to go through the RFP process from both the planner and supplier perspective.
Script: The RFP shows how to take what you ’re already doing and simply add your desire level of the standard specifications to it. Once you do this once, you won’t need to change it unless you alter the level of the standard your requesting. (Hand out RFP – one facilitator distribute while other speaks) The standard components of the RFP start on page 5. You can see that you are not only asking what they are currently doing but also giving them an opportunity to include anything they may be implementing by your event date or are willing to implement by then. What you may want to do when you integrate this in your own RFPs is to have a spreadsheet that shows the suppliers name and their responses to the 3 columns. For those of you who have suppliers you use all the time and no long send out RFPs you will want to send them the level standard your now expecting them to achieve using those same 3 columns. There is a sample scoring worksheet in your manual.
Instructor notes: Introduce the supplier response to the RFP in their handout materials. Script: Now for the supplier who respond to the RFP. The DoubleTree Hotel in Portland was gracious enough to fill out a response to the sample RFP reflecting how they would potentially respond to the bid. If you are already performing at the certain level of the standard, it would be great to point that out in the beginning. If you ’re not meeting the current requested level of standard, you have the opportunity to describe what you intend to have in place by the time of the event, or are willing to do for the event. You can see that in some of the responses from the DoubleTree they are exceeding Level 1 specifications. If you know you are performing at a higher level than requested, it would be in your best interest to highlight that fact. For example, if you traditionally operate at Level 2 for meeting venue, then reflect that in your response to the RFP. If you ’re not sure what level currently meet, it would prudent to do a self assessment. Also, using the standards in your bid response offers you a consistent way of responding to the variety of planner requests. One of the complaints we hear from suppliers is that planners are asking for sustainable practices but rarely are they consistent. We hope the standards will minimize the inconsistencies.
EXAMPLES of each are Key - Script: There are 3 ways to verify: Documentation - An example of documentation would be written information provided such as a copy of their sustainability policy (both supplier and planner must provide this). Or a link could be posted on the company ’s website. This is something you’d ask for in the pre-planning phase. We’ll give more examples in a moment from the planner perspective and then from the supplier perspective. In other words documentation is a written proof of compliance. Third-party verification A third party verification is a process or product that has been audited by a third party. Certifications like Green Seal or LEED are examples of third party verification. Getting a copy of their seals or seeing their certificates would be done in the pre-planning phase. Observation refers to the visual verification through observation. For example, any practices observed by you or your staff or attendees. You will verify with observation predominately during the onsite phase, though some will occur in the pre-planning phase.
Script: The final phase is a critical, but rarely practiced, step which is the post event reporting. By post event reporting we mean beyond the financial reports or minimal post event demographics. We ’re referring to reporting on performance, sustainability practices and lessons learned. Public reports of that nature are scarce in our industry. Post event performance reporting will be an essential part of integrating the standards. Currently, it is up to the individual organization to be assessing, measuring and reporting on their compliance with the standard. It may be a while before credible certification is ready, so you may find it helpful to use a third party consulting group to assist with this process if you ’re doing it for the first time. Often we get caught up in the next project and don ’t often take the time to complete this process. Think of it as part of your existing post reporting, like verifying bills and running final financial reporting. Again once, you have integrated a system to include this in your current process, it will be more automatic. In the post reporting phase you ’ll need to collect data, like the waste diversion numbers. You’ll want to record what worked, what didn’t. If you met the standard, did your counterpart also meet the standard? How might you share your experiences. Let ’s talk about each of these in a bit more detail.
