How can the events industry achieve sustainable development?

At the inaugural Convene 4 Climate conference, a group of participants brainstormed actionable strategies the business events industry needs to adopt so that we can accelerate the transition to a sustainable future.

The inaugural PCMA Convene 4 Climate took place in Barcelona, ​​Spain, on October 2-3, in partnership with the European National Conference Bureau Strategic Alliance, and was designed in a way that recognizes that we are no longer on the verge of global warming. Conference moderator Felix Rundel, co-founder of strategy and creative agency futurehain, highlighted this reality: “We have a limited time window to achieve the profound changes needed for a sustainable future for business activity,” he Tell the audience at the beginning of the event.

In other words, the message is: Let’s get down to business.

“We have limited time to make the profound changes to our environment that are necessary for a sustainable future of business activity,” said C4C presenter Felix Rundel.

At the opening of the main stage, four speakers gave TED-style talks – short, powerful, and to the point – about how to change the events industry for a sustainable future. For the rest of the day, participants split into four separate workshops, rolling up their sleeves to answer the same question – how to ensure a sustainable future for the business events industry – by developing concrete strategies in the following categories: Technology, Data & Measurement; skills, people and mindset; business model, risk and growth; and innovation and collaboration to drive change.

At each group table, participants were asked to explore practical ways and measures to accelerate the transition to sustainability, with the caveat that these strategies – in the form of initiatives, projects or joint events – —Be clear, actionable and feasible.

In the second round of discussions, participants focused on the strategies from the previous round that seemed most promising and had the greatest potential for impact.

At the end of the day, representatives from each workshop group outlined the strategies presented by their table. Here is a snapshot of the results presented:

Technology, data and measurement

• Incentivize event participants to reduce emissions through a mobile app with gamification elements, providing points or recognition to those who participate in making more sustainable choices.
• An industry-wide accepted dashboard and benchmarking tool that collects data from planners and suppliers to generate benchmarks and enable informed decision-making and more sustainable activities.
• Better Event Catering (BEC) tools enable organizers to make more sustainable decisions around catering options – using technology to minimize food waste, carbon emissions and aid responsible sourcing.

Skills, people and mindset

• The 4th International Conveners’ Conference Climate Mentorship Program aims to inspire and help people take action through a mentoring and rewards program aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
• Engage stakeholders in plans to close the gap between care and action.
• Adopt an industry-wide Wellbeing Economy approach – designed to serve people and the planet first. Rather than seeing economic growth as an end in itself and pursuing it at all costs, a well-being economy puts the needs of people and the planet at the center of activity.

Business models, risks and growth

• Incentivizing food consumption and sponsorship is combined with reducing waste and creating “logical menus” to achieve a variety of goals.
• Encourage the recycling of event production materials through a connected sharing platform that aims to revolutionize the way hotels, conference centers and other event venues manage resources.
• A technology tool called the Sustainable Traveler Impact Companion System (STICS) is used to assess the positive economic, social and intellectual impact of event participants and weigh the carbon impact of travelers attending the conference. This is an important means of preparation when travel between countries is controlled or restricted due to environmental impacts, as it will demonstrate why business travelers should be prioritized.

Innovation and collaboration drive change

• A cross-industry initiative to promote systemic shifts in how attendees use rail travel to attend events.
• Create an online and offline platform for all stakeholders to collaborate, identify gaps, develop joint solutions and commitments for action to increase sustainable practices and develop policies.
• Global standards empowered by regional differences – a framework to inspire positive change that benefits suppliers, buyers and attendees.

Next step

Jaimé Bennett, PCMA managing director for Europe, the Middle East and Africa, said Convene 4 Climate’s campaign findings and resources will be compiled into a report that will be made available to conference participants and the industry as a whole in 2025. “We are grateful to our foundation partners – Destination Canada, Failte Ireland and Meet in Ireland, Marina Bay Sands and United Airlines – for their support of Convene 4 Climate, making our inaugural event such a success.”

Bennett said that at the PCMA Leaders Conference in Houston, Texas, from January 12 to 15, a group of attendees will participate in a workshop that will introduce Convene 4 Climate, a technology that builds on the inaugural A new global platform based on conferences. “Participants will help plan how to build this platform to fast-track the sustainable development of the business events community,” she said. “The conference is designed to be collaborative and impactful, ensuring that participants’ voices directly shape the 4th International Conference on Climate Platform to better support their sustainability journeys.”

Michelle Russell is the author of “ held.