Home TypeNews Sustainability now non-negotiable says Sustainable Events Summit delegates

Sustainability now non-negotiable says Sustainable Events Summit delegates

by EN

Brands including Innocent, Hewlett Packard, Cisco and Nestle were amongst almost 200 events industry professionals who gathered at the 2014 Sustainable Events Summit on 18 February.

By the end of the summit, which took place at 30 Euston Square, almost 70 per cent of delegates surveyed said that sustainability is now non-negotiable to achieve a better business and more responsible events strategies.

In the opening plenary, Fiona Pelham, co-founder of the summit and managing director of Positive Impact – a provider of sustainability education and training for the event industry – reviewed the progress the events sector has made since last year’s inaugural one-day event.

She then launched the ‘Share A Positive Impact’ campaign, designed to encourage people to share what inspires them about an event’s approach to the economy, environment and society.

“The more we can all learn about the event industry’s impact, the more we can collaborate for the greater good,” she said.

After lunch, The Sustainable Events Summit 2014 addressed what companies can do to get their sustainability journey underway. Three breakout sessions discussed driving culture change within businesses, reporting systems and measurement, and how to speak to clients about the importance of sustainability.

“We are absolutely delighted by the response and engagement shown by events professionals towards driving a more sustainable industry,” said Rick Stainton, MD of Smyle and co-founder of the Sustainable Events Summit 2014.

“The challenge now is for companies to implement what they’ve learned and drive a cultural change within their organisations. The will exists for more sustainable thinking. By next year’s summit, we would like to start seeing real results across the industry.”

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