The Green Meeting Industry Council held the 2012 Sustainable Meetings Conference in Montreal, where GMIC announced its plans for programming to educate meeting professionals on defining, measuring, and reporting the implementation of a sustainable event. Around 200 meeting sustainability experts gathered to discuss the industry’s current issues, including the APEX/ASTM standards. Eight of the nine standards have been published, with the final standard to be published this month. ISO 20121 is an international standard that should be finalized and released in June. Andrew Walker, a GMIC director, recommended attendees use both measures. GMIC’s executive director, Tamara Kennedy-Hill, CMP, says the council helps cover emerging standards. “The industry needs a single, one-stop resource to help planners and decision-makers understand the standards, decide which ones to use for different purposes, and get on with the job. GMIC is the only meetings association devoted full-time to sustainability, so it’s our job to put that training in place.” An update to the Sustainable Event Management Tool was also announced at the conference. The tool allows planners and suppliers to measure and report the environmental impact of their events.
More Stories
Choosing a Payroll Service Provider: Things to Keep in Mind
It is not easy to manage payroll for employees. Keeping up with changing legislation can make this already difficult and...
Making Good Decisions
Several years ago, while working in a hotel sales office, I had a colleague who would remind everyone taking business...
MPI Future of Meetings: Communication and Distribution
Social networking isn’t just for teenagers and young adults; a fact meeting planners are quickly coming to understand. In 2010,...
What Event Planners Can Learn from Amazon
Is there anything Amazon won’t try? The worldwide eCommerce company is now working with the embattled U.S. Postal Service, testing out Sunday deliveries for...
10 Cybersecurity Tips for Meetings
Be vigilant. “The real X factor is how distracted we are when we travel,” says John Sileo, president, and CEO...
40 Under 40: Tony Buhr, Maritz Travel
What I do: I bring Maritz's services to companies in the Southern California region. I strive to be a resource for...
Average Rating