Northstar

eBOOK_MCA_JANFEB20

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Feature Cover Story 26 JAN-FEB 2020 MEETINGS & CONVENTIONS MCMAG-ASIA.COM IHG has sustainable practices that involve a turtle release programme. E ven as the meetings industry put a greater focus on sustainability in the coming decade, having greener business events is more than just about cutting single-use plastics or reducing carbon footprint. More can and must be done, said MICE industry stakeholders. "The sustainability in MICE of 2020 should not be limited to managing the usage of plastic. It should take a step towards even more sustainable solutions," declared Frederick Wong, Hyatt's vice president – sales operations and global sales, Asia Pacic. Agreed Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre's deputy general manager John Burke, who said sustainability needs to be ingrained into event planning and execution. "More venues and events are being designed and organised in accordance with sustainability and environmentally-friendly aims and certications," he said. "There is an increased drive to do away with single- use plastics, limit food waste and reduce their carbon footprint, amongst others. "These developments are likely to continue into the next decade, with participants becoming savvier, brands becoming more aware and event organisers becoming more passionate about sustainability." Sustainability no longer an afterthought Environmental and cultural awareness At InterContinental Hotels Group, sustainable practices go beyond plastic- reduction or managing food waste. The hotel group has introduced a cluster initiative for sustainable meetings designed to promote environmental and cultural awareness to all delegates. Activities include a turtle release programme, visit to a hydroponic farm for organic vegetables, and contributing time and resources to underprivileged children and schools. "This entails oering meeting delegates the opportunity to take a break from their business agendas to participate in arrange of dierent cultural and sustainable activities," said IHG's vice president, commercial, Southeast Asia and Korea, Mark Flower. Having greener events has its rewards. Over at the Marina Bay Sands in Singapore, its vice president of sales Mike Lee said the integrated resort is anticipating an even greater demand for green meetings in 2020. "We have received numerous requests from our clients on how to make their events a greener one," he said. "In the MICE industry, sustainability has no longer become a unique selling point, but an industry standard across all meetings. Our goal is to see how we can deliver even better sustainable meetings, ones that go beyond green menus." But what the MICE industry needs, too, are measurable results of their sustainability practices. There's a growing recognition that if the industry is going to eectively defend itself in an age of sustainability, stakeholders have to get smarter about how they measure the broader impact of their events, said former ICCA CEO Martin Sirk. "If we can't point to clear, positive results, the carbon costs of delegates ying to meetings will become a weapon we will struggle to defend ourselves against," he said. CREDIT: GETTY IMAGES "In the MICE industry, "In the MICE industry, sustainability has no longer become a unique selling point, but an industry standard across all meetings." MIKE LEE, VICE PRESIDENT OF SALES, MARINA BAY SANDS MARINA BAY SANDS Practice is now industry standard across all meetings, needs to be ingrained into event planning and execution

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