“ The events industry serves such a heterogeneous market ,” highlights Seiz . “ With enterprises of so many kinds , it ’ s very challenging to make them all commit to the cause with the same strength and determination .”

Steps in the right direction While these challenges have created barriers to progress since COP26 , new tools and cross-institutional initiatives have improved the industry ’ s capacity to jump these hurdles .

Accreditation Event organisers are increasingly using accreditation as a deciding factor for the selection of suppliers , incentivising the implementation of sustainable practices across supply chains .

To achieve respected accreditations , thorough and long-term modifications are required to a range of company operations . One off , PR-inspired initiatives will no longer cut it .

“ Any accreditation worth its salt should include a robust audit and look at what impacts are measured and the whole lifecycle ( of operations ),” comments Warren Campbell , general manager of the London-based venue , 15Hatfields .

One such accreditation , ISO 20121 , provides organisations with guidance of how to fine comb their processes , find out where they ’ re falling short and implement change in these targeted areas .

Pelham suggests the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change ’ s Race to Zero programme as a useful tool to educate organisations on implementation : “ It is free and provides over 12 hours of resources that can be used . This helps people make a net zero commitment and report on it .”

Destinations Institutions that represent destinations are the glue that links international event organisers with their respective local supply chains , encouraging and verifying sustainable processes .

Virginie De Visscher , senior director of business development of economic sectors at Destination Canada Business Events , tells CMW : “ If our industry is to meet net zero targets by no later than 2050 , the entire MICE supply chain has to work together to find and implement powerful solutions .”

In the backdrop of COP26 , Destination Canada has launched the

Far left : Raquel Seiz

Left : Virginie De

Visscher

Business Events Sustainability Plan , which will assess the ways business events can benefit local communities , aiming to improve ‘ economic , social , and environmental sustainability practices .’

In southeast Asia , Chiruit Isarangkun Na Ayuthaya , president of Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau ( TCEB ), says : “ Our goal is to make Thailand a destination where events can produce not only tangible economic impacts but also measurable social and environmental legacies .”

The Thailand Sustainable Event Management Standard , generated by TCEB , provides suppliers with a sustainable criteria for suppliers to meet . Once accredited with this standard , organisers can efficiently source sustainable goods and services , which in the past was difficult to verify when organising international managing events .

Industry co-operation The Joint Meetings Industry Council ’ s Net Zero Carbon Event Initiative , launched shortly before COP26 , aims to co-ordinate the industry towards achieving the Paris Agreement goals of a 50 % reduction in emissions by 2030 , and net zero by 2050 .

Seiz comments : “ The commitment road map document they are following is a huge advance for the industry , as it finally sets specific initiatives with deadlines which is something that was lacking in our industry .”

The Initiative has more than 240 signatories , an increase of 140 since the COP26 took place . This growing co-ordination is a crucial step in countering the ‘ heterogeneous ’ nature of the events industry .

Assessments of operations , industry collaboration and universal tools are assisting tentative steps towards the goals set out at COP26 . The time for action is now , the events industry must keep responding .