Foreword
Making business events sustainable
W hen people think of Canada , sprawling mountain ranges , unique wildlife , cities brimming with culture and some of the friendliest people on earth come to mind . We ’ re immensely proud of our reputation on the world stage , but now the challenge is preserving our communities , natural world and local economies .
Sustainability might be seen as a ‘ nice to have ’ by many , but increasingly it ’ s becoming something that event organisers are requesting . It ’ s also the right thing to do to ensure the long-term success of local communities .
That ’ s why we are investing in sustainability so heavily . We have devised our comprehensive Business Events Sustainability Plan , to move towards a more sustainable future where green events take centre stage .
The plan , in which 16 Canadian partners are participating , is just the beginning of a long-term journey that , we intend , will eventually result in us becoming a world-leader in sustainable events and regenerative tourism .
In this supplement we ’ re looking to share what the plan means for Canada , what other destinations can do to replicate our approach and how we look to use the work we have done as the catalyst for change .
When reading this supplement , I hope you take some learnings that can improve the green credentials of your own events . Open communication and sharing as a global community is vital to sustainable success , so get in touch .
Regardless , we ’ re still on our journey , but we ’ re making strides towards creating a brighter future for business events . I hope you enjoy the information enclosed within these pages and take some key learnings for your sustainable strategy .
Virginie De Visscher , executive director , business events , Destination Canada
CANADA / CONFERENCE & MEETINGS WORLD / 3