33-34_TTGB M&E feature 4/11/08 16:14 Page 34
34 green M&E
L50480 Apples and pears slowdown has pushed the green issue
But Stranak is adamant hotels and off the corporate list of priorities.
Meet the
venues must do more to publicise how This is a view rejected by Christer
money
they are improving the efficiency of Nordlund, director of meetings and
their products. “It’s important that events management at HRG. He says the
a44 Meetings and events
suppliers and customers communicate. credit crunch has had the opposite
contributed £22 billion to
Only then will effective solutions be effect on industry attitudes: “Green does
the UK economy in 2007
found. There is a dire need for an not necessarily mean expensive. We a44 The sector contributed
industry-standard method of calculating make extra efforts to ensure customers £3.85 billion in taxes,
carbon emissions. My company has
PEOPLE WANT
get the best possible return on their enough to pay the salaries
adopted the Carepar scheme [a carbon
TO KNOW HOW
investment. But I’ve not yet heard of of one in five nurses
calculator designed by Hotel Booking any corporate who’s decided to switch a
CLOSE PUBLIC
a44 1.78 million jobs are
Agents’ Association chairman Peter conference from abroad to domestic
supported by the meetings
Ducker] because without such a
TRANSPORT IS
purely based on environmental reasons.
industry
system we would still be comparing
TO THE VENUE,
While CSR may come quite far down a
apples and pears, rendering all our list of 20 action points when organising
a44 There are more than 450
efforts meaningless.”
AND DOES IT
a meeting, it is always considered.”
major events held in the UK
One hotel which can’t be accused of PURCHASE
each year, worth £1 billion
shunning the green meeting is Rezidor,
to the economy
ETHICALLY
Crunching the numbers
part of the Minneapolis-based
a44 UK businesses spend £4
Carlson Group. It launched its first
AND LOCALLY?
Stranak even suggests the credit crunch
should be an incentive for corporates to
billion on meetings and
environmental programme in 1996, and bolster their CSR policy: “Given that fuel
events: of which £3 billion is
five years later unveiled its Responsible Business costs are so high now, hotels have an incentive to make
spent in the UK, and £1
programme, designed to “embed a culture of social and their properties run more efficiently to cut overheads.”
billion overseas
environmental responsibility” among its employees. Earlier this year, HRG launched its Green Events a44 26% of all visitors to the
programme at the Imex conference in Frankfurt. It was UK arrive on business visits
Changing attitudes the culmination of more than a year’s research into and they spend about 29%
Alexandra Hammond, Rezidor’s recently appointed sustainability and renewable energy, and how it could of the country’s inbound
responsible business manager for the UK, has been at benefit business travel. tourism earnings
the vanguard of the hotel sector’s attempts to promote Nordlund says: “The emphasis [of the programme] is
a44 About 80 million people
sustainability. She spent the last two years at on saving energy and on renewables. We want to
attend 1.5 million meetings
Edinburgh’s Radisson SAS, transforming it into one of encourage the use of local products and providers, and
and conferences annually
the most environmentally friendly mainstream hotels in promote any project that gives back to the community
across the globe
the UK. “Attitudes are changing,” she says. “Clients are local to where the event is being held.”
increasingly interested in venues’ green credentials. He cites a client who recently held an event in
People want to know how close public transport is to Orlando, and stipulated that all the bottled water had to
the venue, does it have any environmental accred- come from local suppliers. “Everyone has to be seen to
itation, and does it purchase be caring about the environment, but things are still
ethically and locally?” very blurry.” He adds that CSR policies written by the
But many believe more majority of corporates remain “too vague”.
hotels must adopt this “There is a lot written into these policies, but there
approach if the sector is to are so many grey areas. I think this will change as the
make any real progress. “It’s issue develops and attitudes mature. The sooner there is
the small improvements that more clarity, the better for the industry.”
together have a cumulative According to VisitBritain, the meetings and events
effect,” says Stranak. “How sector was worth £22 billion to the UK economy last
many hotels still welcome year and, despite the prospect of recession, growth is
guests with a message on the expected to continue. The industry consensus is that
room TV? Does anyone value demand for green M&E will not abate.
this any more? And in Almost all of the global hotel chains promote their
meetings, why do some still own green credentials on their website home pages,
provide bottled water instead though some are more difficult to find than others. But
of jugs of water?” it will be the industry’s approach to creating a united
Some recent media reports front and an industry standard way to calculate
suggest the economic emissions that holds the key to the future. L52159
ttgbusiness.com a79 november 2008
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