Christine Koch’s primary responsibility in the newly created position will be to further strengthen the marketing organization’s commitment to all aspects of sustainability – economic, ecological and social.
A long-standing employee of the GCB, Koch has been actively involved with its sustainability initiatives for many years, including the seminar program for sustainability advisors offered by the GCB in partnership with the German Federal Environmental Foundation (DBU). Koch helped develop and implement the Sustainability Code for the meetings sector across German-speaking countries and worked on the GCB’s Green Globe certification.
The recent “Meeting & Event Barometer” 2013 study highlighted the importance of sustainability in the meetings sector, with almost half of all meeting and event organizers saying they prefer providers with certified sustainability-management systems. German providers are ahead of the game with sustainability-management systems already in place in nearly 40 percent of event venues in Germany. When polled, 27 percent of organizers also felt German providers’ commitment to sustainability has a positive impact on the quality of events.
With those figures in mind, the GCB is pushing ahead with its pioneering work in the field of sustainability. As well as driving a wide range of initiatives within the German meeting and events sector, the industry’s marketing organization is examining its own internal processes, from the use of intelligent, sustainable travel solutions to separating waste and the procurement of stationary.
Thanks to such initiatives, the GCB as an organization has been Green Globe-certified since 2012. Similarly, the GCB’s stand at IMEX 2013, which took place recently, was highly praised for its sustainable design and operation and was awarded the “Green Exhibitor Award 2013” by IMEX and the Green Meeting Industry Council (GMIC).
The GCB represents and markets Germany as a destination for conventions, meetings, events and incentives on a national and international scale. It is the first point of contact for companies, associations and organizations around the world planning events in Germany.
Acting as a connector to the wide range of German event-service providers, venues and host cities, the GCB provides hands-on advice and support to planners and executives in all industries and organizations. To bring maximum value, quality and customization to each meeting and event hosted in Germany, the GCB also helps hosts and attendees leverage the country’s deep expertise in green meetings and key industries, such as pharmaceuticals, financials, automotive, logistics and transportation, and technology.
The GCB’s more than 200 members include leading hotels, convention centers, destinations, event agencies and service providers of the German meetings and conventions industry.
