IACC Chief Executive Officer Mark Cooper joined a panel discussion focused on sustainability within the meetings and events industry at the United Nations Climate Conference COP25 Dec. 12 in Madrid.
The panel, “Bringing People Together for Climate: The Role of the Events Industry,” included speakers Mariela McIlwraith, Director of Industry Advancement, Events Industry Council; Yalmaz Siddiqui, Vice President, Corporate Sustainability at MGM Resorts International; and Marta Muñoz from the Spanish Ministry of Ecological Transition.
Throughout his session, Cooper gave some key examples of how IACC and its 400 international partner venues are working on becoming more sustainable. IACC is passionate about driving change within the meetings and events industry and became the first to attain one of the highest levels of the Event Industry Council’s Sustainable Event Standards for its Europe Knowledge Festival event, which took place in Brussels in October.
“Four hundred venues doesn’t sound like a huge number, but when you consider those venues look after more than 2 million events a year, you can see how even the smallest changes can make a big impact on the wider industry,” Cooper says.
The discussion focused on some of the initiatives that IACC put in place for the event, which contributed to attaining the accolade including: healthy food options such as a vegan lunch; water stations, with compostable and recyclable cups or refillable glass bottles for all delegates; all signage, badges and other information printed on sustainable materials such as recyclable card with no plastic, or available electronically and, for the pre-conference study tour, all delegates traveled by train or electric/hybrid cars.
The presentation closed with the three pledges that Europe Knowledge Festival attendees committed to—eradicate all single-use plastic bottles, remove all single-use coffee cups from guest rooms and to create an online repository of information and organizations which provide advice on how to become more sustainable in partnership with the Events Industry Council.
“I am passionate about creating a more sustainable meetings and events industry,” Cooper says. “While we have made some great efforts and headway in recent years there is still more to be done and through the sharing of knowledge and best practice with our industry colleagues it can be done.”
Amy Calvert, CEO of the Events Industry Council, adds: “We were honoured to participate in this prestigious event to demonstrate the critical role the events industry can play in addressing the climate crisis globally. The EIC and its members, such as IACC, are committed to developing education, training, and standards that will enable organisers around the world to deliver sustainable events that make a meaningful difference.”
Cooper was announced chair-elect for the Events Industry Council board and will assume his role on Jan. 1.
Founded in 1981, IACC is dedicated to representing the best meeting venues globally and is, by definition, the future of the meetings industry realized. The association brings together the brightest, most innovative minds from around the globe. IACC elevates the meeting experience by creating a unique point of entry that is inclusive of the best-in-class meeting venues internationally. IACC membership is a symbol of meeting excellence and exceptional connections among the best in the meeting industry. This exclusiveness makes IACC’s members part of an elite group representing the most innovative, forward-thinking and results-driven meeting venues globally. For more info, visit IACC
