IMEX America Sustainability Center a big draw

As part of IMEX America’s commitment to green and CSR programs, the Sustainability Center, powered by the Green Meeting Industry Council (GMIC), has been bustling with interest and interaction between U.S. and global show delegates, green experts and speakers.

With drop-in workshops filling up fast and sometimes spilling-out into the aisles due to high demand, the IMEX America Sustainability Center has been seeing a high interest from U.S. companies and meeting planners looking for tips and best practices on how to get started with green initiatives. Interest has also been strong in how to report on and measure ROI and effectiveness as well as how to engage stakeholders in green or CSR initiatives.

“Planners and exhibitors globally are seeing the value of sustainability,” said Steen Jakobsen, Wonder Copenhagen Convention Center and a member of the GMIC Board. “It’s great to see U.S. professionals really engaged here and to see the ball rolling everywhere around the world.”

According to GMIC, the most popular programs hosted at the Sustainability Center so far during the show include a panel discussion led by Tamara Kennedy-Hill, CMP, executive director, GMIC, on green meeting standards and how to integrate them. Her “Sustainable Event Standards Integrated: Defining Sustainability for Event Success” session attracted a lot of attention. In addition, a personal wellness segment called, “Staying Healthy on the Road” had delegates happily striking yoga poses, stretching and learning new breathing techniques to keep them energized.

Other green-focused sessions are set to include “A Sustainable Las Vegas” lead by Taryle Spain, director of client services, Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority and Chris Brophy, VP energy and environmental services; “Sustainability Rocks,” hosted by Luke Flett, sales and marketing manager of Universal World Events and “Sustainable Products and How to Source Them,” which will be delivered by Roel Frissen, CMM, managing director of Parthen.

The action and energy happening at the Sustainability Center is just one part of IMEX America’s broader commitment to sustainability and CSR programs. IMEX America’s Sustainability Partners, MeetGreen, have also been tasked with setting benchmarks (and working closely with Las Vegas vendors and partners) across a range of measurement criteria in order to help the tradeshow develop in the most environmentally-friendly way possible in the future.