(Pictured above: JMIC President Kai Hattendorf)
A new report published by the Joint Meetings Industry Council presents the most comprehensive assessment yet completed of meetings industry activities addressing the full range of United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDGs) during these challenging times. The program was an extension of an initiative begun by UFI, the Global Association of the Exhibition Industry, with a view to expanding its perspective into other business event sectors.
The report is based on 43 submissions from 16 countries worldwide, and includes initiatives from Europe, North and South America, Asia, Australia and Africa. This diversity helped demonstrate the wide range of approaches being taken as well as a global commitment to addressing UNSDG goals in the meetings industry. The case studies were assessed for compliance with screening standards established by Greenview Hospitality PTE, who then used them to compile the final report.
“While COVID-19 still defines our industry’s short term agenda, we need to look ahead as well,” says JMIC President Kai Hattendorf. “As we rebuild events, it will be mandatory that we do this in a way that is aligned with global standards on sustainable development. This new report shares successful initiatives from around the world—every one of them can serve as a blueprint for hundreds of companies.”
The format for reporting created a range of practical insights, including design, strategy, implementation and evaluation. They were aggregated under three overall categories: Event Themes and Content; Event Execution and Operations and Company Operations, each of which was explored in terms of how activities were aligned with specific UNSD goals. Some specific practical opportunities that emerged for consideration by other industry participants included opportunities to align performance reporting systems with relevant UNSDGs and to use the process to create a “culture of sustainable development” within an organization through the formation of working groups and related policies.
Report authors identified five top UNSDG’s addressed in the portfolio of case studies as:
- Responsible consumption and production | UNSDG 12
- Creating partnerships to achieve goals | UNSDG 17
- Sustainable cities and communities | UNSDG 11
- Climate action | UNSDG 13
- Decent work and economic growth | UNSDG 8
In summary, the report authors noted that “The meetings industry has a critical role to play in moving the needle forward given that it enjoys an incomparable outreach—millions of international attendees and exhibitors are engaged every year, spanning a wide cross section of all sectors of business, government, academia and community. The work of the meetings industry wields meaningful influence on how knowledge and business practices evolve, and supports economic, professional, social and academic advancement to the benefit of all.”
Says Hattendorf, “This Report, along with the detailed case studies it has summarized, is extraordinarily useful in that is presents the tangible actions of many in our industry who have taken the concepts of the UNSDG framework and applied them in practical and demonstrable way.”
The report, along with details of the component case studies, are available on the Joint Meetings Industry website at www.themeetingsindustry.org
JMIC wishes to acknowledge the thoughtful work done by the successful contributors to the study; they are:
AUSTRALIA
Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre
International Convention Centre Sydney
Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre
CANADA
Enercare Centre, Exhibition Place
Montreal Convention Centre (Palais des congrès de Montréal)
CHINA
Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (Management) Limited
FRANCE
GL events
Reed Exhibitions
GERMANY
European Association of Event Centres German Convention Bureau
Messe Frankfurt
The Leipzig Trade Fair Group (Leipziger Messe GmbH)
INDIA
Indian Machine Tool Manufacturers’ Association
ITALY
Palacongressi di Rimini
MEXICO
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NETHERLANDS
RAI Amsterdam
World Forum The Hague
UNITED KINGDOM
Glasgow Convention Bureau Informa Plc
Reed Exhibitions
UNITED STATES
The TCF Center (formerly Cobo Center)
Javits Center
Oregon Convention Center
SINGAPORE
Marina Bay Sands Pte Ltd
Singapore Association of Convention & Exhibition Organizers & Suppliers
SPAIN
Barcelona International Convention Centre (Centre Convencions Internacional Barcelona) IFEMA
Valencia Conference Centre
SWEDEN
The Swedish Exhibition & Congress Centre Group (Svenska Mässan koncernen)
JMIC MEMBERS INCLUDE:
AACVB | the Asian Association of Convention and Visitor Bureaus
ACCLATAM | the Association of Convention Centres of the Caribbean and Latin America
AIPC | the International Association of Convention Centres
ASAE | the American Society of Association Executives
COCAL | the Latin American Confederation of PCO and Related Companies
ECM | European Cities Marketing
EMECA | the European Major Exhibition Centres Association
EVVC | European Association of Event Centres
IAEE | the International Association of Exhibitions and Events
IAPCO | the International Association of Professional Congress Organizers
ICCA | the International Congress and Convention Association
MPI | Meeting Professionals International
PCMA | the Professional Convention Management Association
SACEOS | the Singapore Association of Convention and Exhibition Organizers and Suppliers
SISO | the Society of Independent Show Organizers
SITE | Society for Incentive Travel Excellence
UFI | the Global Association of the Exhibition Industry
UIA | the Union of International Associations
JMIC is an organization that represents the combined interests of 18 international meetings industry associations and events. It has provided a forum for information exchange amongst industry groups for more than 50 years and has recently become more engaged in the process of articulating and delivering industry messages to wider community and governmental audiences as well as developing better mechanisms for documenting and communicating the value of the industry in terms of economic, academic, professional and social advancement. JMIC is supported by Industry Partners IMEX and IBTM World. For more info, visit www.themeetingsindustry.org or email jmic@themeetingsindustry.org
