March 28, 2024 1:28 AM
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Taiwan attains success with Green MICE project

Sponsored by the Ministry of Economic Affairs, Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA) implemented Taiwan’s MICE Pilot Program (MEET Taiwan) with impressive results in 2014.

Taipei World Trade Center Nangang Exhibition Hall (TWTC Nangang) also adhered to ISO 20121 Event Sustainability Management Systems out of its own volition and subsequently held the “Awarding Ceremony for 2014 Green MICE & the TWTC Nangang ISO 20121 Certificate” on Dec. 16.

Shih-Chung Huang, director for East Asia at SGS Taiwan Ltd., awarding ISO 20121 certificates to David Hsu, deputy director general of the Bureau of Foreign Trade.
Shih-Chung Huang, director for East Asia at SGS Taiwan Ltd., awarding ISO 20121 certificates to David Hsu, deputy director general of the Bureau of Foreign Trade.

Among the events 100 attendees were David Hsu, deputy director general of the Bureau of Foreign Trade, Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA), Walter Yeh, executive vice president of Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA), and Rick Wu, chairman of the Taiwan Printed Circuit Association (TPCA). The prestigious attendees highlighted the importance of the Green MICE industry in Taiwan.

The 18th East Asian Actuarial Conference, 2014 Asia Pacific Franchise Confederation and World Franchise Council Meetings Taiwan, Global Initiatives Symposium in Taiwan 2014, Creative Jam Session, and the TPCA Show 2014 were all added to the “Green MICE Guidelines.”

Each event integrated Green MICE environmental concepts across all stages of activities and were awarded incentives from the Bureau of Foreign Trade in attempt to further emphasize the importance of green standards across MICE industries.

The Green MICE Project incorporates ISO 14064, PAS 2050, and ISO 20121 international standards to adhere to global trends. This year, the Taipei International Convention Center was examined and earned ISO 14064 Greenhouse Gas certification. Carbon dioxide emissions amounted to 3,547 tons, representing a decrease of 557 tons, or 12 percent, compared emissions in 2010. This clearly shows the investment to improve the efficiency of hardware and the promotion of energy conservation and management that the Taipei International Convention Center has undertook over the past three years. The conservation techniques have certainly achieved great results.

In addition, the PAS 2050 Carbon Footprint Standards assisted the TPCA Show 2014 to calculate this year’s event carbon dioxide emissions to be 717 tons (539 kilograms per booth). Since 2010, the number of visitors and exhibitors has been increasing each year, yet carbon dioxide emissions only increased by 32 tons while each booth was able to reduce emissions by 74 kilograms.

TPCA took an innovative approach to encourage participation in green initiatives, which included: a raffle awarding visitors who came to show via public transportation, and a donation activity associated with the recycling of badges. These efforts proved to be highly effective in reducing carbon emissions.

Furthermore, the Green MICE project integrated ISO 20121 certification into the Eco-Products International Fair 2014 (EPIF 2014) in May of this year. Also, the 9th Asia MICE Forum (AMF 2014) earned international certification upon its conclusion in September. The certification surveyed the needs and expectations of 40 stakeholders, including organizers, exhibitors, visitors, and contractors, identified 127 sustainable development topics, and set 25 goals.

Such measures included a post-event badge return rate of 60 percent and lunches made from seasonal ingredients to promote development of local industries. By cultivating the seeds of hope, and searching for advocates of green principles, the event planted seeds of sustainable development in the minds of participants. According a world leading inspection and verification company, Systems & Services Certification (SGS), this became Asia’s first meeting respectively to be certified by SGS for ISO 20121certification. The event already established a domestic model for sustainable activity of domestic conferences.

The implementation of the Green MICE project has allowed TWTC Nangang to realize sustainable development of its hard services and strive to achieve the even harder goal of earning ISO 20121 certification. The program has allowed Nangang to understand the needs and expectations of 200 stakeholders, identify 900 sustainable development issues, and establish 66 sustainable goals, such as strengthening the promotion of Ubike services nearby, using recycled paper towels, reducing transformer core loss to decrease annual electricity costs by NT$2.72 million, and adding 13 service bells to disabled parking spaces. Establishing 101 standard operating procedures for the exhibition hall not only ensures the “environmental”, “economic”, and “societal” excellence, but also allowed the hall to become the first exhibition center in Asia to obtain SGS confirmed ISO 20121 certification.

On Dec. 16, the Awarding Ceremony for 2014 Green MICE & the TWTC Nangang ISO 20121 Certificate took place. In addition to highlighting the government’s initiative to lead Taiwan MICE industries onto the global stage and its deep commitment to sustainable development, this event also hopes to promote environmental conservation and sustainable development concepts throughout the MICE industry and preliminary event planning processes. These efforts will reduce the environmental impact of MICE industries and even educate the community by encouraging visitors, exhibitors, and third-parties to engage in sustainable initiatives.

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