Sustainable Events Industry

WHAT IS IT?

This self-assessment tool is a questionnaire, developed by Convention Bureau Italia, with the aim of analyzing the degree of maturity reached by companies in the MICE sector in Italy in terms of Sustainability.

It can be a valid support for companies that plan to integrate sustainability into their own organization and in their way of doing business.

WHY SHOULD YOU COMPLETE THE QUESTIONNAIRE?

By completing the questionnaire (which will only take a few minutes), the company will have the opportunity to:

• Assess the degree of maturity achieved in terms of Corporate Sustainability;
• Verify how it is performing in every area Corporate Sustainability;
• Evaluate any step to be taken in terms of  Sustainability;

Responses will be used in aggregated form only.

CBItalia’s project centers on a topic, sustainability, that has always had a large environmental and social impact.

The MICE sector contributes to air pollution, an increase in food waste, high levels of energy consumption for the destination hosting the event, and potentially have a negative impact on soil, water, other natural resources and biodiversity. 

Our goal is to become promoters of the progressive integration of sustainability within the business of our members, destinations, and companies by spreading information on the subject, providing operational tools to be implemented at the very start of the supply chain and, last but not least, making our technical skills available so that our members can progress on this journey autonomously. 

Sustainability is becoming an important driver in the growth of MICE companies because:

• It ensures business continuity over time and long-term profitability;
• Organizations (especially international) have already adopted or are adopting sustainability criteria in their business choices;
• Organizations are extending these criteria to their value chain and to all of their business areas; 
• Citizens are developing an awareness around sustainability issues that guides their choices and influences the reputation of B2B customers, initiatives, etc.

National and international legislation is faster on these issues than market players are. When measuring the performance and results of an event, it is advisable to make an overall assessment that goes well beyond its economic dimension; it is necessary to investigate and consider the environmental impact originating from it, the socio-cultural impacts of the communities involved, and the partnerships and synergies that each individual project manages to generate.

All the organizations involved in the MICE sector (Local Convention Bureaus, Congress Centers and Venues, Event Organization Agencies, Hotel Chains and Hotels, Fitting Companies, Companies in the Catering and Transport sector), today must consider, in the implementation phases of an event, the negative impact generated and the tools necessary to mitigate it.

Sustainability must become a strategic guiding element and an operational tool capable of involving the entire value chain in order to positively influence the entire sector and achieve real and long-term change for everyone. CB Italia, acting as an initial point of contact and source of information for all those who choose our country as a destination for their events, intends to consolidate and disseminate practices aimed at generating a positive environmental and social impact within the sector. For this reason, we have developed a "guide" that intends to stimulate interest by providing a concrete contribution to help companies in the sector approach sustainability easily, no matter the company size. 

1. Publication of a handbook on sustainability 
2. Produce a questionnaire for assessing the level of sustainability to determine the state of the art of each organization and obtain a final 'rating'
3. Preparation of an operational support tool for members
4. Sharing educational material on the topic