We're In This Together

Do you have a green team for your event or conference? If not, why not? Working together with all of your key stakeholders can move the sustainability initiatives at a much faster pace. Leaders in our industry understand this and have initiated green teams which include representatives from the:

• Destination
• Meeting Venue
• Hotel
• Transportation Company
• Caterer
• Sponsors and Exhibitors
• Procurement Departments
• Agencies (especially international events)
• General Services Contractors

Many times we develop an adversarial relationship when the give and take of contract negotiation is involved. Instead look at the bigger picture and enroll these businesses this project so both of you can gain. From the very beginning, to tell your key stakeholders what’s in it for them, such as:

• Your Relationship: Let them know they are a vendor/partner who you consider a valued member of your event team. By working together on a green team, you can develop new solutions and add to both the environmental and economic bottom lines of the event. Your relationship will only get stronger and less likely to be put out to competitive bid.


• Competitive Advantage: By developing new green practices while working with a client such as yourself, vendors can promote these same practices on projects with other clients giving them a competitive advantage over less sustainable companies. Cost of research and development will be reduced.


• Economic Benefit: Cost savings are often associated with green measures. This is especially true with vendors such as hotels or meeting venues when energy and water saving measures are adopted.


• Industry Standards: The soon to be released APEX/ASTM standards require that vendors and planners report their green practices together to meet the standards. Why not have this piece of the standards puzzle already in place.


• Enhanced image: In addition to assisting their organization to be a low risk enterprise, stakeholders may work towards gaining a green certification or win local, national or international award. Media attention for “doing the right thing” is also readily available.

Examples of these teams in action were discussed on the webinar, Building your Green Event Team: Create Successful Stakeholder Partnerships. Here is a link to archived version on the GMIC website.

I invite you to learn more!