Many of Business Events Sydney (BESydney)’s members are redesigning the way they do business meetings and events, to ensure their operations are socially, economically and environmentally sound, and contribute positively to the community.
Business Events Sydney members are leading the trend in the tourism and events industries towards sustainability. They believe good corporate social responsibility (CSR) is:
“Contemporary business tourists want to visit a city that places a high value on sustainability,” says Bryan Holliday, Managing Director of Business Events Sydney member ICMS Australasia, who organised the World Congress of the Renewable City in Sydney in March 2009. “There are many competing options for tourists to visit, so being a renewable city would make Sydney even more desirable.”
The Business Events Council of Australia, another BESydney member, has urged event planners and venues to sponsor carbon-neutral site visits, design low impact exhibition booths and promote eco-friendly venues.
Many Business Events Sydney members are doing their part such as Sydney Harbour Marriott that has water-flow restrictors on the showers in all its rooms, energy saving light-globes where possible, and a variable speed drive (VSD) on the cooling tower to control water and electricity. The hotel also recycles its paper, cardboard, glass and toner cartridges.
Meanwhile, professional conference organiser (PCO) WaldronSmith Management (WSM) has developed a program of calculators that enable its clients - as a whole or as individual delegates - to offset the carbon emissions they contribute by attending a conference.
From recycling to carbon offsetting, energy saving and sustainable education, BESydney members are spreading the word and making a real and positive difference to their communities. We’ll continue to tell their stories as they evolve.
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