Events Industry Council announces first organisations to achieve new EIC Sustainable Event Standards

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As the world celebrates Earth Day 2020, the Events Industry Council (EIC) is pleased to announce the first organisations to have achieved the EIC Sustainable Event Standards.

The new standards, launched in September 2019, are a central initiative of EIC’s Centre for Sustainable Events. Formerly the APEX/ASTM Environmentally Sustainable Meeting Standards, the EIC Sustainable Event Standards maintain the same level of rigour while improving their ease of use and adoptability.

“Accelerating the adoption of responsible environmental and social practices in the events industry is a top priority,” said Amy Calvert, CEO of the Events Industry Council, the global federation of more than 30 organisations that led the development of the standards. “Against the backdrop of Earth Day and in anticipation of our industry playing a leading role in the recovery of our global economy, we are honoured to share these standards and recognise the organisations that are leading the way.”

Greater emphasis has been placed on regional relevance, social justice, accessibility and diversity and inclusion. The standards were released with a one-year provisional status to allow for additional input from early adopters. More than 100 of the industry’s leading practitioners, including representation from 15 countries, contributed to the development of the new standards.

The standards include seven assessment categories in core sectors of the events industry related to sustainability in the areas of environmental and social responsibility. They collectively establish the framework that event organisers and suppliers should follow when incorporating sustainability initiatives at their events and in their operations.

In addition to this overarching structure, event organisers and suppliers are assessed on sector-specific criteria. As such, events and suppliers are recognised separately according to their achievement of these criteria.

The events that have achieved the standard are, by level:

  • Informa Connect’s Greenbuild International Conference and Expo, 19-22 Nov., Atlanta, Ga., USA (PLATINUM Level)
  • Informa Markets’ Natural Products Expo East, 11-14 Sept., Baltimore, Md., USA (PLATINUM Level)
  • IACC Europe Knowledge Festival, 4-6 Oct., Brussels, Belgium (GOLD Level)
  • Informa Markets’ ArchitectureBoston Expo (ABX), 6-7 Nov., Boston, Mass., USA (SILVER Level)

Suppliers that have achieved the standards are, by level:

  • Javits Center and Cultivated, New York City, NY, USA (PLATINUM Level)
  • Marina Bay Sands, Singapore (GOLD Level)
  • Salt Lake Green Team Partnership
    • Salt Palace Convention Center, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA (GOLD Level)
    • Utah Food Services, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA (GOLD Level)
    • PSAV at the Salt Palace Convention Center and Mountain America Expo Center, Salt Lake City and Sandy, Utah, USA (SILVER Level)
    • Visit Salt Lake, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA (SILVER Level)
    • Mountain America Expo Center, Sandy, Utah, USA (BRONZE Level)

“The Events Industry Council congratulates the first organisations to achieve the EIC Sustainable Event Standards,” said Calvert. “They demonstrate a strong commitment to the environmentally and socially responsible practices that are needed to support long-term sustainability in our industry.”

Mark Cooper, CEO of IACC, added, “Becoming the first event to achieve a GOLD rating in the Events Industry Council sustainability accreditation is a fantastic achievement for us.

“The entire IACC team worked incredibly hard on every aspect of the Europe Knowledge Festival to make it as sustainable as possible — from the choice of destination, host venue and accommodation to food and beverage. We want to ensure this standard is met across all of our IACC events and will continue to work hard with our venues and partners to achieve this.” 

Ben Wielgus, Head of Sustainability at Informa, said, “We’re delighted that three of the four events recognised within the new EIC Sustainable Event Standards are Informa events, and we’re particularly proud that two of our events have gained the first ever PLATINUM rating, and that the third received the first ever SILVER rating. 

“Participating in the standards has given us insight into where we can improve, as well as the reassurance that our work to date has been in line with industry best practices. We thank Honeycomb Strategies that helped support us in those endeavors, and are very proud of our teams who helped us achieve this accomplishment.”

“From the installation of one of the largest green roofs in the United States to the operation of an industry-leading energy conservation program, we have made tremendous strides to become a beacon of sustainability, and we are thrilled that our efforts have been recognized by the Events Industry Council,” said Alan Steel, President and CEO of the Javits Center. “In recent years, we have sought to incorporate sustainability into every aspect of our operations, and as a result, we have enhanced the quality of life for our employees, customers and neighbors – those with wings and those without.”

Kevin Teng, Executive Director of Sustainability, Marina Bay Sands, said, “Marina Bay Sands is honored to be the first GOLD-certified venue under the new EIC Sustainable Event Standards. Every meeting or event held at our venue is sustainable from the get-go because sustainability underpins our operations. Our adoption of resource-efficient, smart building technology, responsible sourcing, as well as donation of unserved food to local charities, help clients to reduce environmental impact. Meeting organizers wanting to go above and beyond the venue’s standard green meeting solutions can also leverage our sustainable events advisory services to make a positive impact and inspire delegates to play a part in conserving the environment.” 

Dan Hayes, General Manager of the Salt Palace Convention Center and Mountain America Exposition Center, noted, “In this time of uncertainty for hospitality, this new certification provides a hopeful and resilient look at our industries’ future. The new version is so well done and represents Salt Lake’s holistic view of sustainability, helping us achieve a more sustainable destination than ever before. Congrats to our Green Team partnership and to the other certifiers. We are proud to share in this achievement with you.”

Glenn Hansen, CEO of BPA Worldwide, said, “Our certification to the event sustainability standards created by EIC, and now adopted by these industry leaders, continues our long-standing commitment to promote transparency in the events industry.”

iCompli Sustainability, a division of BPA Worldwide, a nonprofit international auditing organisation headquartered in Shelton, Conn., USA, audited the compliance to the EIC Sustainable Event Standards.

Adam Parry
Author: Adam Parry

Adam is the co-founder and editor of www.eventindustrynews.com Adam, a technology evangelist also organises Event Tech Live, Europe’s only show dedicated to event technology and the Event Technology Awards. Both events take place in November, London.

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