More than 100 event professionals recently met in Cambridge
to better understand how they can embed environmental and social sustainability
into events.
As part of the half-day ‘Shaping Sustainable Events’
programme, Meet Cambridge, the region’s convention bureau, launched its ‘Meet Up
& Make a Difference’ campaign, designed to encourage event professionals to help
the local community.
Meet Cambridge currently supports two food-poverty charities,
Cambridge City Food Bank and Cambridge Sustainable Food CIC, by raising money through
events and collecting food donations. The Campaign highlights how venues,
planners and attendees can contribute to lessening food poverty in Cambridge.
The four options include:
- Donate the cost of what would have been spent on
often wasted morning pastries
- Host a foodbank collection at your event
- Add a donation QR code to event marketing
materials, e.g. menus, signage.
- Donate directly to the charities
“I’m delighted to be launching our own campaign – Meet Up
& Make A Difference - to ensure business meetings incorporate elements that
demonstrate social responsibility, reduce waste and have a positive impact on
the local community,” said Judith Sloane, head of Meet Cambridge.
The ‘Shaping Sustainable Events’ agenda also addressed ways
to embed environmental and social sustainability into events, how to
communicate to stakeholders that this is now an essential component and where
to find the resources and support to help.
Delegates heard from two keynote presentations and a panel
of high-profile industry players who shared key challenges and solutions to
cultivate change and progress the sustainability agenda, as well as practical
tips to get started.
First to speak was Marina Bradford, an international
cross-industry expert in environmental sustainability, decarbonization, supply
chain and change management. Bradford was followed by Anji Miller, co-founder of Global
Equality, Diversity and Equality in Technology Transfer (GEDITT), an initiative
missioned to raise awareness and promote EDI in the Technology Transfer sector.
Speakers then joined a panel session which also included:
Stuart Websdale, fellow and domestic Bursar at Jesus College; Madalina
Marincas, director of Opening Doors & Venues; and Benjamin Buttery, head of
commercial at Downing College.
Sloane added: “Sustainability has never been more important
and as part of the business events industry, we all have a responsibility to do
everything we can to mitigate the negative impacts on our environment that
events can have. Social sustainability is equally important; events need to be
more inclusive, diverse and accessible. However, it can be difficult to know
how to get started and that’s why we decided to hold the summit today, not only
to put the topic at the top of the agenda but also to provide some tools and
solutions to help organisers make changes.
