Insight: Issue 89 (27 April)

Planet Earth – it’s a belter innit?

 On the back of Earth Day, we take a ganders at all the latest events and sustainability related news. After all, there is no Planet B.

In this week’s news we have: Earth Day: how are we tackling sustainability?; Green Events & Innovations Conference – How the live events industry is tackling climate change; The Meetings Show commits to Net Zero carbon events pledge; Isla launches event carbon measurement platform; and the world needs purpose-driven tech innovation, say Gadget magazine.

How are we tackling sustainability?

Without doubt, sustainability is one of the events industry’s biggest passions and indeed challenges.

On Earth Day, Conference News had a look at the current state of play. HeadBox’s 2022 Events Trends report revealed that almost one in five companies ignore sustainability, according to their employees.

The survey also revealed that a quarter of employees are now demanding more environmentally friendly events from their employer, with many companies and agencies working towards this goal.

The HeadBox survey also showed that one in three employees said they like how virtual meetings can reduce emissions as they don’t have to travel.

This is something technology platform Hopin acknowledges and can assist event organisers with. According to a recent study by Nature Communications, hybrid events can curb carbon footprint by 66%, and up to 94% with virtual – offering event organisers an easy way to be more sustainable.

Which reminds us (gratuitous plug incoming…..) know anyone who might be highly skilled and experienced at bringing hybrid events to a global audience!? Go on – talk to our team and get yourself sorted.

Green Events & Innovations Conference – How the live events industry is tackling climate change

On Friday 29 April at The Royal Garden Hotel in London, The Green Events & Innovations Conference (GEI) will bring together music legends, live music & event industry professionals and climate-change fighting superheroes to inspire collective action in the fight against a climate catastrophe.

A jam-packed agenda will include an exclusive Keynote from Brian Eno in conversation with Aurora and Love Ssega. The programme will showcase the hottest greenest topics in the live event and cultural sectors and will bring together visionaries, innovators, industry leaders, eloquent speakers and some truly iconic artists from across the entire globe representing all aspects and areas of the live event industry.

View full event schedule here: https://www.agreenerfestival.com/green-events-innovations-conference-gei/

The Meetings Show commits to Net Zero carbon events pledge

The Meetings Show has pledged to reach Net Zero by 2050, cutting carbon emissions by 50% by 2030, in signing the Net Zero Carbon Events Pledge.

Working with strategic partner Isla, The Meetings Show and its parent company Northstar Travel Group are committing to supporting the net zero goal to inspire change in the travel, meetings and hospitality sectors and champion future sustainable growth.

Before the end of 2023, the show will publish its pathway to achieving net zero by 2050 with an interim target that is in line with the Paris Agreement’s requirement to reduce global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 50% by 2030.

Jack Marczewski, event director of The Meetings Show, said: “It is vital that the events industry works together to achieve the net zero goal. As The Meetings Show is part of Northstar Travel Group – the largest and one of the most trusted business-to-business travel, information services, data, events and marketing solutions companies in the world – it is important for us to not only champion best practice but demonstrate our commitment through improving our own sustainability performance.”

Isla launches event carbon measurement platform

Event sustainability body Isla has launched its carbon measurement platform, Trace, which captures emission and waste data from live, hybrid and digital events.

After two years of development, Trace will generate reports in real-time and allow event planners to measure and reduce carbon emissions across a range of factors.

The platform will provide details on emissions from venue energy, travel and accommodation, production and graphics materials, food and beverage emissions, transport logistics and waste and recycling.

Isla co-founder Ben Quarrell said,“It’s a tough balance between usability and accuracy – to get a measurement tool that will allow people to have real oversight of their footprint that isn’t so overwhelming and takes too long to measure – so we’ve tried to get that balance right.

“There’s going to be much more development to come. Now we’ve got the first 100 companies across the next three months, we can really learn from people’s feedback and build from there.”

And finally…. The World needs purpose-driven tech innovation

We’re back in the tech zone, with an interesting article by Gadget magazine relating to the need for purpose-driven tech innovation.

The article argues that in the last few years, a new breed of leaders has emerged. They are purpose-driven innovators, and their impact on the world is just as significant as any other great leaders in history. Purpose-driven innovators don’t just introduce new ways of doing things; they introduce new ways of thinking about the world and the future.

The article goes on to highlight that society now stands at a critical juncture with the latest tools to revitalise and reimagine vital industries. The fusion of technologies means that over the next decade, every successful business will need to be digital at heart. As we pursue emerging technologies such as AI/MI, big data, IoT or robotics and embrace digital transformation, business leaders need to practice innovation with a purpose.

Technology has always been, and will continue to be, the great enabler. Tomorrow, technology will take us a step further – helping us reimagine the way we live, how we connect and stay healthy. It will transform the relationship between citizens and governments, personalise blended learning in schools and put patients at the heart of their care plans. Businesses will provide services that are truly innovative, giving consumers experiences they don’t yet know they desire, thanks to new 5G speeds, AI-powered insights, and Edge computing capabilities.

A forward-looking and purpose-driven innovator is every stakeholder’s dream, and a leader who can link innovation to a company’s vision will be well-positioned to deliver organisation and, subsequently, industry-wide disruption. The future belongs to those who seek opportunities to innovate and impact generations to come. Now is the time to be bold and drive recovery and long-term resilience through technology-led innovation.

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Get ready for the tech revolution Event Profs

As always – #EventsWithUkraine