World PCO Alliance: Sustainability or Greenwashing?

Sustainability has been an important presence for several years now. Over this period, we have seen many events go paperless, incorporate onsite recycling and composting facilities, and more. Still, sustainability continues to invite scepticism and struggle for some associations, and these organisations are asking themselves several questions, namely: What will the future of sustainability look like, and what is required to implement it?

André Vietor, Nancy Tan, Ksenija Polla and Noel Mitchell of the World PCO Alliance were asked to tackle the complexities implicit in sustainability, and they share their experiences in this article.

Sustainability Is Here to Stay

Ksenija Polla of Talley Management Group Inc. points to the ICCA-Destination Canada 2023 Sustainability report, which shows that most organisations surveyed placed a high level of importance on sustainability, with almost one-quarter considering it extremely important. Additionally, 83% of respondents are actively pursuing sustainability in their event practices, highlighting a growing trend towards integrating sustainability as a core value in the meetings industry.

In turn, André Vietor of Bco Congresos points to a number of factors that are imposing the demand on associations to prioritise Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), including stricter environmental regulations and government policies, and a growing demand for sustainability commitments from conference attendees, sponsors, exhibitors as well as other stakeholders: “These factors encourage or even require associations to adopt sustainable practices in all aspects of their operations, including their meetings.” As a result, there is a growing preference for venues that are sustainably certified, following practices such as energy efficiency, waste reduction, and the use of renewable energy sources.

While in-person attendance is the clear favourite, the pandemic did popularise virtual and hybrid meeting formats, which significantly reduce the carbon footprint associated with travel and accommodation. Noel Mitchell of Keynote PCO has noticed that in-person conferences are indeed facing a backlash due to the travel involved, which is particularly a factor in destinations like Ireland, where air travel is essential. The meetings industry is responding to this criticism by actively building information on the benefits associated with physical meetings, extending far beyond simple economic measures. While this information is useful in general for building understanding and funding with governments, it is also a counter-argument to sustainability criticism.

Along similar lines, awareness campaigns and educational programmes by industry associations, non-profits, and government bodies are promoting the benefits of sustainable meetings and providing guidance on best practices, and there is a growing emphasis on measuring and reporting the environmental impact of meetings. “Overall, the trend towards integrating sustainability into meetings programmes is gaining momentum,” says Vietor, “reflecting broader societal shifts towards environmental responsibility and sustainable development.”

Using the Singapore MICE landscape as an example, Nancy Tan of Ace:Daytons Direct agrees that there is an everincreasing awareness and appreciation for integrating sustainability into meeting programmes. Singapore ranks #17 globally and #2 in Asia-Pacific in the 2023 Global Destination Sustainability Index (GDS-Index), and has also achieved the certification for the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) Destination Criteria, becoming the first country to apply the certification process on a national level.
 

Sustainability Is Good, As Long as There Is a Substantial Commitment

While both Tan and Vietor acknowledge that there is some scepticism among associations with regard to the true effectiveness of sustainability, they both maintain that sustainable practices are a vital element of any association’s meeting. The issue is on the level of true commitment behind such practices. As Vietor points out, “some organisations strive to appear environmentally friendly in an effort to satisfy stakeholder expectations or enhance public image, without making a significant environmental impact.” Some examples include a single-use plastics ban without alternatives, recycling bins without verifying that the waste is being disposed of in a sustainable location, carbon offsetting without reduction efforts, green certifications without genuine commitment, eco-friendly promotional items, paperless initiatives without reducing overall consumption or greenwashing in marketing.

“While many organisations have sustainability embedded in high-level planning, fewer have integrated detailed operational aspects like Key Performance Indicators and Event Codes of Conduct,” says Polla. “These more detailed elements require significant effort and commitment and are associated with higher degrees of transparency and accountability, which some organisations may find challenging to implement.”

The effectiveness of any practice or policy depends on proper implementation, genuine commitment, and integration within broader, more impactful sustainability strategies. “It’s important for associations to critically assess and continuously improve their sustainable practices to ensure they are making a real difference rather than just creating a green image,” says Vietor.
 

Implementing Long-lasting Sustainability Is Not Always Easy

The truth is there is a significant logistical and financial effort that is required for associations to adopt sustainable practices, which implies certain challenges such as cost, travel-related emissions, and education. Some associations struggle with the pressure to be ‘green enough’, as integrating comprehensive sustainability practices can be resourceintensive and complex.

Integrating sustainability into meetings and events can be complex. It involves coordinating multiple aspects, such as venue selection, transportation, catering, waste management, and attendee engagement. The scope of this task can be overwhelming, particularly for smaller teams. Without clear metrics, it’s difficult to accurately measure the environmental meeting impact and demonstrate the effectiveness of green initiatives, which is then a challenge to justifying sustainability investments.

Tan agrees that sustainability has its challenges, saying, “SMEs in the MICE landscape are primarily concerned about the costs, the lack of appropriate human resources due to staffing shortages, and the complexities involved in implementing sustainable practices. Additionally, SMEs are concerned about when the ROI for these sustainability efforts will materialise and whether they can afford to wait.”

Finally, associations must balance sustainability with other priorities, such as cost efficiency, attendee experience, and operational feasibility. This can sometimes lead to compromises that make it hard to achieve an association’s desired level of ‘greenness.’

Vietor acknowledges all the above-mentioned barriers, but remains optimistic. “The growing awareness and availability of resources, technologies, and support systems are gradually helping more organisations to overcome these barriers and adopt sustainable practices. And the World PCO Alliance members are, of course, a perfect partner for guiding associations through this journey.”

What does the future of sustainability look like? Here are some of the trends that are likely to only get stronger:

• Low-waste catering (charity donations or food banks)
• Using local produce (reducing food miles and greenhouse gas emissions)
• Encouraging public transport (incentives and discount passes) • Advanced data analytics (track and improve sustainability performance)
• Increased government support (grants and guidelines)
• Increased integration of sustainability (strategic event planning) • Collaborative efforts (collaboration between event organisers, venues, suppliers, and attendees)
• Innovative technologies (AI, IoT, and blockchain)
• Participants’ influence (green practices and transparent communication)
• New tools and resources (carbon calculators and guidelines for best practices)
• Education and awareness (comprehensive educational resources and toolkits)
• Recognition and incentives (awards and financial incentives for planners)

So, while sustainability is here to stay, its continued prominence largely depends on each association’s genuine commitment to sustainable practices. With a spirit of openness, collaboration and innovation, meetings can be an inspirational CSR advocate and a shining example to other industry sectors.