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EIBTM, the major international exhibition, makes sustainability a top priority
05 Dec 2008
Topics: Sustainability, BS 8901, Spain
Reed Exhibitions, the international event management company, has implemented a sustainable events management system framework, with a view to achieving certification to the new British Standard for Sustainable Event Management, BS 8901.
BS 8901 provides requirements for planning and managing sustainable events of all sizes and types. It provides straightforward, practical information for event organizers, designed to help them manage their environmental, financial and social risks and impacts, spanning all aspects of event management.
The standard sets out the requirements for the management of events in three phases: Planning, Implementation and post-event Review, and helps companies improve their sustainable performance within available budgets, as well as reducing carbon emissions and waste. It can improve the resource efficiency of the entire event supply chain, and open doors for more efficient planning, while encouraging the re-use of equipment and infrastructure.
This year's EIBTM conference, the international exhibition for the conference, incentives, events, business travel and meetings industry which took place this week in Barcelona, is just one of the events being managed by Reed using this framework. As part of the assessment of Reed's event management system by BSI Management Systems, the EIBTM event has been independently assessed as having been planned in compliance with Phase 1 of the standard and is now working towards Phase 2.
"We understand that our event and processes can have both a positive and negative impact on environmental, social and economic issues," says EIBTM event director Mandy Torrrens on the event website. "Our intention is to provide event management that wherever practicable minimizes the negative and maximizes the positive impacts."
"Our aim is to be totally transparent in our approach and work with our contractors and suppliers to make all aspects of running and organising an event sustainable."
Growing in popularity
Organise This and the SMS Group in the UK have also implemented BS 8901 as a framework for managing their events.
Since 2004, Organise This has planned events with a focus on the environmental and community impacts. Certification was awarded after the Organise This team demonstrated their way of working matched the requirements of the BS 8901 standard.
Fiona Pelham, MD for Organise This says: "Sustainability is now a popular topic in our industry so implementing an independent standard, which provides a framework of best practice for your way of working, is a key means of cutting through the greenwash which is starting to appear."
The SMS Group Limited, consultants in event management, has also recently undergone an assessment of their event management system. Lee Holloway, MD for the Group says, "Having our event management system independently assessed by BSI gives us and our customers confidence that our systems are robust and we are delivering on our sustainable event objectives".
For more information on BS 8901, visit http://www.bsigroup.com/en/Shop/Publication-Detail/?pid=000000000030146791
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