Manda Trevarthen - Green Business Notebook
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Conferences and meetings are a normal part of business life. More and more businesses are adopting green business practices to reduce the environmental impact of their events. Many hotels and even planners offer a “green meeting” option and what was once seen as a passing fad is being an increasingly common business option. Although there is not one single definition of what is considered a green meeting, here are four key areas you must keep in mind when trying to reduce the meetings environmental impact.

Facilities selection: It’s important to choose a venue that supports your green meeting agenda. Check to see if the hotel or conference venue has a green certification or environmental policy. You should also ask about their waste and energy management programs such as whether they have a recycling programming, a set point on the air conditioning and how the air conditioning will be turned off when not in use.

Transport: Hold meetings as close as possible to the largest number of participants that are close to mass transport options to reduce the environmental impact of transportation. Advise participants that mass transport is the preferred option for the meeting and provide a transport map to the delegates. If air travel is required, choose an airline with an environmental policy where you can offset the carbon emissions generated.

Food: The most environmentally friendly option is to provide food sourced locally that has recyclable packaging and can be purchased in bulk. Attendees can be asked to indicate in advance what meals they want and the size of the meal which potentially reduces the amount of food to be purchased and food waste. For coffee breaks, get rid of the single serve sachets and give participants reusable coffee mugs.

Communication: These days a lot of communication is done over the internet reducing the need for printed papers and a reusable USB drive can be provided to each participant to further reduce the need for printed materials. If paper and printed materials are required, choose recycled paper and print documents on both sides.

If you want to go a step further you can calculate the carbon emissions of your event and pay to offset this through a carbon offsetting programming. Whatever you choose to implement, simple steps like these will reduce the environmental impact of your business events and should be incorporated as standard business practice.

For more information on green conferences and meetings visit the  best events team 'green'.