'Green Business Events': promoting eco-responsibility and inclusiveness for business events
As of February 1, 2023, the "Green Business Events" project, which aims to reduce the environmental and social footprint of all types of event in the Business Events sector, such as congresses, conferences, exhibitions or trade shows, has been officially presented. This project, which is the counterpart of the "Green Events" project of the Ministry of the Environment, Climate and Sustainable Development, makes it possible to develop eco-responsible and inclusive event solutions. The organisers of Business Events who meet specific eco-responsibility and inclusiveness criteria will now be able to have their events certified with the official "Green Business Events" logo and thus further promote their responsible approach.
The criteria of eco-responsibility and inclusivity to be respected were developed in collaboration with professionals in the sector during workshops dedicated to sustainable events and were then tested during the following pilot events in order to ensure that they are in agreement with the realities, needs and ambitions of the sector: "Tourism Awards 2021", "Arch Summit 2022", "MOMENTUM 2022: Know, Form, Act" and "Long Live The Summer 2022". The criteria selected revolve around seven themes: communication, exhibition stands & furniture, mobility, sustainable catering, waste, water & energy and accessibility & inclusiveness.
In order to obtain the official "Green Business Events" logo, the organiser must first contact the Oekozenter Pafendall, project coordinator. During a first interview, the advisers of the Oekozenter Pafendall will offer individual support to the organisers in order to support them in their process of obtaining the logo. Support and individual advice for event organisers in the context of the awarding of the logo are free and paid for by the General Directorate of Tourism. The organiser, whose candidate event has validated the mandatory criteria as well as 50% of the optional criteria applicable to the event, will sign a charter of commitment and will be awarded the logo in digital form for the event in question. The logo may be used by the organiser on any communication medium before and during the event.
Lex Delles, Minister of Tourism, underlined in this context that "sustainability plays an increasingly important role for business events. Both organisers and visitors are looking for eco-responsible events and attach greater importance to the principle of social responsibility. With the "Green Business Events" project, we are responding to this expectation. The Directorate General for Tourism will continue to make a greater commitment to sustainability, well beyond the "Green Business Events" project. ". Thus, sustainability will be an integral part of our new "Business Events-Strategy", which will be officially presented in March 2023."
Isabelle Schummers, environmental advisor at the Oekozenter Pafendall, indicated that "with the official launch of 'Green Business Events', any type of organiser can now be supported in their approach towards more sustainable and inclusive events. We offer individualized and tailor-made support regardless of the size and type of event".
For more information, please consult the website www.greenbusinessevents.lu.
Communicated by the Directorate General of Tourism and translated by LCB
