Convening EMEA publishes 2023 Sustainability Journey

PCMA will act as a conductor for the business events industry by creating platforms and environments to drive sustainability leadership by advocating and showcasing the importance of a sustainability-by-design approach to all and the impact it can deliver.

Convening EMEA 2023 and its 2023 sustainability journey is an experiential platform to ensure the business of human connections is delivering meaningful growth, moving beyond individual achievement, and presenting collective solutions through value-based partners. We set our commitments based on the Copenhagen Sustainability Guide 2.0 provided by Copenhagen CVB and carried out the event sustainable development in its three dimensions – Environment and Climate, Social Responsibility, and Lasting Impact.

PCMA’s goal was to offer a wide range of concepts and content that could stimulate debates around sustainable approaches to our businesses: sustainability-led sessions, a dedicated venue-specific sustainability hub, and exploration tours that showcased sustainable development and approaches in other sectors and projects.

Exploration Tours are selected off-sites authentic to the host destination. With a focus on sustainable urban development, from mountain sports, architecture and garden visits, the tours were an opportunity to experience the environmental and social impacts produced in the city of Copenhagen by integrating sustainability as an integral part of these site’s mission.

Adopt Sustainability by Design: if sustainability is not part of the event brief, it’s unlikely to be delivered. Ensuring dedicated time for, involving partners in the sustainability debates, and honestly identifying the constraints and areas where sustainability can drive is a platform for creative solutions.

Take sustainability criteria to every decision-making process at the planning phase. Sand lead to a design focused on reduction and embedding sustainability within your overall event strategy.

Criteria for Partners – Define your sustainability criteria for suppliers/stakeholders to allow you to choose and consider the best partners, suppliers, venues and sponsors. It’s also crucial to engage with them as early as possible and communicate regularly. This can foster collaboration, and commonalities and create differentiators for your business model.

Adopt an “Ask – Consider – Decide” framework to work within, across all decisions and approaches to intentionally consider sustainability in all areas
of your event.

Progress and Measurement – Each event is at a different stage of its sustainability journey. Use your knowledge from what you have delivered, and by exploring what is possible, to define what you can and should measure.

Defining a starting point and what is to be measured will allow you to monitor progress and set targets for the future based on what you can positively influence or impact.

Read more about PCMA’s sustainability journey below.