The International AIDS Society (IAS), the leading global association of HIV professionals working to end the HIV pandemic, was presented with the prestigious Green Meetings Award (large meeting category) at the IMEX Gala Dinner. The award was made in recognition of the XVIII International Aids Conference held in Vienna, Austria, in July 2010, which had 18,000 participants. Organised to raise awareness and increase knowledge of developments in AIDS research and policy, the event was given highest praise by the judges for its delivery of green and CSR initiatives.
“It is with great pride that we accept this accolade following the commendable efforts of all who were involved in working to make this event as green and socially responsible as possible”, said Jelena Milovic, Congress and Exhibition Manager at IAS, who collected the award from IMEX Chairman, Ray Bloom.
“It is all the more significant to consider that the very groups that our association works with globally in the fight against AIDS and HIV, where the victims are most often from developing nations, are the people that can benefit so much when organisations choose to adopt socially-responsible practices. While there is always more to do, it is warming to see that the meetings and events industry is working towards sustainability and by formally recognising these efforts with its prestigious Green Awards, IMEX is helping to raise awareness of the excellent work that event organisers across the industry are contributing to a better future.”
The IMEX Green Meeting Awards are presented in partnership with the Green Meeting Industry Council (GMIC). The Awards set stringent standards, judging applicants against their ability to demonstrate innovative efforts to significantly minimise the environmental impact of a meeting or conference. A judging panel, which consists of senior industry experts and GMIC members, examines a variety of success measures. They include energy efficiency, air and water quality, water conservation, waste minimisation and environmental purchasing criteria. Judges also ask applicants to explain their economic indicators, if and how their meeting helped commitment to change within the local community, and also how it aided conservation.
Savings of $600,000
In the case of IAS, the judges were particularly impressed with how they had not only amassed savings in excess of US$600,000 by adopting greener policies to deliver the event, but had also made huge contributions to both local and global projects. These included Action Carbone, an organisation supporting sustainable projects in developing countries; Township Patterns, an NGO which, in partnership with independent female sewing cooperatives in Cape Town townships produces and markets eco-friendly products and Austria Runde Sache, a recycling programme in Vienna.
Judges noted the event’s exemplary programme for carbon off-setting, promoting local transport services, donating left-over food to the local homeless community, reducing waste by reusing and recycling materials together with numerous other environmental measures within the venue itself.
Also credited on the night, the IMEX Green Meetings Small to Medium Meeting Award went to Canada Media Marketplace for its 2010 San Francisco conference which had the goal of achieving maximum positive media coverage for Canada within the United States.
268 participants representing destinations, properties and attractions throughout Canada as well as travel writers and media from the United States, were in attendance when the Canadian Tourist Commission hosted this opportunity for its partners to connect with the US market. The event was staged in April 2010 and was designed to reflect Canada’s image as a clean, green, naturally beautiful place to visit.
Three organisations partnered to make the event a success: On The Mark Productions, Creative Conventions & Events and the Canadian Tourism Commission. Together they set about developing a programme that could exceed sustainability targets across the board. Judges praised the event for its consistently high performance in the areas of waste reduction, sourcing local products and materials, energy conservation and carbon off-setting. Canada Media Marketplace was also praised for creating a legacy that has continued to develop over subsequent years
