Events industry sustainability specialists Positive Impact marked the end of their campaign to Tell the Story of the Power of Events during the UN Year of Sustainable Tourism by launching a report at ibtm world in Barcelona, 29 November, which focused on how events could achieve the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals.
The report included input from five academics and a quarter (26%) of those who contributed to the research suggested lack of collaboration is a barrier for the industry.
In a written endorsement of the report, Niclas Svenningsen, Strategy and Relationship Management UNFCCC Secretariat said: “While 2017 was the UN International year of Sustainable Tourism for Development led by the UNWTO, all UN Departments including the UNFCCC recognise the powerful role events have in bringing people together to collaborate, innovate and create solutions to achieve the SDGs”.
Originally launched as a commentary in August 2017 to gather input from the industry, this final report includes industry input, academic input, case studies, discussion points, an imagined potential future with suggestions for policies, business practice and behaviour change. In addition to sharing this report with the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) Positive Impact will share this report with other relevant UN bodies (including UNFCCC and UNICEF) and event industry bodies to inspire understanding and action.
Fiona Pelham CEO of Positive Impact commented: “In this report we imagine if anything was possible and look at the potential positive impact events could have. For example if we had the legal structure and local infrastructure to address event food waste how the event industry could further the UN SDG zero food poverty. Or if our industry demonstrated best practice and created education panels or event content which communicated a balanced gender viewpoint how we could further the SDG gender equality. This report demonstrates two opportunities for the event industry, the first to take responsible action, which is good business sense. The second is to tell the story of the powerful positive impact which events can have so more companies, governments etc. use events and our industry grows. In a time of increasing technological ability and high levels of security telling the story of meeting face to face is vital.”
The full report can be accessed here
