Hosts Global Executes First Event Under New Event Sustainability Management System

Hosts Global (Hosts) announced their kick-off with the Sustainable Meeting Planning Program (SMPP®), an event sustainability management system built to guide event planners in embedding sustainability in events and meetings in accordance with international industry standards.

The company will leverage its largest annual client event, the Hosts Global Forum, occurring this year in Punta Cana June 27 – 30, 2019, to implement their new event sustainability measures and showcase best practices.

“We want the 2019 Hosts Global Forum to be a case study for both our clients and our DMC members in attendance, “said Marty MacKay, DMCP, president of Hosts Global’s alliance of DMCs.“ By delivering resources and an experience that showcases best practices, we’re hopeful that all our attendees will have the tools necessary to also initiate sustainable measures in their event planning activities.”

In Compliance with International Industry Standards

The SMPP® system of policies and procedures is the only ISO 20121 certified tool to help planners infuse a sustainability process into their events and project management. ISO 20121 is an international standard for sustainable event management created by the International Organization for Standardization.  Not only can the SMPP® assist meeting and event planners jumpstart compliance with the standard, but also help companies achieve ISO certification.

In their current effort to qualify for ISO certification through the production of their Hosts Global Forum, Hosts has successfully integrated sustainability into the entire planning journey, including:

• Engaging Hosts Global Forum stakeholders by sending out a sustainability survey a month prior to event.
• Offering refillable water bottles and hydration stations to reduce plastic waste, plus coordinating a water bottle and supply donation program.
• Planning a corporate social responsibility activity to give back to the frontline hotel workers at the host resort, Paradisus Palma Real.
• Requiring Paradisus Palma Real to complete a venue sustainability checklist
• Fully leveraging their event app to ensure a predominantly paperless event

From the Olympics to the World Economic Forum, the ISO 20121 standards have been adopted by large-scale events around the globe and are the highest sustainability standards that events can aspire to. The standard’s framework for sustainability reaches far beyond environmental concerns, they also involve factors relating to broader economic and social issues, including pouring business back into local communities and focusing on the health and happiness of local workers.

“This is just the start of Hosts Global’s journey to become more conscious corporate citizens,” said MacKay. “Sustainability isn’t something you ‘check off the list’. For us, it is continually striving to leave the most positive impact through our work and encouraging those around us to do the same.”

Accompanying Education

In addition to following the SMPP® system, Hosts Global is delivering education opportunities to further support all Forum attendees to build their own sustainable event efforts.

Hosts partnered with the Events Industry Council to offer their sustainability course in the days leading up to the Hosts Global Forum to interested attendees. After completing the course, only offered by the EIC a few times a year, participants will receive their Sustainable Event Professional Certificate.

Hosts also invited Suzanne Burke, the SMPP® system creator, to lead an education session at the Forum where she will guide clients and Hosts’ DMC members on managing events in a responsible way and how to track and benchmark their events against the ISO standards.

Media contact:

Katie Davis
Director of Marketing
760-803-1545
katie.davis@hosts-global.com