Among consumers, interest in sustainability continues to grow. A 2018 survey by Nielsen found that a whopping 81 percent of global consumers feel strongly that companies should help improve the environment. And yet -- meeting in green venues notwithstanding -- many meeting professionals still haven’t figured out how to incorporate sustainability into their meetings and events.
For those professionals, global destination and event management company Pacific World has some ideas, which it debuted as new offerings for its clients on April 22 in honor of Earth Day.
“Our team monitors the industry and consumer trends, and over the past year, we’ve seen tremendous growth in the demand of CSR and environmental activities, especially in North America and Canada,” said Pacific World global marketing manager Patricia Silvio. “The upcoming generation is one with a sense of urgency around caring for the planet, and they are looking to limit the impact of their actions.”
To whet groups’ growing appetite for sustainability, Pacific World has launched several new experiences for meeting and event groups. Here are five of them:
• Monaco-Lerins Island (Cannes), France: Think Green on Lerins Island. Just a short boat ride from Cannes is Lerins Island, a national forest preserve where Pacific World is offering tours with the forest manager and his team. Guests will participate in an ecologic workshop to make art from found driftwood and objects, as well as enjoy a picnic lunch with local organic food. Plus, they’ll sail to and from the island, which is a greener way to travel on the water.
• Cape Town, South Africa: Zero Waste Meetings. Pacific World is treating groups in Cape Town to a luncheon with a zero-waste policy. The plated meal includes totally recyclable and compostable place settings; centerpieces comprised of vegetables, fruits and herbs that are donated afterward to local shelter kitchens; table décor made from wooden pencils that are subsequently donated to a community school; table menus made with biodegradable paper, and water served in reusable and recycled glass bottles.
• The Netherlands: Your Own #TrashTagChallenge. The viral #TrashTag challenge is a social media movement wherein people around the world volunteer to clean up their community, then post about it online. In the Netherlands, Pacific World will help groups organize their own #TrashTag challenge that includes sailing Dutch canals aboard “sloep” boats, made of recycled plastic, with the environmental group Plastic Whale. Participants will learn about the latter's mission to make the world’s waters plastic-free while they help fish plastic and trash from the canals.
• Surabaya, Indonesia: Dawn at Mt. Bromo. Groups will hike up to the crater of Indonesia’s best-known volcano at sunrise with a local volcanologist. Along the way, they’ll pick up and remove trash left behind by visitors, helping to preserve the iconic site.
• Edinburgh, Scotland: Caring for the Environment. Groups in Edinburgh can help preserve Scotland’s Leith River by participating in a river cleanup during which they remove invasive species and maintain trails around the river.
“We work together with our clients to create memorable experiences that participants carry home with them into their lives,” Silvio noted. “We are focused on incorporating more experiences that demonstrate thoughtfulness for the Earth. Our clients and their guests appreciate these types of opportunities, and destinations appreciate our commitment to their communities.”