Convene Interview: Fueling Transformation: How Convene 4 Climate’s Foundational Partners Are Changing Events

Convene Podcast Transcript Convene Interview, ep. 18 *Note: the transcript is AI generated, excuse typos and inaccuracies Magdalina Atanassova: In this episode, we're talking about fueling transformation with Convene 4 Climate's Foundational Partners. This is the Convene podcast. Joining me are: Virginie De Visscher from Destination Canada, Paul Mockler/Sam Johnston from Meet in Ireland, WeeMin Ong from Marina Bay Sands and Greg Moore from United Airlines. So thank you all for being here and joining me for this conversation. Sam Johnston: Thank you. Magdalina Atanassova: I have a question for all of you. Why did your organizations choose to become foundational partners for Convene 4 Climate? What did you see that's important enough to join? And Virginie, let's start with you. Virginie De Visscher: Hi. Bonjour everyone. I think we can't do anything without collective action. So I mean, we can do a lot of things on our own, but if we want to go far, we need to do it together. And Convene 4 Climate was kind of that perfect opportunity at a moment in time where different organizations, different destinations could come together to co create something and really make an impact. Magdalina Atanassova: I love it. What about the rest of you? Sam Johnston: I suppose it aligns to our own business event strategy 2030 in Ireland, which is very much about positive climate action, social impact, and that aligns to our national government policy as well. And why did we then take that step and move forward? Well, I suppose as global citizens, we have to try and make a difference. As an island destination, it's crucial for us with regards, you know, bringing business events, international business events in as well. And his vision, he says, you know, we can't go alone, we have to go together. And if we as co founding partners can get a movement with some traction, you know, there's a big industry out there globally that we need to bring in behind us as well. So yeah, so it aligns. Maybe it'd be a competitive advantage as well and if it is, great. But I think at the end of the day, as global citizens, we have to move it forward and as an industry, I think we have to make a change. Magdalina Atanassova: We have to sprint. As an industry, we mean well. WeeMin ONG: Individually we are a drop, but together we are all an ocean. It is this very quote that led us to join the C4C movement. It's a movement. It's a movement for collective action to do our part, to bring the industry along, to inspire through inspiring stories, examples and to see where we could co create the future together. Gregory Moore: I love that quote. I would say from an airline perspective, we recognize how important it is from a sustainability perspective and how it's not just one airline, it's all airlines, it's all tourism, transportation, and so having the opportunity to be part of that foundation, learn, collaborate and really evolve as one, I think was really important for United based on our organization goals. Magdalina Atanassova: I love it. And I think you all represent such a colorful combination of all the little aspects that make the industry. So I think that's very representative. What also conveyor for climate stands for. And Virginia, I want to go to you. In terms of Destination Canada, you really focused on the regenerative practices over performative sustainability. So how do you define success in that sense? Virginie De Visscher: Well, there's only so far where you can take sustainability. Magdalina Atanassova: Right. Virginie De Visscher: Because the word sustaining in itself means the status quo. We don't want the status quo necessarily. So we need to do even more. And so with Destination Canada, as with every other partner, I mean, we all love where we are and where we live and we want to maintain, you know, the places and the people and really the planet that we live on. So it was important that we took an active role. Sustainability and regenerative tourism are part of our Destination 2030 strategic plan. We also have a climate action plan, we have a business events sustainability plan for Canada. And it was taking that a step further and taking that leadership role. So we really co created with our industry, we took actions in terms of training our partners across the country in sustainability and regenerative tourism and then collating all of the different initiatives that were taking place across the country. And we put that together in a sustainability storybook that we're making accessible to the entire world. Just getting ideas in terms of how can you incorporate sustainability in your day to day events, but even just in your destinations. So that was really important for us to take it a step further and not just stop at sustainability. And it's also an overloved term. We use it all the time and people forget the meaning. And then once you forget the meaning, you kind of don't think it's important anymore. So regenerative tourism is much harder, but it's maybe where we want to be when we look at aspiration and touching on that. Magdalina Atanassova: Greg? Well, airlines are often blamed for emissions. Right. So how are you at United changing that conversation and also integrating it with the rest of the events industry? Gregory Moore: Yeah, and it's really a big topic because it's not just even events, it's how we do things with our corporate partners, with our agency partners, and we talk through, you know, when you're selling a ticket, what are the emissions on it? So for us, it's about aircraft modernization, buying new aircraft, more fuel efficient engines. It's Operational efficiencies, you know, switching some of your ground equipment to electric versus gas, when you see some of the cabins on board, using the bamboo cutlery, that you're doing things that are helpful in any way, shape or form that you absolutely can. And I think, you know, it's just the start of it, but then we look at the greater side of it. How do you get the metrics, how do you get the reporting, how do you get that really consistency across the airline industry? And so for us it's really, look, we have a goal of being net zero by 2050. So it's a push for us as we're literally sitting here in 2026 now and even looking at some of the electric aircraft as well. That, that's a big focus for us and it's exciting times. But, but it's also there's a lot of work to be done. And so that's why it's always exciting to be part of this because we learn and we hear from others what's important to them. Magdalina Atanassova: That's the beauty of Convene 4 Climate. It's not a competition, it's supporting each other and inspiring one another as well. So that brings me to our other destination, Ireland, where you're very big on embedded sustainability. So you've embedded everything that you do in the tourism sector. And how are you inspiring or making sure that events, business events specifically, leave a lasting legacy with the local communities. Sam Johnston: I go back to what I mentioned in the first question, Maggie. You know our new business events strategy. For the first time ever, a government minister has actually signed a business event strategy off somewhat Irish. We had two different ministers sign it off. So it's been double rubber stamped. But it is based on three pillars, one economic, one environmental and one social impact. And I suppose that's our guiding star in it. And we now have to take that strategy and educate our own industry, but educate our clients as well and help them along. Because we all know clients come in, they need to run their event and that's what they're focused on. So how do they create that wider positive impact? So we do have a team within Fáilte Ireland that is designed and set up to help with that intentional positive impact from events, learning from other destinations, learning from case studies that are out there and they have taken a number of events across the country from, I suppose, the initial conversations before we even bid for them to see what opportunities are there. And they have created intentional impact programs with the client. But that will without doubt benefit our local communities. But also we've had such great success that they're benefiting wider global communities as well. We're lucky this year. Not lucky because it was well designed and well thought out and well delivered. The Best Cities Global alliance and ICCA Incredible impacts campaign. The two winners this year were both, you know. Magdalina Atanassova: Thank you. Sam Johnston: Were both Irish. You know and I think anybody that was in Porto and heard the story of the rural doctors and the, you know, the rural Wonka was the association that has had impact globally. So you know it's, it's. I suppose that's where it's coming from but it's all within this strategy that has been signed off by government minister goes out to 2030 and we have to show the returns on it. And that was designed by looking at government policy and looking to see where we as business events industry can actually help deliver on wider government policy. So that other government departments because quite often nobody knows what we do in this industry so that other government departments actually understand what we do but where we can help and deliver for them. Magdalina Atanassova: I see WeeMin, I want to also bring it to you completely different part of the world also venue and you operate at scale. So how do you balance those operational realities with your commitments towards sustainability? Because that, that's very tricky. WeeMin ONG: Well, Singapore is one of the top E car meeting cities in the world and Marina Bay sense, we are a major part of the Singapore story. At the expo and convention centered Marina Bay Sands we host an average of about 2,000 events a year. So it brings a lot of community and delegates into Singapore and into Myanmar Bay Sands. The secret is actually having sustainability being embedded right from the very beginning. It is core to everything that we do. We have a saying in the company and in the team that it is not a USP, it is not a selling proposition, it is the baseline. And when it's baseline it permits through every single facet of operation from energy management through advanced building systems to food waste management systems driven by AI that helps us analyze and drive data to lead to better outcomes, to even utilizing technology to help our clients generate reports for them to serve as baselines to help them start their own sustainability journey. Because the convention centre or any meeting venue is just a small part of the entire value chain for the entire industry. But we do bring together a huge group of people for every single meeting. And that's where the secret sauce is the ability to impact small facets of operations one step at a time and scale that throughout the numbers of delegates and events that we hold. Magdalina Atanassova: What I hear from all of you is embedding sustainability pretty much. It's not anymore this little gem that we all highlight and speak about as something in its own little bubble, but it's now part of everything. What have you learned from one another? Especially as you know, in the context of Convene 4 Climate. Virginie De Visscher: One thing and I think we all touched on this is competitive advantage. But I think we need to flip that around and we like to consider anything that has to do with climate or sustainability is a collaborative advantage. And we're learning from the airlines because we can't advance regenerative tourism without the airline industry. I mean that's a no brainer. But you know, from a venue that's really prioritizing sustainability to a country that's embedding it into every single aspect of that they're doing. And then you have Canada, the second largest country in the world. Our scales are extremely different and yet we can all collaborate and learn from each other. I think that's the best part of doing this. Sam Johnston: Yeah. And validation as well. You know, if one's doing it and we're, you know, there's a reason why one is doing. I think there is, you know, if it's only a single person that you find, if they're doing it, then there is validation that we all should be doing it. I think that's an important part as well. What else do we get from it? The ability to lift the phone or drop an email to somebody who we know is on the same page in the same wavelength as us to go, what do you think? Or is this right? Or you know, ask a question. So that collective network that we're all actioning in this sphere, that we know each other and we know what each other's doing and it's lonely work. Virginie De Visscher: It's lonely work. Sam Johnston: It is lonely work. Virginie De Visscher: It's always nice to have a network that you can connect into because no. WeeMin ONG: Good ideas are proprietary. Sam Johnston: Yes. WeeMin ONG: And I think that to me was the key value learning point for us in the whole C4C movement. The journey is the ability to learn from each of you, to see how we apply that to the operations that we have in our specific geographical region. Yeah. Gregory Moore: And I was going to say the willingness to learn and to change that. When we were at the breakouts in Rotterdam, there were such great takeaways that came from that as it related to aviation, that those were all things that we were able to take back. When we think of, I'm going to go to like an RFP side that sustainability is a Big part of RFPs now. So having as much information, as much data, as much detail, I think is just so important. Sam Johnston: And having the data to validate some of that change, that willingness to change, because you might be convincing those who don't see it as an issue, a challenge. So the validation between us, the understand how we each have done it or getting those nuggets of information as well. Gregory Moore: And I think what's really helpful is you're starting to see an organization's chief sustainability officers who are those sort of roles who can look at the information and say, this makes sense, or this is what I would change, or here's how I'm going to change policy to focus on it versus somebody who might not fully understand it and is saying, well, I'm not sure how to really dissect this and understand it. Virginie De Visscher: Yeah, it starts like that, right? You start with a volunteer that's really passionate about sustainability, making a change, and then it grows and grows until you have someone not the side of their job now that they're doing it, but it becomes a role. And then hopefully you get to the chief sustainability officer in an organization until it's part of the vision and mission like you probably have within Marina Bay Sands. WeeMin ONG: Yes, definitely. You all started with a very passionate group of people because it always takes a spark, you know, to start the fire going. And we really Hope for the C4C movement to achieve that throughout the whole industry to be that spark of inspiration. Magdalina Atanassova: Yeah, trust me. PCMA also hopes the same be that little spark for the rest of the industry. But I wonder, you support each other when it comes to events which travel between destinations to help each other in terms of how can we make and support the event planners in creating a more sustainable event with each edition? Is there any conversations that have happened just because you know each other now and work for, you know, work on Convene 4 Climate? Gregory Moore: I would say it's probably an area of focus. Right. Or an opportunity that again, it's, it's so. It's changing so frequently. And now that I just had my first conference back in Rotterdam, so for me, I would say that's an action item for us is to have more of those ongoing and open dialogues with the partners. Virginie De Visscher: I think it's two different things. Whether we're learning at C4C or the events that we host, like we truly believe. Well, in Canada at least. What if we host an event and they have a successful, meaningful, sustainable event experience what they learn from hosting that event in Canada? We do hope they Take it to their next destination and learn from there. So I think that's how we all benefit. If they're hosted in Ireland or in Singapore and then they come and say, well, I want what I had there. We all win. Sam Johnston: Absolutely. And to your point as well, with regards to the RFPs and sustainability becoming more and more prevalent, probably further up the prioritization list in RFPs as well, is that, yeah, the clients take an experience and go, well, yeah, then I need to start embedding that in. So I don't think we've probably shared clients or one client's on the back of it, but hopefully we're inspiring them. And it might not be long before we are saying, well, such and such a client was asking. The main decision was based on their sustainability criteria within the RFP. So it's somewhere to look at going. But I think trying to inspire the clients to actually do and show that we as destinations can help, whether destinations or venues or airlines, that we can help them on that journey and make it easier and take the fear away. WeeMin ONG: That is the. Magdalina Atanassova: That's the key piece Adam Grant said here at Convening Leaders. You can do it. Scared. It's okay. Do you feel that in the industry, because we're so dispersed and you, you're very good proof of that, we don't also have common. I don't know how to put it, but there are not many commonalities between destinations. Right? Commonalities in terms of practices, you know, you have different rules, different regulations, different things you need to consider in each destination, each place where you travel. I don't want to see that as something that's a difficulty, but an opportunity. So do you see how convened for Climate can spark an opportunity exactly. In those differences and inspire event planners to. To try something different, to see how they can organize valuable, sustainable green meetings, no matter the destination. Sam Johnston: I think we've just come from a Convene 4 Climate meeting and I think that was probably a big part of the focus of what we were talking about. I think there's two sides to it, obviously, there's the client and the supplier, whether the supplier is the destination of the venue. And I think we have to get ourselves right first before we start expecting it from clients that we know what the standards are different across the world, or the measurement tools, whatever way you want to term it, they are different. I think as an industry and as the drivers of that, that we need to be setting out, whether it's a scientific measurement, whether whatever it happens to be, whatever the the markers are on it. I think we have to set them out first before we really start pushing at the clients. But it's probably two conversations that have to be happening nearly together that we have to stay that slight step ahead of the client but bring them along with us because there's no point in us selling them out and your client's not coming along with us, then it doesn't work or it doesn't deliver. Not that it doesn't work, doesn't deliver. Magdalina Atanassova: I can add to that. Virginie De Visscher: I think diversity is our strength. The fragmentation is our opportunity. Magdalina Atanassova: Because. Much more succinct, way to put it. Virginie De Visscher: Well, yeah, I mean, we come with all these different ideas and, you know, again and experiences. And if we want to go fast, then we go at it alone. But these challenges are not easy to resolve. And so having these conversations are challenging, as we just experienced, but they're moving forward and then that's how we will make the change. I said it this morning like the opportunity is there in the unity that we have together. WeeMin ONG: And for us as a meeting venue, our biggest asset is the clients that come through our doors. And I remember eight years ago when we tried to engage one of our key exhibition clients to partake in a sustainability journey with us, the big question was, why are you telling me what to do? But the conversation very quickly evolved into how are we going to do it together? We learned together, we had a lot of mistakes together, but I think the key thing was we went on a journey together with eyes wide open, hand in hand. And the success for the first year became the baseline. They had a 35% reduction on the overall event carbon footprint year on year. And the next year they came to us and said, what can we do more together? And that gave us the confidence to engage more clients, to say, how can we partake on your sustainability journey for your delegates, for your community together as well? Because regardless of being an event owner, being a supplier partner, be an airline or convention center like us, we are all part of a value chain and we are part of a whole jigsaw that affects planet Earth. And we all have a part to play. Gregory Moore: And I would just say from, you know, from an airline perspective, we're folk. One of the things that we've started leaning into is GBTA organization has really been helpful for airlines in how that's the reporting just so that there's some consistency, because when you look at a route, is it by aircraft type, by engine type? You know, there's so many variables to it that you, you want to have some sort of consistent reporting and metrics. And that's what's been so helpful for us in really advancing these conversations, both in venues like this, but also really with the clients. Magdalina Atanassova: Was there anything we. Let me start out again and that's where editing comes in handy. Was there anything we didn't mention? We definitely should. Before we wrap up, I think one. Virginie De Visscher: Advantage of Convene 4 Climate is the collaboration that we're seeking outside of our own industry. The business events industry has a tendency to work in an echo chamber or as a silo and we think we've got all the answers, but we don't. And there's so much more to learn from outside. And Convene 4 Climate is that one opportunity amongst others that can help bring those other voices to help us advance? Gregory Moore: I would say we're all in this together and we will continue to be in it together. That it's not a goal is met and it's done. A new goal is then set. And so we want to meet those goals, we want to achieve those goals, but we want to keep advancing as well. And so I think the greatest part of this for me is that we are in it together from all different aspects of the tourism side of it, whether it's the hotel, the city, the venue, the airline. That's what I think is so comforting. WeeMin ONG: Well, rising tides leave all boats and it is our wish and I hope that C4C can be that tight, that lift all boats and industry collectively together. And we are proud to very honored to be part of this journey, starting off one step at a time, doing what we can. Sam Johnston: I'd say ask questions, have the conversation because without them, you know what the opportunities, the possibilities are or what the answers are or what has been achieved. What can't you know, it's about knowledge sharing or it's about testing. I think that's something that we sometimes are good at and sometimes not. The industry is having those conversations and asking direct advice. So that's the big piece for me. It's that dialogue that just keeps pushing us all. Because if the answer is I don't know, then that opens up a brand new opportunity. Virginie De Visscher: Well said. Sam Johnston: Thank you. Magdalina Atanassova: Yeah, I can echo that. Well, thank you so much for being on the Convene podcast. Gregory Moore: Thank you. Virginie De Visscher: Thank you. Magdalina Atanassova: Remember to subscribe to the Convene Podcast on your favorite listening platform to stay updated with our latest episodes. For further industry insights from the Convene team, head over to PCMA.org/convene. My name is Maggie. Stay inspired. Keep inspiring. And until next time.