GREATER regulatory demands on meeting planners to comply with environmental targets has led to the launch of Responsible Meetings & Events by Kempinski.
The Geneva-headquartered international hotel group’s new planning tool was created by EarthCheck, which provides scientific benchmarking, certification and sustainability consulting for hotels, destinations and tourism organisations.
Kempinski says the new programme includes a suite of solutions created in response to heightened regulatory demands placed on event planners, as well as the growing environmental expectations of delegates.
Core to the initiative is VenueCheck, a meetings management system that provides organisers with a checklist of actionable items to help reduce the environmental impact of events, and EventCalculator, which accurately estimates their carbon footprint.
“We are proud to be working with EarthCheck, our long-term sustainability partner, to launch Responsible Meetings & Events by Kempinski across our constellation of beautiful havens,” says Barbara Muckermann, Chief Executive Officer, Kempinski Group.
By providing event planners with a framework allowing them to calculate the potential environmental impact of their events, we are empowering them to make positive changes to the world.”
As EarthCheck’s global launch partner, Kempinski has early access to the tools and will provide further input into their design and development, cementing the brand’s role as a leader and pioneer in sustainable events.
In line with goals and objectives set out in the Kempinski Environmental, Social & Governance (ESG) Report 2023, Responsible Meetings & Events by Kempinski extends the company’s environmental initiatives to other stakeholders and helps them to meet increasingly stringent regulations around meetings and events.
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Stewart Moore, founder and chief executive of EarthCheck, said: “As regulatory frameworks in Europe and the US put the onus on event planners and venues to place more emphasis on delivering sustainable events, VenueCheck is a powerful tool enabling all stakeholders to be mindful of the impact they have and respond to those impacts accordingly.
“Moreover, delegates now expect their events to be environmentally responsible – they want to know their participation in an event is going to have a positive impact on the planet. Our new offerings equip our clients to meet these expectations head on, not just with compliance, but with leadership.”
ISO STANDARDS REFRESHED
VenueCheck and EventCalculator are aligned with the recently refreshed ISO 20121 standards for Event Sustainability Management Systems, which means customers will not only comply with best practices, but also stand out as leaders in the creation of more sustainable events. Verified hotels will be able to display an EarthCheck Responsible Venue and EarthCheck Responsible Event logos across their marketing materials and meeting and events venues, demonstrating their commitment to sustainability across all areas of hotel operations.
VenueCheck provides hotels and other meeting venues with a verified sustainability management framework tailored to each individual meeting space within a property, allowing venue owners to assess and improve the sustainability of their event operations. Event planners will be able to determine an event’s impact based on the unique dimensions and other characteristics of the spaces used within the venue.
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In order to participate in VenueCheck, hotels must already hold EarthCheck certification. At present, 43 Kempinski hotels have attained EarthCheck certification (seven are Gold certified, 21 are Silver and 15 are Bronze), while a further 17 properties have embarked on the certification process and are working towards Bronze.
At present, 18 Kempinski hotels have achieved VenueCheck verification and an additional 13 are in progress. By the end of 2025, Kempinski hopes all EarthCheck-certified hotels will have enrolled in the programme.
