Sustainable Meetings Berlin – The future is green

Berlin’s creative path to a sustainable congress destination

Berlin is to become one of the most innovative and sustainable event metropolises for conventions and congresses – and the Berlin Convention Office of visitBerlin has launched a dedicated process to support this goal. In a first step, the key players, including many Berlin hotels, locations and service partners, were brought together, comprehensively informed about the main issues and integrated into the process. After this initial phase, the aim is to support these participants as they develop their sustainable offers and services.

Here, a major role is played by the Sustainable Meetings Berlin online platform launched by the Berlin Convention Office in. This platform makes it easy for event organisers to plan sustainable conferences, congresses, meetings and events. Sustainable Meetings Berlin is an initiative for sustainability in the Berlin MICE sector. It comprises three elements:

The Sustainable Meetings Berlin certification programme serves as a tool for service providers on the path to sustainable business, based on a demanding catalogue of criteria.
The catalogue of criteria is developed with and for the industry.
On the online platform, event planners can find the certified sustainable service providers centrally and at one glance, as well as ideas and tips for more sustainable event planning.
The industry network raises awareness of sustainability, promotes joint learning and capacity building and offers exchange of experience among each other on the topic.

Developed with the sector for the sector

Sustainable Meetings Berlin has a range of advantages for users and participants. It gives event organisers a practical instrument for greater sustainability. With their participation in the Sustainable Meetings Berlin initiative, the Sustainable Partners have the chance to drive forward sustainability in their own company and gain expertise in this area. The sustainable services offered by the Sustainable Partners are presented transparently in the Meeting Guide Berlin.

The Sustainable Partners include Berlin agencies, hotels and locations, catering, transport and technical services evaluated for their sustainability and, in accordance with that evaluation, presented on the website. A set of special criteria based on internationally recognised frameworks and standards, such as the German Sustainability Code (DNK), the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), the Eco-Management and Audit Scheme (EMAS) and various ISO standards were developed to evaluate sustainability in partner businesses and services. Here are some sample criteria from the four areas of Environment, Society, Business, and Governance, Risk and Compliance.

Environment: The organisation has put energy management processes in place, and these relate to all energy sources (electricity, fuels, etc.).
Governance, Risk & Compliance: The organisation has a sustainability strategy in place and has integrated it into the corporate strategy.
Society: The organisation has HR management and an HR plan in place including skills analysis, resource planning and strategic recruitment. In these areas, sustainability factors also play a role.
Business: The organisation has firmly integrated user safety processes in its workflow and production processes.

Regular working meetings, workshops and meet-ups on sustainability topics are taking place. An additional online platform offers a forum for an exchange of experience and to share best practices.

The aim is to make events in Berlin more sustainable and, in a participative process, to strengthen and hone the city’s profile as a sustainable congress destination.

More information: convention.visitBerlin.de/en/sustain

Further topics in our sustainability special

Together for Berlin

Our Sustainable Meetings partners strongly support Berlin as a sustainable congress destination

“We are confirmed sustainability fans – a commitment evident in self-generated energy, bees on the roof, EMAS certification and much more. Sustainable Meetings Berlin inspires us with new ideas for more sustainability in this sector. “

Anke Stopperich, CEO Besondere Orte

“With Sustainable Meetings Berlin, we are working towards the goal of a sustainable Berlin. We share our beliefs and ideas, and show the opportunities for sustainable business activities and practices. For Berlin Event, sustainability is about customer value, competitive edge, saving resources and, above all, protecting the environment.”

Olaf Marsson, CEO Berlin Event event agency

"The concept of sustainability goes far beyond my original understanding in the context of ecology and environment. The Sustainable Meetings Berlin guide offers every medium-sized company the opportunity to shed light on all necessary business processes and to gain a mindfulness for sustainable action. There has been enough talk - we must act!"

Stephan Mahnecke, Management of Party Rent Berlin Mahnecke GmbH

“In RENT4EVENT’s corporate development, the commitment to lived sustainability has a strong tradition and is an essential part of our company philosophy. As a service provider for the event sector, we have been climate-neutral since 2012, and have set ourselves the goal of making sustainability the basis of all our business decisions and processes. The Sustainable Meetings Berlin network allows us to learn from our colleagues’ experience and introduce further change processes. “

Manja Jessat, Sales and Communication Management RENT4EVENT GmbH Berlin

11 tips for sustainable event management in Berlin

As the infographic for event planners shows, sustainability is far from limited to just the choice of location, but starts with small things. Thinking sustainably can and ought to be the leitmotif of the entire planning process. The Berlin Convention Office of visitBerlin has compiled an initial list of ideas, encouraging planners to make their events more sustainable.

Here is the infographic to download.

Further topics in our sustainability special