Green Meeting Industry Council (GMIC)
Launched in late 2003, the GMIC was formed to “improve meeting management practices by promoting environmentally
responsible strategies through the collaborative efforts of the
hospitality industry, corporations, government, and community
organizations.”
The GMIC is a member organization that encourages green practices that can minimize the negative impact of events. It also holds conferences on green events. Additional resources are available to members.
The Alliance was created in late 2007 to help associations meet the environmental demands of their members and is made up of associations and industry partners. Membership is complimentary and includes the following benefits:
* A green assessment wherein their events, organizations and
facilities, are reviewed and evaluated against criteria as established by
leading experts in the field, including the CGA network.
* Recommendations as to resources that can help them improve their environmental
footprint and future practices.
* An offer of ongoing consulting services to assist in the development,
implementation and evaluation of a “green path plan* Recognition from the Alliance as a partner on the web resource center and in all promotional/media outreach.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA): Green Meetings
The EPA’s site has some good resources, but it directs you to BlueGreen Meetings (below) for more in-depth information.
Initiated by Oceans Blue Foundation, this resource seeks to foster “a meetings industry that integrates environmental responsibility with sound business practices.”
The site offers tools and resources for both hosts/planners (by planning category) and suppliers (by industry).
Convention Industry Council (CIC): Green Meetings
In 2003, the CIC established a task force to research sustainable practices. Their findings can be found in their Green Meetings Report (.pdf), which includes best practices divided into “minimum best practices” and “strongly recommended best practices.”
