As sustainability takes centre stage for MICE events, delivering eco-friendly meetings that enhance the experience and spark creativity has become paramount for planners.
With sustainability taking up a front-row seat in the business events sector, planners are placing more emphasis on sustainability when organising events and meetings. According to the recent PULSE survey conducted by Northstar Travel Group, a significant 56% of event planners and/or their clients in Asia Pacific have sustainability policies in place, considering it important to prioritise sustainability offerings at destinations and venues.
However, pulling off a truly green event that checks all the eco-friendly boxes while delivering a memorable experience requires careful planning and creativity from the start. Here are our top five tips to deliver your next sustainable event.
1. Location matters: Pick the right venue
JW Marriott Hotel Hong Kong’s versatile events spaces make it easy for groups to seamlessly meet with ease.With a centrally-located venue, event attendees never have to worry about racking up the carbon emissions through excessive transport for offsite meetings and events.
The 608-key JW Marriott Hotel Hong Kong’s location is especially advantageous, with easy access to local MTR lines and Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, while the hotel’s Green Lifestyle Map provides guests with excellent tips on exploring the neighbourhood sustainably.
2. Use light and space efficiently
Having access to versatile spaces in one location allows groups to convene with ease. With over 1,500sqm of meeting and conference space, a majority of which are located on the third floor – including the pillarless ballroom that can accommodate up to 1,100 pax and the Michelin-starred Man Ho Chinese Restaurant – JW Marriott Hotel Hong Kong’s “whole floor flexibility” concept allows attendees to easily transition between different event segments.
Natural light has been proven to boost wellness and productivity – the PRESIDEN social venue features ample natural daylight and stunning views of the harbour.Exposure to natural light boosts mental wellbeing and concentration in the workplace, so planners should take advantage of conference rooms with abundant natural lighting. Not only does this reduce energy usage, but it also provides a refreshing setting to stimulate conversation and creativity among attendees. On the seventh floor, newly developed social venues PRESIDEN with its private balcony and the semi-outdoor HarbourDen offer stunning harbour views and ample natural daylight, creating an ideal environment for productive business engagements.
3. Adopt smart choices and behaviour
Recycling helps to lessen an event’s impact on the environment, but preventative behaviour is even more impactful. Planners can opt for digital offerings instead of traditional paper, encouraging paperless events to reduce single-use wastage. JW Marriott Hotel Hong Kong offers digital signage, QR menus, LED walls in the ballroom and digital projectors in function rooms.
To reduce single-use plastic waste, JW Marriott Hotel Hong Kong offers meeting and event attendees with reusable water bottles that can be refilled at water stations throughout the hotel.The hotel also offers complementary reusable stainless steel insulated water bottles for each guest, with water dispensers readily available in meeting rooms and across the hotel.
4. From farm to table: Craft eco-friendly event menus
A sustainable event menu starts with the origin of the food served. Seek out local and fresh offerings, avoiding imported or out-of-season foods that require more transportation, refrigeration and packaging. This approach not only reduces carbon emissions and waste, but also elevates the dining experience with fresh, quality dishes that delight attendees.
An inventive and umami-packed fettucine dish crafted from pulverised fish bones turned into noodles, highlighting the hotel’s commitment to reducing food waste.JW Marriott Hotel Hong Kong ensures a closed-loop dining experience, with an in-house herb garden that provides ingredients for their dishes and cocktails, as well as seafood procured from certified suppliers. The hotel also works closely with the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) to explore possible sources of sustainable ingredients. To reduce food wastage, the hotel’s culinary team has created an inventive fettucine dish crafted from pulverised fish bones turned into noodles.
5. It’s good business to give back
Minimising an event’s environmental impact is just the start – forward-thinking events are taking sustainability a step further by leaving a positive local legacy. Planners can look into implementing initiatives that combat food waste and find eco-friendly ways to repurpose or recycle excess materials and products after an event concludes.
Championing local and fresh produce, house-grown aromatic herbs are incorporated into flavourful dishes and cocktails at JW Marriott Hotel Hong Kong.JW Marriott Hotel Hong Kong donates food waste to local charities or recycles this waste into energy and resources – for example, by sending coffee grounds to be composted in local farms. It also donates leftover soap bars and used furniture to local charities, ensuring nothing goes to waste.
Get in touch with JW Marriott Hotel Hong Kong to make your next meeting more sustainable.
Email: [email protected]
Website: jwmarriotthongkong.com
This article is brought to you by JW Marriott Hotel Hong Kong