Microsoft's Convergence 2009 event, to be held in New Orleans in March, is set to earn the first U.S. sustainable events management certification.
The event has achieved the first U.S. Phase 1 certification to the BS 8901:2007 standard – the new British standard developed specifically for the events industry. Convergence 2009 has not achieved full certification. Microsoft is working on the final two phases, which it hopes to complete once the event takes place.
“Because BS 8901 is a standard for sustainable event management systems, as opposed to a checklist on specific sustainability practices, it has made us much more aware of the holistic nature of sustainability as it relates to events,” Gina Broel, Microsoft's senior event marketing manager told Expo Magazine.
BS9001 defines three phases of event management – planning, implementation and check and review – and requires companies be certified by developing systems to address a range of environmental issues at their events.