Radisson Hotel Group and GDS-Movement presented a guide in Brussels entitled “Accelerating Sustainable & Regenerative Events: A Guide for Associations & PCOs”, designed to help associations and professional congress organisers embed sustainability into the planning, delivery and reporting of their events.
A persistent gap between ambition and execution
According to data cited in the guide, 66% of associations rank sustainability as a high strategic priority, yet fewer than 34% have actually integrated it into their operations, and only 3% have an advanced sustainability programme in place. The gap illustrates how difficult it remains for the meetings and events sector to turn stated intent into measurable operational practice.
Inge Huijbrechts, Chief Sustainability and Security Officer at Radisson Hotel Group, said the industry does not have a sustainability awareness problem — it has an execution problem. She added that the group works closely with associations, event organisers and destinations worldwide, and understands the practical obstacles they face.
A methodology built on the GDS-Index
The guide draws on insights from destinations participating in the GDS-Index, the leading benchmarking programme for assessing and improving destination sustainability performance. For associations managing multiple events across different destinations, suppliers and planning cycles, the challenge extends well beyond any single event: it is about applying consistent standards and uniform reporting frameworks across an entire portfolio of events.
Through the GDS-Index, destinations are assessed against 74 qualitative and quantitative indicators, aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and the criteria of the Global Sustainable Tourism Council. The framework is intended to bring greater transparency and accountability to the events ecosystem.
The central role of destinations
Guy Bigwood, CEO and Chief Changemaker of GDS-Movement, said destinations play a central role in accelerating the transition towards sustainable and regenerative events. He stressed that collaboration between destinations, venues and suppliers remains essential to generating meaningful social, environmental and economic value through the events they host.
Five levers for action for organisers
The guide identifies five actions for associations and PCOs looking to strengthen the sustainability performance of their events:
- engaging destination partners earlier in the planning process,
- prioritising certified supplier networks,
- integrating social impact and legacy initiatives into event design,
- incorporating low-carbon mobility strategies for delegates,
- and implementing measurement, reporting and incentive frameworks tied to sustainability.
Together, these five areas give organisers an operational foundation for improving consistency across multiple events and destinations, rather than treating each event in isolation.
An approach aligned with the group’s CSR strategy
The partnership builds on initiatives already under way at Radisson Hotel Group, including the rollout of core hotel sustainability principles across its portfolio and its first hotels certified Verified Net Zero. The group was also the first global hotel operator to offer carbon-negative meetings, an initiative in place across its entire portfolio since 2019.
Radisson Hotel Group says it will continue working with associations, destinations and industry partners to support more responsible event organisation and contribute to a more sustainable future for the global meetings and events industry.
At a glance by The Hospitality Tribune
Radisson Hotel Group and GDS-Movement launch sustainability guide for Associations & PCOs
New guide “Accelerating Sustainable & Regenerative Events” unveiled in Brussels
66% of Associations rank sustainability as a high priority, but fewer than 34% have implemented it operationally
Only 3% report having an advanced sustainability program
Built on insights from the GDS-Index, which assesses destinations against 74 indicators aligned with UN SDGs and GSTC criteria
Five practical actions outlined for Associations and PCOs to close the implementation gap
