INTERVIEW: MICHAEL LUEHRS, MCI GROUP 22/05/2008 - By Crystal James
Change just doesnt happen. It requires commitment and leadership and fortunately, Australia is in a strong position to become a global leader in setting environmental standards in the meeting and events industry, says Michael Luehrs from MCI Group in Stockholm who delivered the opening keynote address at the 21st annual MEA conference this month. By Crystal James.
Tell us about your role as Sustainability Services Manager at MCI Group, what type of projects are you currently involved in?MCI Sustainability Services directs effort in two main focus areas: Green Event Management and Sustainability Consulting. Green Event Management requires us to provide educational support to MCI sales teams as well as our clients and we coordinate with a collection of other consultancies to bring comprehensive strategies to fit their varying needs. We are presently the only meeting and events company outside the United States licensed to use/administer the MeetGreen measurement tool. MeetGreen was designed by Meeting Strategies Worldwide, a US based meeting planner specialising in environmentally responsible meetings. Informed by criteria outlined by the Convention Industry Council, MeetGreen is at present, the only objective measurement tool providing planners and organisers with meaningful reports on the greenness of their event. We provide support before, during and after a given event to help planners and organisers achieve their environmental goals.Our Sustainability Consulting efforts range widely. The greatest demand has been from the meetings industry supplier sectors seeking support to implement environmental plans and/or gain 3rd party environmental certification. We have also had a great deal of interest from municipalities who wish to better position themselves as sustainable business destinations to better capture the growing segment of green events and businesses with strong CSR protocols.What were your key messages during your opening keynote address at this months MEA 21st Annual Conference?It was my hope to ignite a spark of environmental awareness and engagement within the meetings industry here in Australia. The idea was to encourage key individuals to leverage their influence with industry suppliers, corporates, associations and communities to stand up and take action in support of the environmental problems we face rather than waiting for somebody else to provide much needed solutions. These immense global environmental challenges present a huge opportunity for innovative businesses and the meetings industry, with their connections and buying power, is uniquely situated to facilitate these changes.
How does Australia rank internationally in terms of the amount of green house gas emissions produced each year?Greenhouse gas measurements are difficult because different reports measure different gasses. Still, Australia typically ranks first in emissions per capita and in the top 12 dirtiest nations with respect to total annual emissions (presently around 565 million tons emitted annually). Some of the more recent reports show Australias emissions as just over 2% of the global total (compared to about 20% for the USA), but it is widely acknowledged that these emission rates are rising aggressively.
What impact could this have on the meetings and events industry?Left unchecked, mining and burning brown coal for energy, Australia would be a significant contributor to potential future global environmental disaster. This says nothing of the resulting economic problems that would stem from such issues. Many people currently enjoying a healthy meetings industry could face far greater problems than reduced financial returns. This is a key reason to engage meetings industry leaders to bring about action. Far better to participate in a large effort to find solutions than wait for problems to find us.What can we learn from leading sustainability strategies globally?Id like to turn that around and say that the world can learn a great deal from Australia. Ive observed, and conversed with a highly attuned group of people who recognise that more can be done. Its still early days for the sustainability revolution and Australia has a unique opportunity to lead an effort to write the rules. The world is crying out for energy solutions, for example, and Australia with its highly educated population, and its potential to innovate and leverage clean solar energy is sitting on what could be among the nations greatest business opportunities ever seen. Australias recent political election reflects the degree to which people are concerned about global warming. The city of Melbourne is probably the cleanest, most forward thinking city Ive seen anywhere. If Australias leadership will get organised and respond to what is both a social and economic imperative, Australia will be regarded as a global leader with solutions to help guide other nations.
Explain the importance of measuring and qualifying our green initiatives, and how we could benefit from an internationally recognised certification process?
Theres an old leadership adage that says, What gets measured gets managed. By conducting baseline analyses and benchmarking key statistics, progress can be tracked, adjusted and celebrated. These are important components to sustainable development and innovation. An internationally recognised certification scheme requires such benchmarking and tracking and provides an objective standard that clients are typically more willing to trust (over a companys own claims of environmental responsibility). It should be noted that one of the only internationally recognised certification schemes are based right here in Australia: Green Globe. There is the potential for a powerful and mutually beneficial collaboration between Australias meetings industry and Green Globe and I would encourage the industry to explore that.You mentioned the Australian meetings and events industry needs to become more unified on green issues, how do you recommend we do this on a national scale?
Before you start anything, its a good idea to know where you are. That said, business leaders could start an effort to understand the environmental impact of the Australian business events industry. On a global scale, MCI is collaboratively working with World Wildlife Fund, MPI and other entities to find funding to support a environmental footprint study for the entire meetings industry. Australias industry could help lead the effort by coming together to identify its contribution. Once thats done, targets could be set and, with them, industry standards and incentives to achieve those targets. When a business opportunity is identified, great innovation and progress will happen. Its my view that business leaders are going to be the environmental heroes of tomorrow with innovations that will bring clean fuels and healthier communities and Australias meetings industry can speed up that process by working to define standards and guidelines for performance and rewarding innovation.How can our industry do more on an international scale?The industry can come together to share best practices and ideas so that every organisation can benefit from working as part of a collaborative team instead of recreating the Corporate Social Responsibility wheel. By setting environmental and social standards and asking for others to set such standards (hotels, conference centers, transportation providers, caterers, exhibition services, etc), Australia can use its buying power to bring about change. By promoting Australias sustainable initiatives and environmental commitments, Australia can not only attract new business but can be a role model for other nations as they work to build their own approaches to sustainable development.Tell us about your objectives at the upcoming 2009 UN Climate Summit?
We hope to collaborate with other leaders to position the meetings industry as a global economic force with the power to influence change. Additionally, we hope to craft a document to serve as a call to action for all meetings industry stakeholders to commit to a set of standards that will, in turn, result in reduced industry emissions and waste averages.What are the priorities for Australian companies and industry bodies over the next 12 months?Understand the business opportunities associated with developing an industry strategy (as well as understanding the risks associated with taking no action) and work together to position Australia as an environmental leader and a top of mind destination for the emerging green meetings market. It should be noted that a great deal of work is already underway in many Australian communities. Melbourne is showing impressive momentum with leadership from Sandra Chipchase of the Melbourne Convention and Visitors Bureau and Leigh Harry of what will be a state of the art six star certified convention center. Sydney has at least one conference venue that is Green Globe certified. Leaders like these can help bring influence to hotels and conference centers to get certified and to create a national story of environmental commitment. Once that ball is rolling, airlines and associated industry suppliers will more likely fall in line with innovations of their own. The next 12 months should be about leadership coming together and painting a vision for the industry.Can you recommend any resources we can access for more information?Many resources are available to help provide guidance and many of those are based here in Australia. Businesses are encouraged to explore resources in local municipalities and state governments. Were often surprised at the excellent and often free, programs available (Victorias Grow me the money is a great example). Working with a global agency can bring powerful results and help Australia.
UN Global Compact: A powerful, voluntary Corporate Social Responsibility initiative from the UN: http://www.unglobalcompact.org/HowToParticipate/Business_Participation/index.htmlThe Natural Step: Based in Stockholm, Sweden but has an Australian office: http://www.naturalstep.org/com/TNS_for_business/World Wildlife Fund: http://wwf.worldwildlife.org/site/PageServer?pagename=can_home&JServSessionIdr007=h6m5yfluv2.app13aGreen Globe: Australia based international certification scheme for businesses and communities:
http://www.ec3global.com/products-programs/green-globe/Grow me the money: http://www.growmethemoney.com.au/HomeMCI: Its out mission to build community for a better world:
http://www.mci-group.com/About%20MCI/Our%20CSR%20Vision/CSR%20and%20ISR%20Services.aspx
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