8.6. Sustainability & Inclusion

As the world grows and changes, so do events and how they are run. Each event host has unique needs and requests from the venue to make their event one of a kind. These requests may range from an indoor bounce house or petting zoo to a karaoke happy hour. As people come up with new ideas and new types of events to host, event organizations must remain flexible and work to meet their client’s demands.

Sustainability

It is no surprise that in-person meetings use a lot of resources and produce a lot of waste. For this reason, hotels and other event venues are trying to find ways to make their event operations more sustainable. Sustainable events cause little or no damage to the environment through a variety of conscious choices made by the event team.

By becoming more sustainable, these operations can reduce waste and cut down on costs. Hotels and event venues can take steps toward becoming more sustainable, including:

• Utilizing china over disposable dishes
• Collecting recyclable materials in separate containers
• Utilizing reusable name tags for attendees
• Offering water in pitchers with glasses rather than disposable bottles or cups
• Buying seasonal, locally sourced ingredients for food service
• Merging menus with other clients using the venue on the same day
• Maximizing transportation to minimize repeat trips, reducing emissions
• Reduce paper by offering program information on a digital platform
• Charge groups for wasted food when attendance is over-quoting

Accessibility

Banquets and events should be designed so that anyone interested in attending can take advantage of all the event has to offer. As most hotels already have many accommodations available to their guests, attendees of events in these venues can take advantage of the resources available. Guests with physical disabilities may need assistance getting through the buffet line or ensuring there is sufficient space for their wheelchair or walker. Guests with a hearing impairment may need closed captions or a sign language interpreter during presentations. Guests with visual impairment may need assistance navigating the event space or require a place for their guide dog to sit next to them.

Diversity & Inclusion

Any event organization’s banquet and set-up departments will typically be diverse. These areas of the operation will often employ high school and college students and individuals from disadvantaged populations to serve in part-time roles. Upon proving themselves, these individuals are usually promoted to leadership positions, ensuring a diverse staff at all levels. Some hotels also offer second chance programs for those formerly incarcerated who have completed rehabilitation programs. Many individuals learn culinary skills while incarcerated. Because of this, hotel events allow them to have a second chance to work in areas such as set-up and banquet operations. In addition to hiring a diverse staff, event venues can encourage their clients to select speakers and entertainers from diverse backgrounds. When event attendees come from other regions, providing a list of local talent can be a great way to represent the diversity of the area. Those interested in becoming event managers can participate in MPI’s Inclusion Event Strategist Certification Program to learn more about presenting inclusive events.

Technology

As noted above, when events first started taking place, typewriters and handwritten contracts were used to make all of the bookings. As technology has advanced, so has how events are booked. A lot of events are booked through email or over the phone. This is made easy by having programs like Opera that allow sales managers to look at all banquet and hotel rooms and see what is available and when. This also helps to prevent double-booking a room or promising groups more rooms than what is actually available.

Technology advancements also help when it comes to meetings. More and more often, virtual meetings are combined with in-person meetings. This means half the group meets in person while others call in and watch via programs like Zoom or Skype. By having the technology and ability to project them on screens, everyone is able to attend no matter where they are.

“6.5: A Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow” from All Are Welcome: An Introduction to the Hospitality Industry by Britnie Edwards, Christy Douglass, Mallory Gorder, & Haley Powers is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License, except where otherwise noted.