Hotel ballrooms, expo halls and restaurants all serve important purposes for corporate events, but sometimes it’s necessary to break out of the event venue mold to create an impactful experience. The venue can play a key role in helping planners achieve the goals of the meeting — whether it’s a corporate retreat, team building event, client reception, seminar, user conference, or something else entirely.

Here are some ideas for unique venues that can spark even more creative ideas and make corporate meetings more successful.

Creating a sustainable food and beverage plan for your events isn’t just about reducing your carbon footprint. Ultimately, it’s about taking on the responsibility for making safe and healthy food choices for a number of people, says Tracy Stuckrath, president and chief connecting officer of Thrive Meetings & Event.

“If you think back to when we were children, what did we do all day, every day? We played.”

You know that incorporating corporate social responsibility activities during your events can be a win-win all around – for your attendees, charities in destinations that host your events, the destinations themselves, and of course, your organization. Yet you might be feeling overwhelmed and not sure where to begin. 

We've all been there — only a few hours into a looong event day, and your feet are already aching. When your feet hurt, it can truly be difficult to think about anything else. Yet aside from kicking off your professional shoes in favor of your old Nikes, what can you do to ensure your feet will be comfortable and presentable for the entire day?

Some days it can feel like everyone on your team is dancing to their own rhythm. While each one is creative in their individual realms, they’re not syncing well together; maybe someone’s grooving to Cardi B while another person jams to Creedence Clearwater Revival, making for a less than pleasurable mix. Sound like your team? Then it’s time to call in teambuilding master Amani Roberts.

Feeling powerless to make your events more sustainable? Want to make your events greener without having to ask your boss for permission or spending more money?

In her recent webinar, “5 No-Cost Ways to Green Your Events,” Julia Spangler, sustainable events consultant, offered tips for accomplishing just that, providing actions that event planners can implement right away to create more Earth-friendly events.

Uber is making it easy for corporations to pick up the tab for employees, clients and partners — and opening up new realms of possibilities for event transportation — with its new Uber Vouchers feature.

Rather than hiring a van or shuttle service for small groups, you can offer them the convenience and flexibility of car service. Some applications for planners that immediately spring to mind are airport transportation, customer dinners and getting staff to wherever they need to go, on time.

Back in April 1970, the first-ever Earth Day was started as a way to protest the negative impacts of industrial development on the environment. Now, nearly 50 years later, Earth Day is a globally recognized event, with an estimated 1 billion people in 192 countries taking part in the world’s largest civic-focused day of action.

Back in the ‘50s, it wasn’t unusual to spot celebrities like John Wayne and Lucille Ball lounging by the pool at Sportsmen’s Lodge. Being located 15 miles from downtown L.A. in nearby Studio City had the same advantages then as it does now — seclusion, lots of greenery, and precious peace and quiet. That’s a big part of why the property draws small corporate meetings (it can accommodate groups of up to 100 comfortably), and its boutique nature lends flexibility that event professionals love.