Feb 05, 2019
Sustainability and “green” practices are becoming standard for many corporations, driven by both a belief in corporate responsibility and by customer mindset. A recent Nielsen global online survey shows eighty-one percent of respondents feel strongly that companies should help improve the environment.
The initial worry that sustainable events would result in higher costs has subsided. In fact, it has been shown that environmentally-friendly events can actually cost less, as they require a more mindful approach to waste reduction. But there is still quite a bit of misperception related to… more
Jan 28, 2019
We’ve all been to corporate team building events that brought us closer with colleagues and reinvigorated our teams to work toward our common goals. Then we’ve been to others that fall flat, appearing “lame” or a waste of valuable professional or personal time. When corporations develop team building events, it often falls primarily on the event planner to ensure the experience is positive.
Start with the Basics
Karla Singson, CEO of PREP - PR, Events and Promotions, says effective team building events have three basic ingredients.
“They should be good for fostering teamwork and friendship… more
Jan 17, 2019
From black box spaces to renovated castles to cinemas, there are unique and transformative spaces around the globe. This ongoing series of articles highlights a few of the many options available for corporate events.
When people think of transformative, they typically think of a black box, or an empty warehouse. But the broader definition of transformative is “to cause a marked change in someone or something.” When planners are looking for a unique venue, one of the objectives is that it must provide a memorable experience for attendees — one that will live on when the event is long past.… more
Jan 10, 2019
According to the Freeman Show Organizer Data Pulse Survey, 74 percent of show organizers use event data to inform their event strategy, event objectives and planning. Yet nearly half of non-profit show organizers find it challenging to get meaningful insights from their event data.
“Research has shown that attendees go to an event to learn, network and have fun,” said Richard Maranville, chief digital officer at Freeman. “However, until now, the industry didn’t have an all-encompassing solution to compile metrics and data that ultimately could help increase audience acquisition, retention… more
Dec 18, 2018
Located 50 miles from Milwaukee and 80 miles from Chicago, the Lake Geneva area of Wisconsin is best known for its historic mansions, or perhaps for being the location of the first Playboy resort. Or — if you’re a gamer — for being the site of the annual Gary Con, a celebration of Dungeons and Dragons co-creator Gary Gygax. But, as I discovered first-hand in October, Lake Geneva is also a great location for corporate events.
For an area whose total population is no more than 20,000 residents, Lake Geneva has a surprising number of resorts, activities and amenities. While the area is referred… more
Dec 07, 2018
The Association for Financial Professionals (AFP) hosts the largest annual networking conference worldwide for corporate finance professionals. With more than 7,000 attendees and over 250 exhibitors, the 2018 AFP Conference was the biggest AFP event in history.
The AFP Conference is held in a different city in the U.S. each year. This year’s event was held Nov. 5-7 at Chicago’s McCormick Place — the largest convention center in the United States.
“The last time we were in McCormick Place was 2001, so we were excited to be in the new West building for 2018,” said Melissa Rawak, Association… more
Dec 03, 2018
We all know that the preferred place to gather is in the kitchen. We eat, talk, learn and connect in this favorite spot.
The Omni Montelucia in Scottsdale captures the true essence of this connection in their Chef’s Kitchen Dinner Series — a monthly intimate gathering of up to 20 participants.
“Here at Omni Montelucia, we wanted to bring the concept of an intimate gathering to our resort, where there is an opportunity to learn, eat well, and introduce new foods and cocktails to fellow participants,” said Patrick Brophy, General Manager at Omni Montelucia.
He added, “Our Chef’s Kitchen was… more
Nov 27, 2018
Events are mirrors of the organizations and industries they serve, reflecting their values and priorities. Therefore, it’s no surprise that green initiatives have flooded the event industry as more and more companies include sustainability goals and practices in their missions. And just as sustainable practices can be good for business, reducing costs and potentially raising customer loyalty, for example; they can be great for events for many of the same reasons.
Britt Zarling, vice president, corporate communications at Fiserv, notes that the company’s corporate values apply to all areas of… more
Nov 16, 2018
Less than a month after Vancouver became the first city in the world to adopt a comprehensive zero waste strategic plan and the first city in Canada to ban plastic straws and polystyrene containers, the city played host to Sustainable Brands, the annual global flagship conference of one of the leading corporate sustainability communities of brand innovators and sustainability professionals working to shape the future of commerce worldwide.
Held June 4-7 at the Vancouver Convention Centre and for the first time in Canada, Sustainable Brands drew more than 2,300 participants from across the… more
Nov 15, 2018
More than a decade after the launch of the Green Meetings Industry Council (GMIC), now the Events Industry Council Sustainability Initiative, we’re still trying to make our events more environmentally friendly. One area where it’s easy to make a difference is food waste, or the reduction thereof.
“It’s really just having a plan going in about what waste you’re going to generate and trying to minimize that as much as possible,” said sustainable event consultant Julia Spangler.
She continued, “Maybe you’re serving on all disposable dishes and using plastic cups or handing out a lot of bottled… more
Partner Voices
MGM Resorts is committed to fostering an inclusive and diverse culture, not just among employees and guests but also within its supply chain. The company prioritizes procuring goods and services from businesses owned by minorities, women, veterans, people with disabilities, LGBTQ individuals and those facing economic disadvantages. This commitment is integral to MGM Resorts' global procurement strategy.
Through its voluntary supplier diversity program, MGM Resorts actively identifies and connects certified diverse-owned suppliers to opportunities within its supply chain. The company is more