Sustainable certification programme Green Tourism has launched a new green meetings standard.
The Edinburgh International Conference Centre (EICC) has become the first venue to achieve the kitemark.
Hotels, conference centres and other venues for meetings and events can apply for the accreditation to measure their performance against three pillars of caring for people, places and the planet.
Independent assessors will examine criteria from energy, water and waste, through to the catering, procurement and travel, as well as awareness, communication and community involvement.
The initiative aligned to the United Nations sustainability goals and was created ahead of the COP26 summit being held in Glasgow this November.
It builds on Green Tourism’s existing meetings and event venues criteria, which was developed in 2001.
Andrea Nicholas, chief executive of Green Tourism, said: “Our new Green Meetings standard gives meetings and event venues the tools they need for sustainable growth as they recover from the pandemic.
“These new standards have been created in response to demand from the industry, with more and more event organisers wanting reassurance that the venues they pick meet the highest international environmental standards."
Aaron McKeen, sustainability champion at the EICC, said: “Event organisers are asking more and more questions about the environmental credentials of our facilities and our services, so it’s essential that we can demonstrate that we take sustainability very seriously, and support them in their ambitions to host more sustainable meetings.”
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