Launch: Copenhagen Sustainible Meetings Protocol

COP15 climate conference stakeholders to launch Copenhagen Sustainable Meetings Protocol

Inspired by the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP15) taking place in Denmark's capital in December, six key stakeholder organizations have come together to create a unique and innovative consortium to further increase the sustainability of this event and other large international meetings. They call the initiative the Copenhagen Sustainable Meetings Protocol.

With a common vision for a more sustainable, responsible and ethical global marketplace, the partners have joined forces to capture, share and improve on their learnings and experiences in preparing Copenhagen for COP15. The objective is two-fold:

Contribute to accelerating the transformation of the global meetings industry through sustainability

To further enhance Copenhagen and Denmark's position as a prime host destination for sustainable meetings

The Copenhagen Sustainable Meetings Protocol will be a flexible umbrella framework that can be used to organize large, complex, multi stakeholder meetings in a sustainable way. It integrates local and international sustainability initiatives, standards, systems and certification programs and is a guide for good leadership and active engagement of key stakeholders in large meetings. It identifies innovative and synergetic strategies that catalyze sustainable development - for the benefit of the meeting organizers, delegates and host communities.

This initiative has been championed by leaders from the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, VisitDenmark - the National tourism and meetings organisation -, the City of Copenhagen, Wonderful Copenhagen Convention & Visitors bureau, leading pharmaceutical corporation Novo Nordisk, and professional conference organiser and sustainability consultants MCI Group.

This consortium recognizes that COP15 represents a unique opportunity to show that the biggest, most prestigious events can be organized in a sustainable way. It is the project partners hope, that the Copenhagen Sustainable Meetings Protocol will serve as reference to spark sustainable development internationally.

The protocol is scheduled for completion in February 2010.