Contemporary Issues in Event management Industry - Coursework Example

Running Head: SUSTAINABLE MAINAGEMENT Contemporary issues in Event management Industry [Supervisor’s Sustainable management in Event management Industry Introduction: Sustainable management is the mutual concept of sustainability combined with the concepts of management with a particular concern for environment. It is the process of keeping the system running without depleting the resources to fulfill the needs of current and the succeeding generations. The role of sustainability in event management is so significant that the company cannot survive because there is an air to make the environment greener. This paper critically discusses the importance of sustainability in the event management industry and its effects on the environment. This paper also highlights the international standards of sustainable event management, which are guidelines to make an event a success. In order to simplify the concept of sustainability we will also consider the example of JPL, which is one of the leading UK based event management company in this paper and its practices to achieve sustainability. Importance of sustainability in Event Management Industry: Sustainability in event management refers to the decision-making, planning and participation in an event while being environmentally and socially responsible. An Event Management Industry, which does not respond to sustainability and does not operate within the sustainable management then the company is likely to fail. Events are extraordinarily been used as a part of the organization’s brand experience and hence, it should be accessed alongside with the impact that it has on the environment. A company has to ensure the sustainable management of events and supplier activities in a more organized manner. The general public is demanding a clear and transparent system from the companies that has a higher brand value attributed to a certain service or a product. Sustainable event management is becoming more diverse, any industry now can hold up an event. The products and materials that are used to produce an event all have the negative impacts on the environment, but these negative impacts can be reduced through using products that are environmental friendly, organic and fair trade (Lynch 2007). ‘JPL’ an event management company has focused on developing sustainable policies and practices in all aspects of its organization and holds an objective that an event is hosted responsibly. The aim is centered as to how to manage an event in an integrated manner. JPL has achieved sustainable event management to lead and operate events and meetings in a strategic way. JPL has shown that through its practices that it is not just a system that can plug into an event management function, but it leads to the integration of the responsible business practices with the culture and values of the organization. BS901 and ISO20121 are the international standards for the sustainable event management. These standards are developed with the opinions of the stakeholders. Many countries have participated in developing these standards and the purpose is to set guidelines for the event and the sustainability issues (Lynch 2007). Setting the similar standards will help to have the systems and the desired skills to facilitate in a successful event management. This has been predicted to become the common practice of an organization over time. If an organization is methodical in its planning for event logistics then a company would find ISO20121 simple to implement (Bowdin, et al. 2011). The implementing of the standards is cyclic in nature and it is an important phase in the success of an event. The first step is to define the scope and the boundaries of an event organization and the objective that it has to build. Then set the activities what the management system has to cover depending on the nature of the event. Then recognize the interested parties for the event that can include the stakeholders. Then a company has to identify and understand the issues that are likely to occur in their events and then make plans in order to manage them. Feedback is required from the stakeholders and to communicate with them as to get a grip over the potential issues. Then a company has to set its performance goals and objectives. The important thing about the initial phase is that the organization sets a commitment to sustainable development principles and place down a declaration (Parry and Shone 2004). Developing the policies to undertake a successful implementation of these principles is considered to be an important step. JPL considers the upper management of an organization should commit implementing the entire management system and also supporting the resources, which include knowledge, skills and the time, and budget allocation. The top management should also commit towards continual improvement that will help the company to sustain for the longer period of time. In the mean time a company has to ensure that it has the required labors and workers that have a desired skills and knowledge to perform the task and to understand the sustainability and implementation of the management system. This may require training of the individuals and engaging them in a professional development course or the new people may be hired as a consultant to guide the team at the same time. Then the results are measured and feedback is taken through the process of review cycle and the objectives that were set previously for continual improvement (Anderson 2010). Impact of sustainability in Environment: As many of the people are getting aware of the green concept, they are supporting the companies with their wallets that are doing the same. The people are demanding that the events should be sustainable and ethical. Managing the event in a sustainable manner can result a company in financial savings. The cost comparison is to be done in major areas such as waste disposal, fuel supplies and transportation. The sustainable alternative will turn out to be cheaper than its original cost associated with the conventional counterparts. The area, which can be easily be calculated and communicated is the area of waste. Taking up the waste for the recycle and selling it directly to the processors saves a lot of cost and reduces the amount of waste that a company usually throws (Jones 2010). The events industry is changing at a quick pace towards the sustainable management and the sustainable issues are becoming more visible to the audience. The government regulatory authorities are placing environmental conditions on them and the industries must lift their game and provide the green solutions that we all need. JPL suppliers and contractors are making the tailored product and services while keeping the event sustainability in mind (Jones 2010). The suppliers are advised to be updated of the latest system and the events they offer to be well informed of the innovators in entering the market. In order to achieve event sustainability, JPL mangers require the suppliers to change what they offer rather than waiting for the new greener products to appear, the company sometimes provides the competencies to the contractors in developing those products. If the availability of the sustainable solutions is in abundant then there will be a competition among the suppliers, which will eventually increase the sustainability in the events management. Event managers who had not considered sustainability previously can also provide the company with sustainable solutions (Damster, Tassiopoulos and De Tolly 2000). The decisions that an event manager takes will have an impact in the contribution of the sustainable solutions for event management either an event manager is organizing a school fair for five hundred people or a national event for hundreds of thousands of people. Keeping up with the sustainability policies will help a company to focus on the efforts and keep the company on the right track. It will also indicate the commitment of the company to sustainable management and describe the tracts to sustainability. ‘Going green’ does not address to a single issue of release of carbon emissions but it actually concentrates in reducing the overall environmental impact in the event at every possible manner but the outcome will ultimately result in the reduction of the carbon emission (Raj and Musgrave 2009). The other thing that the event industry must consider very seriously is the issue of global warming. The climate change science is still been reviewed and refined as the ways to reduce the carbon auditing is getting more enhanced. Auditing of carbon emissions is the important part of management tool but sustainably managing the event is the key but looking up for the traditional environmental issue is appropriate than to focus on the single carbon issue. The broader issues to be considered such as making the supply chain greener and the products or the services should not carry a hint of negative environmental impact (Jones 2010). The company should be looking for energy efficient tools and appliances in the event so it should consume less energy. The waste should be managed and there must be a landfill area to dump the waste. The supplies should be traded fairly with all the legal issues been covered and the labor should be dealt with sincerity and should avoid child labor. The usage of the chemicals in an event should be discouraged as it causes harmful effects and usage of sustainable materials should be used as an alternative (Parry and Shone 2004). It is the sustainable practices to manage the resources affectively so that it can be utilized by the next generation. Events are considered to be highly resource intensive and can create a negative impact on the environment and for the host city and population. Many multinational companies such as JPL are making an event greener as a part of their process (Jones 2010). The sustainability in event management has turned out to be a huge success for JPL in saving their costs. A sustainable environment has made the event greener, which will reduce the negative impact of the environment and will create a positive long lasting impact on the local community. The benefits that can include of having a greener event includes the major aspect of cost saving. Conserving the energy and reducing the wastes will eventually reduce the cost as less consumption of energy is taken place. It can also create a positive reputation for an organization because they are supporting the global actions against the negative influence of global warming (Anderson 2010). The use of the event management in a sustainable manner has helped JPL in promoting the innovative technologies, which will ultimately help them to use the resources more efficiently. Each event offers a unique opportunity to the staff and the service providers to raise awareness about the sustainable living and to introduce best practices in the region. The event could also benefit the locals in providing jobs and promoting better working conditions if the event turns out to well planned and carefully implemented. Other organizations can also be motivated in introducing the environmental and social improvements in their events as well (Bowdin, et al. 2011). Conclusion: From the above analysis it can be said that the event management plays a very important role in the sustainable management in order to make an event a success. Certain procedures and guidelines will make an event more organized and well rehearsed and it is important for an event industry to focus on the greener environment so as to earn long-term benefits. So, therefore a company cannot survive until they are equipped with sustainability in their event management because as people get awareness about the green environment, then they are most unlikely to support an organization that has a negative impact on the environment. The negative impacts of the environment in an event can be reduced by following a sustainable system by a company, which helps them in cutting the costs and reduce the wastes and will give high returns in exchange. List of References Anderson, J., 2010. Event Management Simplified. Indiana: Authorhouse. Bowdin, G. et al., 2011. Events Management. London: Routledge. Damster, G., Tassiopoulos, D. and De Tolly, P., 2000. Event Management: A Professional And Developmental Approach. South Africa: Juta and company Ltd. Jones, M., 2010. Sustainable Event Management: A Practical Guide. London: Earthscan. Lynch, H., 2007. Sustainable Event Management. [Online] Available at: [Accessed 4 March 2012]. Parry, B. & Shone, A., 2004. Successful event management: a practical handbook. New York: Cengage learning. Raj, R. & Musgrave, J., 2009. Event Management and Sustainability. London: CAB International. Read More