Sustainable Events Management of The Green Moon Events Company - Case Study Example

 Sustainable Events Management Chapter 1. Introduction Preparing an event requires the host to answer questions like what they seek to achieve (Tinnish, n.d). The host should be able to assess what he needs and pick the best of what is on offer. When one is unsure of the requirements of the event to be held, one may consult an event organizing company (Allen, 2009). This is where the Green Moon Events company comes in. The company has a special attachment to offering high quality hospitality services (Allen, 2004). The company, based at Cheltenham in the United Kingdom both a local and international company. The company ensures sustainability in the events it prepares, and in the case of a clueless client, the company helps come up with suitable venues and related ideas (Richards, Brito & Wilks, 2013). The Green Moon Events company has been in the industry for about four years, considering it started in the year 2010 (Tinnish, n.d). The founder has had international experience in the event business, catering for events in fields such as corporate clients, student, and youth travel, and pharmaceutics, and non-profit bodies. This makes the Green Moon Events company standout, considering its director has vast experience (Wale, Robinson & Dickson, 2010). The Green Moon Events company may come up with an optional outside source, or they may be an extension to a client’s team of event planners (Raggaby & Rubik 2012). The company also stands out, in that, it offers services that are not only satiable to all of its clients, and they are impeccable. The company ensures to provide a result to an event that is satiable to the client, whether the event was designed to be educational, motivational, celebrative, or just for entertainment (Allen, 2004). The company also ensures to form strong and a good relation to its clients, to make it the people’s favorite. It also maintains a good relationship with its suppliers (Megan, 2014). The company ensures it offers services in best possible means, and ensures that its services are pocket- friendly (Pernecky & Luck 2013). As an upcoming events business, the Green Moon Events Company stands as a good analytical company, which explains the choice. Chapter 2. Literature Review Explanation of the ISO 20121 Theory: Using the ISO 20121 theory, is important, if a company, especially one that deals with events is to succeed (Wale, Robinson & Dickson, 2010). ISO 20121 also helps create an events sustainability management system. The ISO 20121 is not a checklist. The ISO 20121 rather requires a slow approach while addressing sustainable development issues that are related to the planning of events. The theory is applicable in the case of a venue, or an event organizer (Pernecky & Luck 2013). The ISO 20121 helps in the identification of major sustainability issues like the selection of the venue, procedures of operating, communication systems, and transport, among others (Raggaby & Rubik 2012). The ISO 20121 has also come up with other management systems that will help deal with environmental management issues. Setting standards for the sustainability of the industry is a complex process. The ISO 20121 requires that a company have unique characteristics, which will not only enhance the sustainability of the company, but that will also help adopt the ISO 20121 (Allen 2009). There are several theories that relate to management systems, but attitudinal, behavioral, awareness and structural issues are also important to the industry (Pernecky & Luck 2013). Event Management Event management requires a project management approach to organizing events (Allen 2004). The discipline objects on conceiving, setting up, organizing, directing, and producing the event (Tinnish, n.d). Event management also constitutes of activities like registration, marketing, selection of venues, procurement, transportation, audio- visual needs and beverage and food planning. Each event put up by the event manager should maintain a unique aftertaste in its characteristics, participants and place of occurrence (Richards, Brito & Wilks, 2013). Setting up Standards: Standards while organizing an event are undeniably crucial. Standards are a normal part of life (Pernecky & Luck 2013). They are important since they ensure desirable features of services and products, such as efficiency, reliability, quality, and environmental compatibility. There are certain standards that are created in response to the requirements of a complicated society (Wale, Robinson & Dickson, 2010). A standard, according to ISO is referred to as a handwritten agreement that contains technical specifications that are used as rules, definitions, or guidelines to ensure that products or services are fit for their intended purpose. Standards are either mandatory or voluntary (Richards, Brito & Wilks, 2013). Many are introduced due to trade or globalization (Tinnish, n.d). If a business is to remain competitive, like the events industry kinds of businesses, they have to comply with rigorous standards. Standards organization ay exist in different levels: regional, national or even international. The ISO developed standards that would help the running of organizations like the Green Moon Events (Wale, Robinson & Dickson, 2010). Environmental Management Systems: The ISO 20121 also recommends the development of an environmental management system (Allen, 2004). This can be viewed as a standard or a voluntary framework. Environmental management systems are viewed as ways of regulating the impact of event activities on the environment (Allen, 2009). A management system should be flexible enough to apply to whatever size of a company or industry sector. Event companies should develop environmental management programs that will help them achieve certain goals as well as associate in activities that are environmental friendly (Wale, Robinson & Dickson, 2010). Sustainability: Sustainable growth can be described as the kind of progress that solves the needs of the current generation without hampering the ability of the future generations to solve their needs too (Pernecky & Luck, 2013). Sustainability development should also ensure the simultaneous development of equity, as well as, environmental and economic principles. Organizations should apply all the three principles to the activities and operation that they run, as well as, their products (Raggaby & Rubik, 2012). Sustainable events also put into consideration challenges like energy use, waste destruction of new areas or interruption of normal business activities (Allen 2004). Events are greatly ignored by parties that are involved in sustainability. The events industry focuses mainly on the environmental aspects surrounding the events. In this point of view, attention is mostly given to economic, socio- cultural and environmental aspects of sustainability (Allen, 2009). Events like the Olympics cause permanent change on the economic, social, and environmental aspects. Events companies should be sensitive to the socio- cultural, economic, and environmental requirements within the host community (Pernecky & Luck, 2013). Conclusively, the ISO 20121 standards are usually difficult to understand. There are experts that have been put in place to help event companies to interpret the regulations put forth (Pernecky & Luck, 2013). The ISO 20121 helps specify the elements of management that an organization needs to put in place. The ISO 20121 requires event organizations to have a management system put in place to help organizations as they prepare their events. The ISO 20121 however, does not set the performance leaves that are supposed to be achieved (Megan, 2014). The standard majorly requires that an organization runs its operations in a transparent manner, while settings its targets for improvement (Tinnish, n.d). Chapter 3. Main body Application of ISO 20121 to the Green Moon Events Company: Considering that the Green Moon company makes each event with the intent to make it suit the needs of the consumer, the business has earned a god relationship with its clients. The company ensures that it makes sustainable events (Wale, Robinson & Dickson, 2010). In this case, sustainability means how the organization runs its activities continually and in a successful way while still contributing towards a just community, as well as reducing its effects on the environment (Allen, 2004). To achieve the ISO 20121, the Green Moon company will be required to consider the economic, financial, environmental, and social factors in its management system (Exton, 2012). The company will not succeed, by focusing on environmental issues alone (Megan, 2014). The Green Moon Events company understands the processes and operations that are required to be run by the management. It also understands the positive and negative impacts that its actions may have on the surroundings, the people in the vicinity and the economy too. The Green Moon Events company is supposed to have all individual features of an event before handling it (Pernecky & Luck, 2013). While planning for an event, the company should ensure that its choice of a venue fits its image too. On the specifics of the venue, factors such as the seating space, or ventilation should be put into consideration (Raggaby & Rubik, 2012). Other environmental factors such as sounds also need to be considered. Some clients for example, may not like echo effects. The quality of audio therefore, needs to be at its highest (Allen, 2004). Factors such the ease of accessibility of the location are also important. Facilities at the venue of the event also need to be compatible with the audience. It is therefore also important that an event company consider the age or type of audience (Tinnish, n.d). The company also has to have good relations with its suppliers. The timeliness of the suppliers to deliver the goods required at a certain event is important considering it will also affect the preparation process (Wale, Robinson & Dickson, 2010). The venue, at the end of it all, should have a lifelong consequence on the audience. The above highlight of the preparation process shows the importance of the ISO 20121. The ISO 20121 insists on the sustainability of events and encourages companies to work on their management (Richards, Brito & Wilks 2013). The management of the company matters a lot where coordination of the activities is involved. The Green Moon Events company does not limit on the events it caters for (Pernecky & Luck, 2013). The vast options of events it offers may involve educating, exciting or relaxing. The past comments on its site are evidence that the company does not budget an event beyond the budget (Allen 2004). The company runs its supplies and operations following the budget that the clients provide them with. The ISO 20121 requires that a company runs its activities while considering the economic impact it will have. Huge events that cost a lot and that have no significant returns should be avoided for the sake of saving the economy (Raggaby & Rubik, 2012). On another aspect, an events company like Green Moon is required to make a memorable event that will finally serve its purpose (Wale, Robinson & Dickson, 2010). The company will even ask for outside sources to help put up a client’s event or send an additional team to a client’s own (Pernecky & Luck, 2013). When an event is taking place, factors such as sound, destruction of the environment, or other effects such as pollution should be considered. The environmental management systems should set up standards that will help regulates the above (Allen, 2009). There should be regulations, for instance. on the waste that will be discarded. If the event involves changing the setting of the environment, the company should consider the community at large, and see if its effects will be negative or positive (Richards, Brito & Wilks, 2013). There are other environmental regulations such as the loudness of the sound system. In short, the events company should set up an environmental regulation system that will help ensure right measures and standards are set (Allen, 2004). The Green Moon Events Company is also known for its good relations with its customers. The reliability of the company in running its activities matters a lot where maintaining clients and calling for more is involved (Wale, Robinson & Dickson, 2010). The Green Moon Events Company should ensure that the client has an experience like no other so that one will want to reconsider hiring the company for event planning services later (Tinnish, n.d). Having a public relations department, one that can be accessed with ease by any client with provocative questions is also bound to attract more clients (Allen, 2004). Any client, in whatever department or industry will always judge a company by how it offers its services (Allen 2009). The management should also have expertise in how it disseminates its activities to its employees. A stable management is bound to be reliable (Pernecky & Luck, 2013). With a proper management, that not only has good relations to its employees, but also to its suppliers and clients the Green Moon Company is bound to complete its activities faster and with more ease (Richards, Brito & Wilks, 2013). As is stated, the Green Moon Events Company, or any other event company collectively, should ensure that the services it offers surpasses the expectations of its clients. It should set high standards and regulations that will enable it to stick at the top of the list of the most competitive event businesses (Raggaby & Rubik, 2012). Chapter 4.Conclusion The ISO 20121 is a strong standard setter. The ISO 20121 is a specification of the management features that require to be applied to a company. This is one advantage about the theory (Allen, 2004). Once a company, for example, The Green Moon Events has put in place certain standards, all the specifications enlisted should be followed if the company is to claim compliance to the ISO 20121. Companies, such as Green Moon Events, should also have in mind that the ISO 20121 is not a checklist (Wale, Robinson & Dickson, 2010). The theory merely describes the features of a management system that an organization such as the Green Moon has to implement. With a clearly defined management system, managing an organization tends to be easier (Tinnish, n.d). The organization also enjoys better reactions among the junior and senior staff. Good relations within the staff, is also passed on to the clients, since employees who are happy with their places of work and employers are bound to serve the clients whole- heartedly (Richards, Brito & Wilks, 2013). It is important to note that the ISO 20121 only applies to the management system and not the event (Allen, 2004). A management system can be referred to as a set of interacting characters that are used to form goals and policies and the procedures to follow the same. The ISO 20121 requires an organization to use the management practices set forth (Wale, Robinson & Dickson, 2010). Lack of a management system in an organization makes it prone to running down (Allen, 2009). Adopting the theory of ISO 20121 requires that adoption of the new practices be taken seriously (Blackburn, 2012). The ISO 20121 does not set the performance standards for an organization. The ISO 20121 however, faces the weakness of being challenging to comprehend (Allen, 2004). The head of an organization may require the help of an interpreter while implementing the standards (Raggaby & Rubik, 2012). Chapter 5. Recommendations The Green Moon Events Company purposes to continue supporting and promoting the development of sustainability in the event industry (Allen, 2004). The company has also purposed to firm it principles, which involve developing, motivating, communicating and engaging (Megan, 2014). The sustainability policy of the Green Moon company is strong in itself. Following the ISO 20121 theory will also enable the company rise higher (Tinnish, n.d). If it offers its services in a transparent way, and commits to upholding its principles, the company is bound to win more clients (Pernecky & Luck, 2013). The company should also have in mind the impacts that an event can impose on the environment (Allen, 2009). These are factors such as the economic impacts, long term and short term social impacts, as well as environmental impacts (Allen, 2004). Having all these considerations in mind should help the company come up with a stable sustainability policy. The Green Moon Events Company should enable engaging in business practices that are society and environmental friendly (Raggaby & Rubik, 2012). References Exton, H. 2012. Green Moon Events, Sustainability Policy. [Online]. available from: http://www.greenmoonevents.com/Sustainability_Policy_Jan_2012_F.pdf [Accessed 5th October 2014]. Allen, J. 2009. Event planning: the ultimate guide to successful meetings, corporate events, fund-raising galas, conferences, conventions, incentives and other special events. Mississauga, Ont, J. Wiley & Sons Canada. Wale, D., Robinson, P., & Dickson, G. 2010. Events management. Wallingford [etc.], CABI. Tinnish, S., N.d. Barriers and Enablers to the adoption of ISO 20121 standard for event sustainability management. available from: http://wenku.baidu.com/view/9e172be5f61fb7360b4c65e5.html [Accessed 5th October 2014]. Allen, J. 2004. Marketing your event planning business a creative approach to gaining the competitive edge. Mississauga, Ont, J. Wiley & Sons Canada. Pernecky T., & Luck M. 2013, Events, Society and Sustainability: Critical and Contemporary Approaches, Routledge, London. Megan J. 2014, Sustainable Event Management: A practical Guide, Routledge, London. Richards G., Brito D. M., & Wilks L 2013. Exploring the Social Impacts of Events, Routledge, London. Raggamby, A. V., & Rubik, F. 2012. Sustainable development, evaluation and policy-making theory, practise and quality assurance. Cheltenham, Edward Elgar Pub. Blackburn R. W. 2012. The Sustainability Handbook: The Complete Management Guide to Achieving Social, Economic and Environmental Responsibility, Routledge, London. Read More