The Global Business Travel Association (GBTA) is embracing its mission to help the business travel industry create a positive impact and a better future for people and the planet at its upcoming GBTA Convention 2022, being held August 14-17, at the San Diego Convention Center.
During the event, GBTA will unveil its first-ever Sustainability Pavilion as well as a new Sustainability Toolkit delivering insights, tools and best practices to empower industry professionals to create sustainable business travel programs for their companies and the travelers they serve. Additionally, the Convention itself will be “going greener.” Onsite efforts include reducing waste and facilitating recycling and composting, encouraging climate-friendly transportation options, providing a plant-based lunch for thousands of attendees, and even eliminating 14,600 square yards of carpet.
“In 2021, we launched our GBTA Sustainability Program with the important objective to not only educate and advocate for a greener way forward for business travel, but also to make it a long-term goal and commitment for the association itself. There’s no better place to deliver on that than at the world’s largest gathering of the global business travel industry, the 2022 GBTA Convention,” said Delphine Millot, SVP, GBTA.
Convention Main Stage sessions will include expert speakers, panelists and discussions on sustainability—for both people and the planet—and what it might mean for the future of business travel. For four days at the Sustainability Pavilion, convention attendees can learn about sustainable initiatives and meet experts and exhibitors. The Pavilion will host 15-minute Green Talks and 30-minute Roundtables that will take place at the Green Stage in the Sustainability Pavilion on key sustainability topics for travel buyers and suppliers, featuring experts from GBTA’s Sustainability Leadership Council.
The Green Village area will highlight businesses and non-profit exhibitors showcasing sustainability solutions. No prior knowledge of sustainability is required—any convention attendee can visit the Pavilion, whether they’re just starting their sustainability journey or seeking specific solutions for their existing sustainable business travel programs and policies.
The Pavilion will be centrally located in the Main GBTA Convention Foyer near attendee registration inside the San Diego Convention Center. The Pavilion will be open (Pacific Time): August 14, 2–4:45 p.m.; August 15, 2–6 p.m.; August 16, 2–4:45 p.m.; and August 17, 9 a.m.–12 p.m.
GBTA will also unveil its newly revamped Sustainability Toolkit at the event, making Part A (Modules 1-3) available. These modules will help users better understand sustainability, manage and improve environmental performance and offsetting emissions, and put tracking and reporting into place. The Toolkit will be rolled out in phases, with GBTA launching Modules 4-7 in September, and Modules 8-12 to members only on November 8 at its Sustainability Summit in Brussels.
Attendees can try out the Toolkit in the Green Lounge of the Sustainability Pavilion and learn more at the education session on August 16 at 11:15 a.m.
In addition, attendees who commit to reducing their emissions and waste during Convention by taking at least three actions below get a green digital ribbon added to their badge:
- Walk, bike, scooter, shuttle or take a FRED
- Bring their own water bottle
- Separate their waste thoughtfully and use the correct bins at the Convention Center
- Take the GREEN GBTA quiz to learn about GBTA’s sustainability efforts at Convention
- Try an all-vegan or all-vegetarian meal during their San Diego trip
GBTA has worked together with its suppliers, vendors, and partners to make Convention as sustainable as possible. Working with Thrust Carbon, for the first time ever, GBTA will be calculating its emissions related to this annual event as a benchmark for ongoing progress.
As a venue, the San Diego Convention Center has a large-scale sustainability program, including center-to-table gardens, food donations, composted food waste, renewable energy resources, building efficiency, waste reduction, and recycling, among the other sustainability efforts.
For more details, visit convention.gbta.org.
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