What the numbers are saying

I just read my new digital edition of the 2010 MEETINGS Market Trends Survey and quickly flipped to page 12 where the survey results of "Green Meeting Elements" were posted. They asked planners for Associations, Corporations, Independent and Government about green meeting elements such as recycling, food donation/sustainable cuisine, green venue site selection, paperless meetings, carbon offsets and "other".

Without a doubt recycling remains as the top green meeting element with it being the most important/implemented to government planners at 64.9%. Independent planners were the lowest percentage at 50.2%. Implementing a recycling strategy is the one of the easiest and most visible green meeting strategies, therefore implemented more often.

Paperless meetings came in second to recycling with the highest percentage again belonging to government planners at 37.8% and independent planners the lowest at 24.6%.

Green venue/site selection remains an ever present important element of green meeting planning with 27% of government meeting planners responding positively to this question.

Lastly, food donation and sustainable cuisine resonates most important or most implemented by independent planners at 27% (government 16.2%). I believe the reason for this result stems from the flexibility of independent planners and the events they plan to be more creative with their menu planning, possibly more money is available, and lastly they are not restricted by the perception of liability by government regarding food donation.

These are just my interpretations of the results based my own experience. If you disagree, let me know!

J