Talk is cheap, but B Corp certification — which comes with annual certification fees and plenty of work to pass a rigorous audit — isn’t. That may be why so few U.S. event agencies have bothered to get it. Skift Meetings’ Barbara Scofidio digs into why the certification has caught on across Europe and the U.K. while barely registering here. One meetings director admitted, “I'm not sure what B Corp certification is. So I guess it’s not important to us.”
The reality is, however, that most meeting professionals are focused on working with vendors that demonstrate a deep commitment to creating a positive impact on employees, communities, and the planet. More than 50% of planners consider sustainability a top priority for their events, according to data from American Express GBT. If you’re one of them, revisit our coverage from earlier this year of the partnership between Maritz and the University of Texas to see how the industry can make meaningful progress toward designing programs that create big impacts for attendees — and low impacts on the planet.
DON’T MISS OUT
The planners setting the pace know what's reshaping events before it reaches their RFP.
On September 22 at NYC's Javits Center, event leaders from JPMorgan, Salesforce, and Rotary International join the room where senior planners work out the next standard first.
FEATURED STORIES
Portland Bets Its Comeback on Conventions
by Andrea Doyle
Destination marketing runs on comeback stories, but Portland's was recently tested by an audience with the hardest bar to clear: 2,000 people who book conventions for a living.
Seeing Both Sides: Planners Vs. Procurement
by Barbara Scofidio
Planners dread procurement, and procurement treats events like a hardware buy. A former Microsoft procurement director says the fix needs to come from both parties.
Sustainability Sells. So Why Aren’t More U.S. Event Suppliers B Corps?
by Barbara Scofidio
B Corp certification is rare among U.S. event agencies — and most clients haven't even noticed.
WEBINAR
Women power the meetings industry — yet rarely run it. Join Skift Meetings for a candid look at the leadership gap, the barriers behind it, and what's changing. Register for the webinar now.
Sponsored by Visit Atlantic City.
Louisville Tourism + Skift Meetings
Board meetings and leadership summits now demand more than luxury hotels. See how one second-tier city delivers insider access and local connection larger markets can't match.
SKIFT PICK: TRANSLATING TRAVEL TRENDS FOR MEETINGS
Increased Wildfire Risks = Increased Hotel Insurance Premiums = Increased Hotel Costs
You’ve probably scrolled past a dozen wildfire headlines this month, but if you don’t live close enough to see those fires burning, it’s easy to assume the damage isn’t going to impact you. However, Skift’s Tasmin Lockwood highlights that the fallout from those fires is coming for places you might least expect. Air quality issues in Minnesota, Wisconsin and Illinois — not exactly high-risk wildfire territory — created serious guest experience challenges last week. Insurers have hiked hotel property premiums 17% to 26% on average, with high-risk properties seeing 50%-plus increases, according to recent data from Risk Strategies.
That insurance bill eventually shows up in your room rate and your resort fee. It may even begin to impact how flexible a property is willing to be on cancellation when you’re negotiating a contract. If your next meeting is anywhere near a wildfire-exposed region (which includes plenty of properties perfect for incentive gatherings), ask the hotel directly about its wildfire risk and insurance situation before you sign, not after a summer smoke event upends attendee travel and you’re left finding out the hard way what your contract’s force majeure clause actually covers.
Great events are built on strategy, innovation, and the right resources. The Skift Meetings Toolkit is your go-to hub for best practices in managing meetings and events.
