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"Eco-responsible" Event Planning for the Agropur Managers’ Annual Meeting

Submitted by Optim Ressource... on May 25, 2009 - 08:49.
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Location: 
Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Content
Summary: 

The Agropur Managers’ annual meeting took place in October 2008 at the Marriott Hotel in Montreal.
160 participants came from various places in Canada and the US. The whole day was taking place at the hotel and was a succession of conferences.

The central topic of the meeting being sustainability, Agropur had decided to organize an ecoresponsible, and possibly carbon neutral, event.
The program and the location of the event were already decided. It was still possible though to collaborate with the hotel to understand the ecoresponsible practices already in place and to adjust the menus and the recycling equipment. It was easy to calculate and compensate GHG emissions, reduce paper and gifts supplies and raise participants’ awareness on sustainability issues.

Optim Ressources is accredited by the Conseil Québécois des Événements Écoresponsables for this type of consulting service.

Implementation: 

A detailed analysis of the event’s different components (location, food, transportation, energy, gifts, decoration, communication tools) was led with Agropur’s organizer in order to identify the most significant opportunities.

The hotel was contacted in order to get a full picture of all the measures contributing to sustainability and to identify new measures that could be implemented.

Three priorities were chosen for the Agropur event, taking into account constraints related to the location, the corporate culture and the managers’ expectations regarding ecoresponsibility:

1. Reduce resources consumption and waste, by using less packaged goods, recycling and redistributing food surplus
2. Reduce and compensate GHG emissions generated by participants’ transportation
3. Favor responsible consumption, giving priority to local or fair trade food, requiring less transportation and contributing to Canadian or developing world economy
Participants were informed before and during the event about the ecoresponsible measures.

Challenges and Solutions: 

• Change practices while respecting corporate culture
An ecoresponsible event needs to fulfil the company’s objectives in priority. In this case, it had to be prestigious, educational and to ensure an excellent employer image. Some consumption habits could not be changed, the place had to be high end, those criteria being well anchored in the company culture.
Therefore, many soft but significant initiatives (less printing, no water bottles, local meat and food, etc.) were an excellent way to improve the sustainability balance sheet of the event. They prove to participants and company top management that they by no means undermine the quality of the event. They also prepare the ground for more radical choices in the future.

• Commit partners, in particular the host of the event
A meeting of this type is constrained by the hosting place, which has its own policies, practices and equipment. It is therefore very important to value what is already in place and to identify with its owners new measures that will bring them benefits, either in terms of reputation, competencies, etc. Some initiatives, like composting, might need more time to get organized and might not be ready in time for the event. However, it is useful to start the dialogue between the hotel and a charity to set base for a future collaboration.

Social and Environmental Benefits: 

• Mobilisation of organizers and employees
• Reduced environmental impacts of the event
• Additional contribution to local economy (food, Planetair)
• No additional cost for Agropur
• Learning process for Agropur since all events organized by the communications department now systematically include ecoresponsible measures

Results: 

The following measures were adopted :
1. Reduction and collection of waste
• Water, juices and other drinks (including milk and cream) served in carafes
• Minimal document printing and systematic use of recycled paper and vegetal ink, no printing of menus or day schedule
• Collection of nametags at the end of the day
• Exclusively reusable dishes
• Recycling bins for paper, plastic, aluminum available in every room
• Donation of food excess to a charity or to the hotel employees

2. Reduction and compensation of GHG emissions
• Suggestions made to Quebec employees to car-pool
• Choice of a downtown location for the meeting and accommodation
• Calculation and compensation of GHG emissions due to transportation *

3. Sustainable consumption
• Revised menu to include local food or at least North-American (the meeting being held in October, the local food available was not as varied as in the summer), Quebec cider, apple and cranberry juices
• Fair trade tea, coffee and sugar
• Company gift made of recycled material

4. Awareness-raising to SD
• The central topic of the meeting being SD, several guest speakers were invited to present their achievements
• In his opening speech, the master of ceremony explained the measures in place and their importance to the company
• A poster listing all initiatives was placed at the door
• Participants were informed after the meeting of the GHG compensation results

* Concerning GHG compensation, a large majority of participants had to travel by plane to the Montreal meeting. Some others based in the Quebec province could car-pool. Two approaches were used :
• Quebec participants were asked to travel together if possible
• Emissions were calculated during the meeting and compensated
The compensation project had to fulfill several requirements : the funds had to be used for a Canadian project, preferably for energy efficiency improvements. Several organizations were contacted and CarbonZero was chosen as an energy efficiency project for low-income housing in Quebec.

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Organizing a Citizen's Forum on Sustainable Development

Submitted by Optim Ressource... on May 25, 2009 - 08:38.
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About
Location: 
Montréal, Québec, Canada
Content
Summary: 

In April 2007, the elected representatives of Ahuntsic-Cartierville expressed their willingness for their District to become a major actor of municipal sustainability. A sustainable development (SD) bureau was created and at the end of 2007, the first SD action plan was adopted by the municipal administration. The design of a 20-year strategic SD plan was scheduled for the following years.

In the process, a commitment was made to set up two stakeholders’ dialogue structures in order to help with the strategic planning process and to ensure a follow-up on the projects included in the action plan:
• a socio-economic partners’ committee
• a citizens Forum

Optim Ressources assisted the District with the set up and animation of the 2 committees, but this article focuses on the Citizens Forum.

The forum’s first objective was to collect citizens’ vision, expectations, needs and suggestions on different aspects of sustainability applied to their District, in order to enrich and orient the second SD action plan 2010-2012 as well as the SD 20-year strategic plan. The second objective was to identify volunteers to create a permanent citizens committee to assist the municipal team in the implementation of the actions and follow-up on results.

Implementation: 

The project was launched in October 2008, for an event scheduled in March 2009. The timeframe was short. The design of the Forum was made to allow as much time as possible for participants to work and brainstorm on sustainability. Some fun and educational activities were scheduled to ensure a festive and positive spirit to the event.

Topics debated at the tables came from the first SD action plan: economic vitality, social development, environmental stewardship, urban planning. Each topic was broken down into 5 to 7 sub-categories that were explained and illustrated at the tables.

In order to offer citizens several opportunities to participate, at convenient times and closest to their home, three dates were suggested:
• a Wednesday night (18h30 – 21h) at the heart of Cartierville
• a Wednesday night (18h30 – 21h) at the heart of Ahuntsic
• a Saturday (noon – 17h) in the municipal offices

The two Wednesday events included a brief presentation of sustainability and the Forum’s context and were concentrated on the two workshops.

In addition, the Saturday event featured the Al Gore conference on climate change, delivered by the Director General of the David Suzuki Foundation for Québec, who also is a resident of Ahuntsic-Cartierville. This was followed by a presentation by the District Director and the Manager of the SD bureau. The day was conducted by a professional animator and ended with a non-alcoholic cocktail prepared by a solidarity economy firm based in the District, who took care of all food and beverages for the 3 events.

Several partners were present with information stands and childcare services were offered all day long with zero waste activities.

At the end of each event, citizens were encouraged to communicate their contact information if they were interested to join the citizens’ committee.

Ecoresponsible gifts were given to some participants through draw of lots, given by the District and its economic partners. Finally, GHG emissions were compensated with Planetair.

Challenges and Solutions: 

• Attract citizens to the events
Communication is essential for such a project. Citizens’ response rate being quite low, the information needs to be visible everywhere and get to the people in many different ways (media coverage, distribution of flyers, posters in public areas, direct contact with known citizens and local associations, free advertizing in newspapers…). In this case, a specific logo and visuals were designed.

• Lead citizens to make concrete and useful suggestions
Individuals tend to stay on the conceptual level or on the problems they face in their everyday life. The table animators were responsible for leading participants to formulating concrete and constructive ideas that could be evaluated and possibly transformed into projects.

• Take the results into account in the strategic planning process and the action plan
Citizens’ ideas are very diverse. Some related to huge projects like creating public markets. Others are community initiatives, such as organizing neighbourhood activities. For the municipal team, it is a matter of identifying which suggestions fall under its responsibilities and how it can support others. It also needs to evaluate the feasibility of ideas and how they relate to municipal priorities and budget. This part may last several months.

• Live up to commitments
Citizens consider the Forum as a positive event that has the potential to make a difference in the future of the District. They dedicate time and energy to it and expect the municipality to take their ideas into account. It is therefore extremely important for the municipal team to communicate with the public on a regular basis and explain which elements were taken into account and why others were not. Volunteers for the committee also need to be informed about the next steps of the project.

Social and Environmental Benefits: 

• Setting up a constructive dialogue between citizens and municipal staff, who benefits form a new source of creativity
• Easier decision making for municipal services who better understand resident's priorities and initiatives that contribute best to their quality of life
• Additional resources for the District thanks to personal implication of residents into the initiatives
• Positive contribution to municipality's reputation

Results: 

75 citizens took part in the Forum.
22 volunteered for the committee, of which the first meeting will take place in June 2009. They will meet 3 to 4 times a year.
Close to 300 suggestions were made by the participants and are currently being looked at.
The full report is available in French on the website : http://www.bonheurdurable.com/

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The Implementation of a Sustainable Development Advisory Committee at Alcoa Canada.

Submitted by Optim Ressource... on June 9, 2009 - 11:28.
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About
Associated Group(s): 
Alcoa Canada
Location: 
Québec, Canada
Content
Summary: 

In the fall of 2005, the management of Alcoa Canada decided to implement an Advisory Committee on sustainable development, inspired by a similar initiative on the part of the Islandic division of Alcoa.

This Advisory Committee has the mandate to advise Alcoa Canada on both the expectations of quebecers with respect to sustainable development, and the integration of issues of concern. In early 2006, accompanied by the consultants at Optim Ressources, Alcoa Canada invited 10 participants, representing the social, economic and environmental elements of quebec society, to participate in the Committee.

Since it’s implementation in 2006, the committee has treated 5 themes, issue of 2 to 3 working sessions per theme, and has proposed numerous concrete suggestions that have already been implemented, and others still under study. The longevity of the commitee, and the fact that the participants continue to contribute, is a testament to the success of the initiative.

Implementation: 

In the Spring of 2005, a first, internal committee was put in place to look into the idea and assess the potential advantages and inconveniences of an Advisory Committee. This initial committee was composed of five members of management. Optim Ressources, a firm specializing in Sustainable Development, was recruited in the Fall of 2005 to help in the implementation of the Committee, and to facilitate the meetings of the Committee.

Using the framework of a model brought by the consultants, the stakeholders were identified. This stakeholder identification model proposed 5 distinct profiles : financial, commercial, social (internal), community, and political. To validate the final selection of participants, these profiles were crossed with the themes that Alcoa Canada wanted to address. To recruit the different participants, Alcoa Canada and Optim Ressources proceeded to meet with pontential candidates individually, explain the “rules of the game“, gather additional subjects that the participants wanted to discuss and their suggestions as to the functionning of the Committee.

In 2006, the final committee is composed of the following :

8 external members, including two members from provincial unions, a member of the Youth Council (Conseil permanent de la Jeunesse), a member of the Union of Municipalities, one member of the Regroupement des conseils régionaux de l’environnement (Quebec association of regional environemental council), a member of the Minisitry of Sustainable Development, Environment and Parks, a local supplier to Alcoa Canada, and a banker.

5 representatives of Alcoa Canada (Finance, Public Affaires, Communications, Human Resources, Environment and Sustainable Development, Operations)

Over time, the group grew to include a research representative and a representative from a community group.

Each theme was treated in 3 work sessions :
1) the committee studies the proposals from Alcoa Canada on the theme proposed and, in workshops, they formulate their own expectations and make suggestions;
2) the managment committee from Alcoa analyses the suggestions;
3) Alcoa gives feedback to the Committee, detailing the reasons that lead to the integration or rejection of the suggestions made.

Seven principal facteurs explain the success of the project :
-Clarity of the “rules of the game“ right from the start;
-The quality and the commitment of the participants;
-The involvement of upper managment at Alcoa, giving credibility to the process;
-The flexibility in the choice of subjects treated and the functionning of the Committee;
-The transparency of information;
-The concretness of the work sessions; and
-The facilitation of the meetings by an objective, external resource.

Challenges and Solutions: 

1) Create and maintain the participants engagement: being able to inspire the confidence of committee members on the legitimacy and efficacy of the committee, and assuring that their contribution is always useful and beneficial for Alcoa. Finding a way to keep the momentum over time, given individual, respective priorities.

2) Insuring that the discussions and suggestions remain very concrete: finding a facilitation method that makes meetings efficient and generates tangible action plans.

Results: 

To date, the Committee has worked on 6 subjects. Each of the 6 subjects, cited below, gave rise to a number of concrete actions :

1. Support to local communities, which, allowed, among other things, the elaboration of a Support Policy and the launch of a theatre piece that contributes to education on sustainable development.
2. Wealth creation and local purchasing. The concrete actions stemming from this subject include the launch of an eco-design contest and the elaboration of an evaluation grid for suppliers that includes social and environmental criteria.

3. Management of Change over, or insuring continuity of service when the old-guard retires. Thanks in large part to the Advisory Committee, a strategy for managing the change over and helped in the implementation of a local partnership project to maintain the vitality of the Baie-Commeau region.

4. Greenhouse Gas. This subject generated, among other things, a study on alternative means of transportation, the revision of the policy on vehicle fleet management and the registration of employees in the Climate Challenge program.

5. Communication. This theme lead to a commitment to host eco-responsible events and improve the sustainability section of the Alcoa Website to make it more user-friendly.

6. Employee Engagment : in process

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