Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre (MCEC) has published its first Impact Report, which shows that in 2022-23, the venue met its targets for CO2 emissions, water savings, support of ecosystem health, social procurement, use of local suppliers, employee engagement in community support activities, and economic contribution to Victoria.
This report replaces the Sustainability Progress Report and brings reporting in line with MCEC’s financial year reporting.
MCEC has also made progress towards the future convention centre in Geelong/Dijlang, which was officially named Nyaal Banyul Geelong Convention and Event Centre earlier this year. The name of the centre was gifted by the Waddawurrung Traditional Owners, returning language to Country. Nyaal Banyul will be a sustainably-focused development, taking a climate positive approach to design, development and operation and will prioritise circular economy principles.
“In 2022-23, we focused on some important projects to help achieve our sustainability, inclusion and social impact goals. We launched our Inclusion and Diversity Strategic Framework, started our Reconciliation Action Plan journey, launched a reusable coffee cup programme and continued our support for prominent community organisations like OzHarvest and Yarra Riverkeeper Association. We aim to further our impact in Geelong/Dijlang with Nyaal Banyul,” added Natalie O’Brien, MCEC’s chief executive.
Recently, MCEC achieved Platinum Certification through EarthCheck, the world’s leading business advisory group specialising in sustainability and destination management for the travel and tourism industry. MCEC is one of only six convention centres in the world to achieve this status.
Samantha Ferrier, MCEC’s Sustainability Manager said: “MCEC has been benchmarking with EarthCheck since 2009 and this Platinum Certification recognises our substantial efforts in reducing our environmental impact and promoting sustainable practices within the events industry.”
“Initiatives like our reusable coffee cup programme, which prevented the use of hundreds of thousands of single use coffee cups last financial year, highlight our ongoing commitment to improving practices and finding new ways to reduce our impact on the environment,” she added.
Rohan Astley, head of advocacy, impact & reputation at MCEC also highlighted the work MCEC is doing to encourage and enable event organisers to create positive impact on the environment and the community.
“We know many of our customers share our goals of sustainability and corporate social responsibility. That’s why we provide resources to help them implement environmentally and socially conscious practices into their events. By working together, we can not only leave a lasting impression on event attendees, but also create a more sustainable future for the event industry and a positive impact for our community.”
The Positive Impact Guide also offers tips and options to make events more sustainable, deliver positive impacts for the community and incorporate meaningful First Nations engagement as part of the event experience, added Astley.
