TCEB partners to develop environment protection guidelines

News this week: The Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Thailand Greenhouse Gas Management Organization (TGO) to develop environmental guidelines and carbon footprint assessment tools for the exhibition industry.

TCEB is promoting two standards related to environmental protection: the energy management standard IOS 50001, and the sustainable management and administration of event business ISO 20121. According to TCEB, the MoU facilitates cooperation in assisting the exhibition industry to find viable ways to reduce an exhibition’s environment impact.

Thongchai Sridama, Committee, acting on behalf of the President of TCEB, commented, “If all MICE operators realise the heart of this issue and adopt the carbon footprint assessment as part of their business operation, it will definitely help create business opportunities particularly among customers… TCEB, as its next step, will expand the direction of carbon footprint assessment to cover other fields of MICE, namely the convention and incentive industries.”

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TCEB launches event sustainability standard

News this week: In an effort to raise Thailand’s MICE industry to meet world standards, the Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB) and SGS, an inspection, verification and certification company, will collaborate to launch the ISO 20121 Event Sustainability Management Systems.

TCEB unveiled the initiative at incentive travel, meetings and events trade show IMEX 2012 in Frankfurt. When it is launched in July this year, Thailand will be the first country in Asia to launch the standard.

TCEB highlighted eight international convention centres as “Green Venues”, including IMPACT Muang Thong Thani, Queen Sirikit National Convention Center (QSNCC), Bangkok International Trade & Convention Center (BITEC), Pattaya Exhibition and Convention Hall (PEACH), Royal Phuket Marina International Exhibition & Convention Centre, Bangkok Convention Centre at Central World, Royal Paragon Hall, and Prince of Songkla University International Convention Center (PSUICC).

Speaking at IMEX 2012 in Frankfurt, Mrs. Nichapa Yoswee, Director of MICE Capabilities Department of TCEB, said, “[The partnership with SGS] is encouraging Thailand MICE operators to gain ISO 20121 certification and is providing support with a raft of training and education programmes. We will also help by supporting operators with a subsidy of 70% of the total fees for ISO 20121 accreditation.”

This post is excerpted from BSG's weekly e-newsletter which is part of our subscription research service, BSG Tracker. Visit our website to find out more about this service. You can also follow us on Twitter for all the latest updates.

News this week: MyCEB launches green business tourism

Kuala Lumpur, 10^th November: In support of the Malaysia government’s commitment to offset carbon emissions by 40% by 2020, the Malaysia Convention and Exhibition Bureau (MyCEB) has launched the Malaysia Business Tourism Green Programme. Part of the programme requires event delegates to contribute a minimum of US$10 to support tree-planting initiatives across Malaysia, including ones at the Forest Research Institute Malaysia (FRIM).

The first international congress to support this initiative is the Word Congress of Accountants 2010 (WCOA) taking place at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre. Co-hosts of the WCOA, the Malaysian Institute of Accountants and International Federation of Accountants, have also agreed to a contribution of at least 200 trees.