How does MCI help organisations achieve sustainability?
Based on the triple bottom line of people, planet, profit, our vision is to build a sustainable business with a culture of care and responsibility and to play our role in creating a sustainable planet, fair society and growing economy.
About ten years ago we saw a business opportunity for sustainability initiatives to go mainstream and for us to develop that. One of my roles at MCI is spearheading a team that consults within the meetings and events industry to help corporates, governments, and cities to create sustainability strategies. Our dedicated sustainability teams have worked hard to continuously integrate social and environmental considerations into day-to-day operational practices, policies and company projects.
Tailoring our full range of solutions to each client’s unique sustainability challenges in the context of their industry, maturity and brand values, we help clients to turn their sustainability commitments into action and create immense value for their customers, employees, stakeholders and the communities in which they serve.
When I wrote our sustainability report for last year, our strategy was called, “Where the future begins”. Now it has evolved to “Join the dots”. We’ve really ramped up our efforts, and whether we’re working with the clients who want to extend business into Africa our ability is to help create relationships between our clients.
Why so passionate about sustainability?
There is so much to do. I think every company has to ask itself why are we here and why do we exist? We are in an interesting transition at MCI to work it out. The answer can be very powerful for us as we really have the potential to accelerate change on this planet. And it’s been such interesting journey: whether its cutting MCI’s carbon emissions by 20 % or whether its raising over €1.5m to support over 200 community projects or organising over 800 projects about sustainability, it’s all these different facets and the move from for the right thing to do to the value-added thing to do. MCI’s indirect economic impact is over $1bn across the world; our direct economic impact is over $1bn.
We have a great opportunity to support the development of Africa by helping to organise truly sustainable events and by creating and bringing events about Sustainability to the continent. If we do our job well we will accelerate economic growth, reduce environmental impacts, and advance social growth across the continent.
