Sustainability and Legacy: Ignored Opportunities in the Conference RFP Process of associations?

Our latest Market Study on the "Critical Success Factors of a Conference Destination" revealed an interesting finding. We found that sustainability and legacy are currently not being given due consideration during the RFP process of associations. While some may view it as a desirable addition, it is not yet being viewed as a critical factor in the decision-making process.

It even uncovered a startling fact: less than 15% of respondents are factoring in the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs) when deciding on a conference destination. Can you believe it? It's like they're living in the dark ages of sustainability! But fear not, there's still hope for a brighter future.

We'll admit it, we were a little too optimistic about how much progress we'd see on the sustainability, legacy, and purposeful meetings front. But instead of getting down in the dumps about it, we decided to take action. We dug deep over the last few weeks to figure out why sustainability and legacy aren't already part of association Conference RFPs. And guess what? We found some best practices (cue the happy dance)! We even scoped out different destinations to see how they're speeding up the process. And, to top it off, we've got some tips for how you can make change happen within your own organization.

Consider this blog your inspirational guide to future-proofing your conference.

Why is sustainability and legacy not part of the RFP process?

It is of course difficult to provide a definitive answer that covers it all. However, we dug deep and found some interesting reasons:

1. Lack of Priority: Let's face it, some associations just don't prioritize sustainability or legacy as a key theme. It's like trying to convince your boss to let you wear pajamas to work, it's just not top of mind yet for the board and decision makers. They don't have a sustainability policy in place and find it difficult to take it into consideration when planning a conference.

2. Limited Time or Resources: Time is money, and for some associations, they don't have either to spare. Sustainability and legacy are seen as less tangible and measurable, making it time-consuming and complex to know what to do with these topics. And let's be honest, who has the time to research all the different options?

3. Difficulty in Evaluation: Some associations don't have the expertise or resources to evaluate proposals that include sustainability or legacy. It's like trying to grade a math exam without knowing anything about numbers. Plus, it's difficult to compare proposals because everyone calls it something different, making it hard to standardize.

4. Different Focus: Lastly, some associations have a different focus or mission that doesn't align with sustainability or legacy. For them, it's still all about the numbers, and that's okay too.

But fear not! We've found some best practices and ways to help associations prioritize sustainability and legacy. So let's start making a change and future proofing our conferences.

Best Practices

Luckily we see a movement coming up and more and more associations start to think about integrating sustainability into their RFP process. We've got some great examples of associations that are leading the way in integrating sustainability into their conference planning process!

At the BIAF last December, we met Sharon Ashton, Open Academy & Events Director from EURORDIS - Rare Diseases Europe. She proudly showed us how they designed their entire conference program around three SDG’s. SDG 3 for good health and wellbeing, SDG 10 for reduced inequalities, and SDG 9 for industry, innovation, and infrastructure. You can find more information about their approach here.

And if you're still not convinced, at the ESAE Event ‘Sustainability of Events’ in February, we heard a fantastic panel discussion about whether sustainability should be included in the RFP. Fanny Senez, Event Manager from AIJA - International Association of Young Lawyers wowed us with how they integrated the SDGs into their RFP process. It provides clear guidance to the local host and the destination on what's expected, and it's even reflected as a must-filled-out criteria!

So, get ready to follow their lead and start making a positive impact!.

Destinations perspective

Tanya Rubenbauer from Nürnberg Convention Bureau reflects on the question as follow :

“Of course we -by now- all know about the UN Sustainable Development Goals and the three pillars of sustainability. But it takes a longer process and deep understanding to define which Goals are the most important to one’s Institution and be able to name a concrete mission and contributions of a business event and include them in an RFP.

For the associations as well as for the destinations the SDGs should be used as a framework and be a "common language".

Once you have found out and determined which SDGs form the goals and actions of your Institution they must be part of the RFP and the destinations would be able to understand the mission and in the best case it crosses with their own strategy to improve. With the occurring event, together they would create more value for themselves and their development and not least create a better world, too.

For us in Nuremberg as the “City of Peace and Human Rights”, goals like "Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions" and "Quality Education" matter and we would be proud to support the association by adding the Cities value to their mission and be thankful for the association to push forward our own with its meeting taking place in Nuremberg."

Tuya Beyers, International Association Expert for Visit Flanders Convention Bureau adds:

“Visit Flanders Convention Bureau aims to attract more impactful congresses to Flanders. These congresses generate positive change for the association and its members, as well as for various stakeholders in the destination. This includes researchers, academics, entrepreneurs, and even local residents. We see this as a way to make our industry more sustainable and to promote sustainable business models for associations. We want to extend this approach to all the services we offer.

We are eager to support associations that consciously choose to organize their congresses in our region with a purpose. Our new Support Package is entirely focused on this impact, and sustainability is a crucial component of it. Together with the association, we determine which support best fits the congress. We work with our local partners and coordinate with the urban convention bureaus to provide this support.

The more clearly the association communicates the importance of impact and sustainability, the better we can assist them in implementing these principles. Including goals and objectives related to sustainability in the Request for Proposal (RFP) is a critical first step. This allows us to share with all our partners that the association values sustainability, is requesting support in this area, and may choose their destination based on these factors.“

Steps to take to include sustainability into the Conference RFP

Let's get down to business! We've done some brainstorming on why sustainability and legacy aren't part of many associations' RFPs. But fear not, we've also gathered some awesome best practices and now we're ready to share some practical steps you can take to level up your RFP game:

1. Assess the Importance: First things first, you got to decide how important sustainability and legacy are to your association and members. It's like deciding whether to put sprinkles on your ice cream cone, you got to know if they're worth the extra calories.

2. Make Sustainability and Legacy Key Themes: Make sustainability and legacy your BFFs by including them as key themes in your conference RFP. You want everyone to know that these topics are non-negotiable.

3. Decide if it's a Deal-Breaker: Next, it's time to decide if sustainability and legacy are deal-breakers. Gather your board members and discuss if proposals without these topics will be tossed like a hot potato.

4. Guide Proposals: Give your potential presenters some love and guidance on how to incorporate sustainability and legacy into their proposals. Show them some examples of successful proposals from previous conferences or some guidelines to get their creative juices flowing.

5. Engage with Members: Don't leave your members hanging, get them involved! Give them the chance to provide input and help shape the RFP. Plus, they'll appreciate the opportunity to feel like they're making a difference.

6. Encourage Collaboration: It's all about teamwork! Encourage collaboration between members and organizations that focus on sustainability and legacy. The more, the merrier! Don’t leave the destination out here, to start partnering up from the beginning onwards will make the results way more effective.

7. Learn from the Pros: If you're not sure where to start, look at other associations that have already integrated sustainability and legacy into their RFPs. Reach out to them and ask for advice. It's like getting tips from a pro chef on how to make the perfect soufflé.

8. Use the benchmarking tool of Conferli where you can easily compare different destinations and see their sustainability commitment and SDG approach.

By taking these steps, your association can level up its RFP process by including sustainability and legacy as key themes. So let's put on our thinking caps and start planning a sustainable and legacy-filled future!