HQ magazine, February 2009 by Meeting Media Company BVBA

HEADQUARTERS The Pan-European Magazine for Association Executives Supported by ESAE, European Society of Association Executives and UIA, Union of International Associations Brussels

Meeting Media Company Meetings Industry Publishers (Belgium) Afgiftekantoor 2800 Mechelen 1 Bureau de D茅p么t 2800 Malines 1 Published 6 times a year: February, April, June, September, October & December Edition February 2009 - P3A9029

IMPRESSIVE BERLIN THE PULSE OF CONGRESSING ESAE & UIA GO GREEN

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ORGANISING YOUR DELEGATES‘ TRAVEL CAN BE MUCH MORE STRESSFUL THAN YOU THINK. SO WHY NOT LET CONVENTIONS PLUS AND THE LARGEST INTERNATIONAL AIRLINE NETWORK HELP YOU? Organising an international conference is tough. Especially when you have to call around all the airlines trying to get ﬂight information for your delegates. Fortunately, our Star Alliance™ Conventions Plus Programme means you don’t have to anymore. Just register at staralliance.com/conventionsplus and you can reach 24* airlines, through just one point of contact. They can help you with everything from arranging ﬂight details, to promoting the service to your delegates. They’ll even organise extra tickets in case you need to check the conference facilities beforehand. Just to make sure everything goes really smoothly. Even better your delegates can look forward to reduced fares and an easy way to book tickets – your conference will have its own event code. All of which makes life much easier for you and your delegates. For more information, please visit our website at www.staralliance.com/conventionsplus *including 3 Regional Member Carriers

www.staralliance.com Information correct as at 01/2009

> M A R C E L’ S PA G E

WHAT DOES ‘BEING EUROPEAN’ MEAN? An extremely difﬁcult question I always have trouble with, is what ‘European’ means exactly in our industry. I had to face this issue once more when I received a press release by EFAPCO: ‘In search of the EURO-PCO’. A European PCO, does that even exist? I remember a discussion on this subject with the IAPCO members, and the I in their name does stand for International. And what does ‘being international’ mean? If I keep asking this kind of Socratic questions, I won’t be able to ﬁgure it out myself, I think. That’s why I’ll try to answer it in my very own way. When somebody says to me he’s an American, an Asian, African or Australian, I understand quite well what he’s talking about. He comes from that or that region and carries those values with him. I’ve almost never heard any call himself European. MARCEL A.M. VISSERS Editor in Chief

Suppose I’d present myself next time as Marcel Vissers, European. People will say: ‘Ah, Mr. Marcel, what does that mean?’ Then I’ll have to explain that I come from one of the 27 member states that all have their own little characteristics, that Brussels is the capital of Europe and that I speak at least three different languages – like most Europeans should be able to do: their mother tongue, English as the international language and a third one which can be chosen freely. And what else should I know? How the structure of Europe in Brussels works and how that has grown, and what Europe does for me. The latter one I could really INTERNATIONAL’ MEAN? answer myself.

WHAT DOES ‘BEING IF I KEEP ASKING THIS KIND OF SOCRATIC QUESTIONS, I WON’T BE ABLE TO FIGURE IT OUT MYSELF, I THINK. THAT’S WHY I’LL TRY TO ANSWER IT IN MY VERY OWN WAY

And what are the European values? Ouch, that’s a tricky one. In my opinion, I think that’s a lot to ask from someone who lives in the countryside in Portugal or Slovenia. And where is the European feeling of a Swiss, a Norwegian or an Icelander? How can they become European? Now I’m going to come back to the EFAPCO members, because that was my starting point: being European in our industry. I’ve done the same exercise with a couple of ESAE members and it was awfully difﬁcult to come to a clearly formulated answer. I think EFAPCO’s exercise in Poland did bring along something: European Standards that a PCO will have to stick to are being developed and all national associations are being united in a European perspective. For now, I can’t fully ﬁgure out this discussion and I keep looking for a EURO meetings man or woman, whatever that may mean. EFAPCO (www.efapco.eu) is the European Federation of Associations of Professional Congress Organisers. IAPCO (www.iapco.org) is the International Association of Professional Congress Organisers.

» READ MORE OF MARCEL’S STORIES ON HIS BLOG: MARCELSBLOG.HQMAGAZINE.EU!

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The Pan-European Magazine for Association Executives To r e a d M a r c e l ’ s t h o u g h t s a b o u t t h e w o r l d a n d t h e m e e t i n g s i n d u s t r y, p l e a s e v i s i t MARCELSBLOG.HQMAGAZINE.EU

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06-02-2009 11:43:48

HQ > CONTENTS

COLOPHON

CONTENTS

HQ OR HEADQUARTERS IS A NICHE PUBLICATION FOR EUROPEAN AND INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATIONS HEADQUARTERED IN BRUSSELS AND ALL MAJOR EUROPEAN CITIES DEALING WITH THE ORGANIZATION OF WORLDWIDE CONGRESSES. IT IS PUBLISHED 6 TIMES A YEAR. CIRCULATION IS 5000 COPIES.

MARCEL’S PAGE

CONTENTS

HEADQUARTERS NEWS

Subscriptions Subscription amounts to 65 EUR (all incl.) in Belgium, 75 EUR (all incl.) in the EU and 95 EUR (all incl.) in the rest of the world. The subscription entails 6 editions of HQ per year including the special edition Meeting Trends, as well as an online access to the website. Online subscription for digital magazines is 50 EUR. To subscribe: www.HQmagazine.eu Editor in Chief Marcel A.M.Vissers T: +32 (0)3 226 88 81 marcel@meetingmedia.eu Managing Director Cécile Caiati-Koch T: +32 (0)2 761 70 52 cecile@meetingmedia.eu

Cover HQ31: In 2009, Berlin celebrates the 20th anniversary of the Fall of the Wall

ASSOCIATION PORTRAIT: CABLE EUROPE

AIPC MEMBERS SPEAK

WHY JAPAN: THE ISA WORLD CONGRESS OF SOCIOLOGY IN YOKOHAMA

LILLE: THREE QUESTIONS TO CHARLES-ERIC VILAIN XIIII

GREENT EVENTS AT GRIMALDI FORUM MONACO

WROCLAW

Editorial Ofﬁcer Rémi Dévé T: +32 (0)2 761 70 54 remi@meetingmedia.eu

ESAE - SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT: THE RESPONSIBILITY OF INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATIONS

Editor Steven Kins

UIA - TOWARD A SOCIALLY RESPONSIBLE ECONOMY

Design UPSILON advertising, Gent T: +32 (0)9 267 39 40 info@upsilonadvertising.be

BERLIN SPECIAL FEATURE

INVITATION TO MEETING PLACE BERLIN

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Stay tuned!

> HEADQUARTERS NEWS

centre is a joint venture between Royal Phuket Marina and Informa, the largest publicly-owned organiser of conferences and courses in the world, staging over 10,000 events annually. WWW.ROYALPHUKETMARINA.COM / WWW.INFORMA.COM

Steen Jakobsen

STEEN JAKOBSEN APPOINTED TO ICCA BOARD Director of Copenhagen Convention Bureau Steen Jakobsen was appointed to the board of the leading congress network ICCA at its congress in Canada last November. ICCA is a network of 850 suppliers to the meetings industry situated in 80 countries. Steen Jakobsen now represents the Destination Marketing sector which consists of over 250 convention bureaus and tourist organizations from around the world. WWW.VISITCOPENHAGEN.DK

Bahrain

Karlsruhe

A NEWCOMER: CONVENTION BUREAU KARLSRUHE Karlsruhe has ﬁrmly established itself among the top ten congress destinations in Germany. The founding of the Karlsruhe Convention Bureau in 2008 means that the city can now more effectively market and promote itself and the surrounding region as a national and international location for congresses, meetings and events. ‘The Convention Bureau is the ﬁrst port of call for organisers planning events in Karlsruhe and the Karlsruhe Technology Region’ says Klaus Hoffmann, Managing Director of the Karlsruher Messe- und Kongress GmbH and of the Karlsruhe Convention Bureau. WWW.CONVENTIONBUREAU-KARLSRUHE.DE

MEETINGS IN BAHRAIN IN REAL GOOD SHAPE Bahrain’s meetings sector has seen a 35 per cent increase in demand, resulting in Bahrain Exhibition & Convention Authority (BECA) achieving a record bottom line in the fourth quarter of 2008. Bahrain’s business tourism sector has come to the forefront by demonstrating its ability to weather the global economic storm. His Excellency Dr. Hassan Abdulla Fakhro, Minister of Industry & Commerce and Chairman of BECA, says: ‘BECA is back in the black because we are actively going out seeking international congresses, meetings and other key events and our improved operating performance’. WWW.BAHRAINEXHIBITIONS.COM

LILLE’S DMAI ACCREDITATION RPM International Exhibition & Conference Centre

PHUKET’S FIRST EXHIBITION & CONFERENCE CENTRE OFFICIALLY LAUNCHED Phuket’s first conference centre was officially launched last December. The new facility will be known as ‘RPM International Exhibition & Conference Centre’. The 2,500m2 waterfront ‘RPM Convention Centre’ paves the way for a new era of large-scale conferences, expos and private events on the island. Three times larger than any existing exhibition facility in Phuket, it expects to host one or two high profile events every month. The conference

Lille is the first conference destination in Europe to win accreditation from the prestigious Destination Marketing Association International. DMAI is the world’s largest resource for official destination marketing organisations (DMOs), with offices in North America and Europe. DMAI is dedicated to improving the effectiveness of over 1,500 professionals from 625+ destination marketing organisations in more than 25 countries. In January 2007 they opened their Brussels office and, with membership growing, DMAI offers peer-to-peer networking events and destination sales training to European industry professionals. WWW.MEETING-LILLE.COM

HCCE

HCCE CREATES NEW MEMBERSHIP STRATEGY

The Historic Conference Centres of Europe (HCCE) recently established a new membership strategy. To meet the needs of its members and open the doors to potential member centres, HCCE now offers a package of modules. As of the 1st of January 2009, the membership agreement includes

HEADQUARTERS 7

> HEADQUARTERS NEWS general HCCE promotion, the HCCE Club, membership acquisition and maintaining the Head Ofﬁce in Amsterdam. Besides this general package, additional modules can be attached for an extra fee. The modules focus either on branding or on the sales and marketing activities of the association such as tradeshows and client events. WWW.HCCE.COM

sociation (ICCA), has assumed the Presidency of the Joint Meetings Industry Council (JMIC) as of the beginning of 2009. JMIC is an organization representing the collective interests of major associations engaged in the meetings industry. WWW.THEMEETINGSINDUSTRY.ORG

» FOR MORE HQ NEWS CHECK OUT THE RENEWED WEBSITE: WW.HQMAGAZINE.EU ECM SUMMER SCHOOL TO BE HELD IN BOZEN, ITALY

Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre (GCCEC)

GOLD COAST CONVENTION AND EXHIBITION CENTRE GOES GREEN The Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre (GCCEC) has recently achieved international benchmarking status for its commitment to the environment. The GCCEC has joined an elite group of convention centres in the world to be recognized by the highly rated international Green Globe Group, whose rigorous accreditation programme ranks businesses and organizations on their environmental practices across a range of operational areas. Green Globe is the international certiﬁcation system for sustainable travel and tourism established by the World Travel and Tourism Council. WWW.GCCEC.COM.AU

The 23rd ECM Summer School will take place in Bozen, Italy, from August 29 to September 2. The objective is to provide a solid education for people who have just started working in the meetings industry. The ECM Summer School is designed for all new staff of convention bureaus, hotels, PCOs, DMCs and airline staff looking for a thorough overview of the meetings industry. The intensive three-day programme is ﬁlled with practical workshops, case studies and a site inspection in the host town, culminating in a competitive bid-presentation. WWW.EUROPEANCITIESMARKETING.COM

Metro Toronto Convention Centre (MTCC)

TORONTO’S LEADERSHIP RECOGNIZED

Leigh Harry

LEIGH HARRY NEW PRESIDENT OF JMIC Leigh Harry, Chief Executive of the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre and President of the International Congress and Convention As-

In recognition of the city’s leadership and spirit of partnership, Tourism Toronto and the Metro Toronto Convention Centre (MTCC) have been honoured with the Professional Conference Management Association’s (PCMA) 2009 Chairman’s Award. Each year since 1986, PCMA’s Chairman’s Award has honoured an individual or organization that has made a difference in the meetings industry or who has contributed in a constructive way to setting a course that will positively affect the travel industry. WWW.MTCCC.COM

> HEADQUARTERS NEWS culls the views and opinions of CEI Asia Paciﬁc readers in an industry survey which is reputed to be the most useful, credible and far-reaching research compiled on the industry. WWW.KLCCCONVENTIONCENTRE.COM

The Amsterdam Rai team

AMSTERDAM RAI REINVENTS ITSELF Amsterdam RAI Convention Centre has further synchronised its commercial activities with client and market requirements. The RAI division that oversees the multifunctional complex has divided its commercial activities into Organiser Services, Exhibitor Services and Visitor Services. Former commercial manager Ilko Tonen is now the manager of Organiser Services. Erik Takes has been appointed manager of the Business Development department. Erik Tangelder is the new manager of Exhibitor Services and Visitor Services. Bart van der Heijden is in charge of RAI Hotel and Travel Service. Maurits van der Sluis has ﬁnal responsibility for all the commercial activities of the Amsterdam RAI Convention Centre. WWW.RAI.NL

Kristina T’Seyen

DMAI EUROPEAN OFFICE WELCOMES NEW DIRECTOR

Destination Marketing Association International (DMAI) has welcomed a new Managing Director for its European operation, based in Brussels. Kristina T’Seyen joined the DMAI European Ofﬁce team early 2008, under the supervision of Titta RosvallPuplett, then Managing Director. With Titta’s maternity leave, Kristina has been appointed as her successor and will as Managing Director, European Ofﬁce be assuming responsibilities for the development of DMAI’s operations and activities in Europe. WWW.DESTINATIONMARKETING.ORG

EFAPCO HEADS FOR BRUSSELS EFAPCO’s next, and 4th, Congress is set for January 8 and 9, 2010, in Brussels, with a proposed theme of ‘Sustainability and Competitiveness in the Meetings Industry’. This comes precisely within the remit of the European Union’s DG Enterprise and Industry. ‘It is entirely appropriate for EFAPCO’s most signiﬁcant bi-annual event to be taking place in the EU’s ‘capital’ city,’ said Federation President Nicolas Le Brun. ‘I hope that in addition to EFAPCO members, supporters and associates we will be able to welcome some of the EU’s most senior ofﬁcials and members.’ WWW.EFAPCO.EU

AN AWARD FOR KUALA LUMPUR CONVENTION CENTRE The three-year old Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre has added two more feathers to its cap with the CEI 2009 Industry Awards’ ‘Asia’s Best Convention & Exhibition Centre’ and a joint third place for ‘Asia’s Best MICE Sales Team’. Organised annually by CEI Asia Paciﬁc, one of the region’s leading titles for the meetings industry, the CEI Industry Awards

2009 MEETINGS INDUSTRY FAIRS WORLDWIDE: MAKE YOUR CHOICE! EMIF - Brussels // Tour @ Taxis March 18-19 2009 - www.aboutemif.com GIBTM – Abu Dhabi // ADNEC March 31 – April 2 2009 – www.gibtm.com IMEX – Frankfurt // Messe Frankfurt May 26-28 2009 – www.imex-frankfurt.com CIBTM – Beijing // China National Convention Centre September 8-10 2009 – www.cibtm.com ACCESS – Vienna // Hofburg Vienna October 5-6 2009 – www.access-austria.at IT&CMA + CTW – Bangkok // Bangkok Convention Centre at CentralWorld October 6-8 2009 - itcma.com.sg EIBTM – Barcelona // Fira Gran Via December 1-3 2009 – www.eibtm.com

» SEND YOUR PRESS RELEASES TO PRESS@MEETINGMEDIA.EU

One unique package At Manchester Central Convention Complex you’ll ﬁnd everything you need to make your event a success. Included as standard are ﬂexible conference, exhibition and event facilities for 50 to 5,000 delegates, plus awardwinning service and the highest levels of accessibility. This comprehensive package is then all wrapped up in an impressive landmark building situated right at the heart of one of Europe’s most dynamic and vibrant cities. Isn’t it about time you considered Manchester Central? Find out more at www.manchester central.co.uk/unique

> ASSOCIATION PORTRAIT

CABLE EUROPE AN INTERVIEW WITH TOON DIEGENANT, HEAD OF COMMUNICATIONS

Toon Diegenant

Money talks in Madrid

TOON DIEGENANT HAS BEEN HEAD OF COMMUNICATIONS FOR CABLE EUROPE AND CABLE EUROPE LABS SINCE FEBRUARY 2006. HE EXPLAINS WHAT CABLE EUROPE IS ABOUT AND WHY AND HOW THEY ORGANIZE THEIR CONGRESSES. INTERVIEW RÉMI DÉVÉ

HQ: Who and what is Cable Europe? Toon Diegenant: Cable Europe is a trade association that groups all leading broadband cable TV operators and their national associations throughout Europe. The European cable TV industry provides digital TV, broadband Internet and telephony services to more than 73 million customers. In September 2006 the Association changed its name from ECCA to Cable Europe. It has been active since 1955 and has today more than 30 members, mainly private companies and national associations.

HQ: What is the association’s decision process concerning the organization of a congress? Toon Diegenant: We are lucky to have a steady ﬂow of members volunteering to cohost Cable Congress in their country/capital city. The Executive Committee decides the destination of Cable Congress, based on the candidates that applied to co-host Cable Congress. Our members are very dynamic

HEADQUARTERS 10

and when we bring the congress to them, they usually become very much involved in the organization of the event. This annual meeting is the leading dedicated cable event in Europe and has signiﬁcantly grown over the last years: its programme is very diverse and meets the needs of senior executives as well as middle managers. The 2008 Cable Congress, entitled ‘New Video Services: Driving Growth’, took place in Madrid and welcomed more than 700 senior executives of the European and the global cable, content, technology and new media industries.

HQ: Regarding this decision process, in what way does a trade association differ from a non-profit organization? Toon Diegenant: As a trade association, you always have to put the interest of the members first. I’m also glad to add that, at Cable Europe, we always have the luxury of quality. If ever I have to make a choice between profit

Plenary session in Madrid

and quality, I will always opt for quality: we owe it to our members to offer them the best possible congress.

HQ: Where will the next congress be held? And why have you picked this destination? Toon Diegenant: In Berlin. Germany has about 22 million cable customers, this is more than any other country in Europe. Berlin also has the advantage of being located very centrally: close to the Central and Eastern European countries and also close to Western European countries. We used to hold our event in ﬁve star hotels, but now that we’ve grown to host more than 700 participants, there are hardly any hotels in Europe that can meet our demands, in terms of plenary rooms and exhibition space. We therefore - if needed - organize our congress in a convention centre, but we always make sure we can provide our attendees with a relaxed, welcoming yet professional atmosphere. In Berlin, we chose the Berliner Congress Center: it’s ideally located in the centre of Berlin. We have been able to select very nice ﬁve-star congress hotels at walking distance or a short taxi drive away - the com-

> ASSOCIATION PORTRAIT

AS A TRADE ASSOCIATION, YOU ALWAYS HAVE TO PUT THE INTEREST OF THE MEMBERS FIRST. I’M ALSO GLAD TO ADD THAT, AT CABLE EUROPE, WE ALWAYS HAVE THE LUXURY OF QUALITY

Mad Ma M adrid ad rriid id Ga Gal ala la Di Diin Din nne ner n er er

muting time can be strongly reduced - and it allows us to bring a kind of ‘exclusive’ feel to the event.

HQ: Do you work with a PCO or a DMC? Why? What do you expect of them? Toon Diegenant: We have worked out a unique partnership with our PCO whereby the PCO is involved as a true partner. This is important because as an association we can’t have the risk profile of a private organisation. I expect the PCO to run the event as if it was its own flagship event, and to be sensitive to the particularities of our industry and association. We’ve been working with MCI since 2007 and our cooperation goes well. The first year we invested a lot in getting to know each other and the event. Today, the organisation goes swiftly. Working with MCI has been a good experience, especially due to MCI’s positive attitude and willingness to go the extra mile.

HQ: How would you deﬁne the new trends in the association world today? Toon Diegenant: When I started to work for Cable Europe, I realized that Brussels was the largest lobby town on earth. About 15,000 people are working for lobby related organi-

sations, eager to get their message out and inﬂuence the European policy makers. Needless to say that professional communications is a must in this kind of an environment. I believe that Brussels based lobby organisations will increasingly focus more on this. One just needs to compare the communications efforts/budgets of the Washington based lobby organisations to acknowledge that there is a lot of room for improvement.

i-propeller anticipates the growing demand generated by societal trends. Think about the aging of society, migration, poverty, increased demand for ethical and ecological goods and services, and the need for solutions that enable inclusion or empower communities. These societal trends create new, important growth markets on which organisation need to focus now. i-propeller advices companies how they can do this.

At Cable Europe, for example, we started by getting rid of our acronym (ECCA) and replaced it with Cable Europe, which is much more signiﬁcant. We also introduced a distinct look & feel that is close to what our industry stands for: bringing information, entertainment and communications services into the living of millions of families in Europe.

Additionally, i-propeller hosts innovation projects at its Innovation & Action Lab located in the centre of Brussels. One project that might be of interest to HQ readers is the ‘No Waste, Everybody Eats’ project, which we are initiating towards the events industry. 16% of the European population lives in poverty. Many of them live in (capital) cities, where a lot of money is spent on events, wining and dining. We will work out a service for event organisers and caterers, allowing them and their customers to contribute food from there party to the poor, often living only a few blocks away from where the party takes place.

HQ: We understand you are really interested in CSR issues and you just created a company about it. Can you explain? Toon Diegenant: Together with three friends I started i-propeller. The mission of our company is to promote business innovation that makes business and social sense. We advise companies in designing new services that are innovative, social and proﬁtable.

www.cable-europe.eu www.i-propeller.com

HEADQUARTERS 11

> AIPC MEMBERS SPEAK

AIPC QUALITY STANDARDS PROGRAM

A VALUABLE TOOL FOR BOTH CENTRES AND CLIENTS IN TODAY’S COMPLEX AND COMPETITIVE MARKET, CONVENTION CENTRE CLIENTS NEED MORE THAN EVER SOME RELIABLE MEANS OF ASSESSING THE PERFORMANCE OF A GIVEN FACILITY WHILE CENTRES THEMSELVES NEED A WAY TO DEMONSTRATE THEIR ACCOMPLISHMENTS. HOW SHOULD THEY DO THIS? AIPC’S GOT THE ANSWER. TEXT: EDGAR HIRT - AIPC PRESIDENT AND MANAGING DIRECTOR OF CCH, CONGRESS CENTER HAMBURG

Some form of rating or accreditation would help both convention centre clients and facilities themselves. The problem has been that, for a very long time, no such accreditation has existed. Yes, there were credentials that could be adapted from other areas such as hospitality or manufacturing but these generally failed to really reﬂect the kinds of performance important to the management of a centre. At the same time, there were credentials developed in particular countries or regions, but these lacked the universality required by clients who were regularly looking for venues world wide.

participating centres a way forward in addressing any performance issues that were in the process of being addressed and, ﬁnally, they needed to be seen as having been developed and maintained by an external body like AIPC, using an external auditor, in order to maintain their credibility. To achieve this, the AIPC Board authorized a four-step process. Step one was to review other Quality Standard models as well as centre operations and deﬁne key areas where a quality standard was appropriate. Step two was to draft an AIPC version of quality standards

AIPC UNDERTOOK A FEW YEARS BACK THE SEEMINGLY OVERWHELMING TASK OF DEVELOPING A PERFORMANCE STANDARD SPECIFIC TO CONVENTION CENTRES It was for this reason that AIPC undertook a few years back the seemingly overwhelming task of developing a performance standard speciﬁc to convention centres. To be universally applicable, such standards would have to meet a number of tests. First, they needed to be ﬂexible and adaptable to a wide variety of facility types. Secondly, they needed to be seen from a client perspective so they were relevant to the market. Third, they had to be ‘graduated’ in order to give

HEADQUARTERS 12

based on this research and ‘test’ these categories with representative member centres. Step three was to set out a procedure that would allow centres who wish to adopt the AIPC quality standards guidelines to do so through an initial ‘self-audit’. Step four consisted of a formal process that would allow centres to document their accomplishments and have these reviewed by an external ‘auditor’. The standards that were developed addressed 10 key areas of centre management:

Edgar Hirt

Customer Service, Quality of Facilities and Operations, Employee Relations, Health, Safety, Security and Emergency Response, Financial Integrity, Community Relations, Environmental Responsibility, Industry Relations and Supplier Relations. This process has now been completed, and to date, seven centres - the Brighton Centre; Sibelius Hall, Congress and Concert Centre Lahti; the Kursaal Centre, San Sebastian, the Lisboa Congress Centre, the Vancouver Convention & Exhibition Centre, Finlandia Hall, Helsinki and the Melbourne Exhibition and Convention Centre - have achieved the accreditation set out in the Quality Standards program.

AIPC CONTACT DETAILS marianne.de.raay@aipc.org or www.aipc.org

Meeting creates Understanding.

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> YOKOHAMA CASE STUDY Night view of Yokohama

COMING SOON: THE ISA WORLD CONGRESS OF SOCIOLOGY VISITS JAPAN IN 2014 THE INTERNATIONAL SOCIOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION (ISA) FINISHED THE BIDDING PROCESS FOR THE 2014 ISA WORLD CONGRESS OF SOCIOLOGY WITH A STRONG SHORTLIST OF CANDIDATE HOST CITIES - ZARAGOZA, TORONTO AND YOKOHAMA. PROFESSOR MICHEL WIEVIORKA, PRESIDENT OF THE ISA, INSPECTED YOKOHAMA IN NOVEMBER 2007 AT THE INVITATION OF THE JAPANESE GOVERNMENT AND THE JAPAN NATIONAL TOURISM ORGANIZATION (JNTO). ON MARCH 29TH 2008, FOLLOWING THIS SUCCESSFUL SITE INSPECTION, ISA BOARD MEMBERS SELECTED YOKOHAMA, JAPAN AS THE SITE FOR THE 2014 ISA

to join us in Finland, where we were having our Executive Committee, in order for them to give a presentation of their proposal, and answer to our questions. After that, we had a long exchange of views within our Executive Committee, and it became clear that Yokohama, Japan was the best choice for us, even if the two other proposals (Toronto and Zaragoza) had assets as well.

WORLD CONGRESS OF SOCIOLOGY. PROFESSOR MICHEL WIEVIORKA EXPLAINS WHY.

HQ: What is the purpose and aim of the ISA World Congress of Sociology? Michel Wieviorka: The ISA World Congress, every four years, is on the one hand the more important intellectual event for our association, and on the other hand a key moment in its organizational life. Our members - more than 4,000 individuals - exchange ideas and discuss their work in various kinds of sessions, some of them plenary or semi-plenary, other more limited. All our Research Committees (53) have meetings and there are a lot of various activities. We also elect our President, Vice-Presidents and Executive Committee for the next four years. The congress is the only occasion

HEADQUARTERS 14

for us to have our National Associations - from 60 to 70 usually participate actively - and Research Committees together, at the same time. HQ: What was the decision process that eventually led to Japan being chosen as the congress destination? Michel Wieviorka: In 2007, a bid was published by ISA, inviting National Sociological Associations, in connection with other institutions, such as a city for example, to participate in a competition for the choice of the congress location in 2014. We received several answers, three of them particularly impressive. In 2008 we invited the leaders of these three projects

HQ: What are your expectations for the 2014 ISA Congress? Michel Wieviorka: It will be the ﬁrst ISA congress in this part of the world, and we expect it to demonstrate that Japan, but also China, Korea and other East-Asian sociologies, take part in the international intellectual and scientiﬁc sociological life. We hope people from all over the world will participate, more than in our previous congresses, and that Japanese sociologists will also be numerous. We also hope that new ideas, new paradigms shall be discussed, and that intellectually our community of social scientists will be stronger. HQ: We understand you went to Japan for a site inspection. What were your

> YOKOHAMA CASE STUDY impressions of Japan in general and Yokohama in particular? Michel Wieviorka: Japan is a great country, it constantly demonstrates its ability to articulate scientiﬁc and rational elements with traditional ones. It is a very important case among these ‘multiple modernities’ that sociologists study. Yokohama is a great location for our congress: a big town, with all the facilities we need, quite a modern Congress Centre, Paciﬁco Yokohama, a pleasant environment, including lots of resources for tourism-sociologists who also like to discover the country where their congress is held. And Japanese sociologists form a large and living community, producing a lot of interesting researches: coming to Japan will be for foreigners coming to a country where there is an important sociological ‘milieu’. HQ: How did the staff of the Convention Bureau help you? Michel Wieviorka: The staff of the Yokohama Convention & Visitors Bureau have been quite helpful - explaining and showing what has to be explained or shown, and carefully and precisely answering all of the questions that we had. But not only the Convention Bureau was helpful: during my visit to Japan, I met the Deputy Mayor of Yokohama, as well as important national and local leaders, belonging to institutional as well as economic circles, and it clearly appeared that everyone there was willing to make Japan’s bid successful. HQ: Can you expand a little bit on the accessibility of Japan and its tourism resources? Michel Wieviorka: For a world organization, there is no country that is too far: Japan may

Sankeien Garden

Michel Wieviorka

JAPAN IS A GREAT COUNTRY, IT CONSTANTLY DEMONSTRATES ITS ABILITY TO ARTICULATE SCIENTIFIC AND RATIONAL ELEMENTS WITH TRADITIONAL ONES be far for an American, or a Latin American sociologist, but not for a Chinese, a Korean or even an Indian sociologist. Airport and ground transportation from airports in Japan are well organised, trains are wonderful, and within the cities, transportation is quite easy. Tourism resources are great, not so far from Yokohama - Tokyo with all its resources and Mt. Fuji just to name a few - and on the whole, Japan is a great touristic destination. Security is also an important issue: Japan appears to be a very safe country - ISA congresses have taken place in far more unsafe destinations before! HQ: In the end why were Japan, and speciﬁcally Yokohama, selected? What are their advantages as a congress destination? Michel Wieviorka: Our choice was political. In terms of resources, the two other cities were satisfactory. But we considered that it was important to have a congress in this part of the world, and to express our political will to consider sociology as a world discipline, and not only or mainly as a European and American specialty. The fact that Chinese and Korean sociologists supported the project was also important. The local organization appeared also to be very efﬁcient, and the only source of interrogation for the Executive Committee members was the cost of life - usually sociologists are not very rich, many will come from rather poor countries. But precise answers were given, about the costs of lodging or food, and they were satisfactory.

JNTO works with international associations in encouraging Japanese bids, assisting in the creation of these bids, as well as organizing site inspections and aiding in the planning for the congress itself. Recently, the Japan Tourism Agency and the JNTO have assisted in bringing the CIDESCO World Congress 2009, the World Wound Healing Congress 2012, the SWIFT International Banking Operations Seminar SIBOS 2012, and many others to Japan. In order to work closely with European-based associations, the JNTO has a dedicated Convention Manager located in London. Any congress organizers interested in looking into Japan as a meeting destination should please contact JNTO’s London ofﬁce.

CONTACT Chad Shiver Japan National Tourism Organization London Ofﬁce Tel: +44 20 7283 2130 Fax: +44 20 7626 0224 chad@jnto.co.uk www.jnto.go.jp

For more information on the ISA congress: www.isa-sociology.org For more information on JNTO: www.jnto.go.jp For more information on Yokohama: www.welcome.city.yokohama.jp

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HQ > LILLE

GREEN LILLE: THREE QUESTIONS TO CHARLES-ERIC VILAIN XIIII

HQ: We understand Lille has never been so green. Can you explain? Charles-Eric Vilain XIIII: Lille has developed a green attitude for a long time. Already in 1995, Lille signed the Aalborg charter. In 2000, the city put a ‘Agenda 21’ plan to ‘act together for a sustainable, social and interdependent city’. Thanks to this plan the city reduced his

electricity consumption by 35%. In October 2008 Ernst & Young published a study that showed Lille had the lowest carbon footprint for setting-up a European ofﬁce. The study compared 6 major European cities: London, Brussels, Amsterdam, Paris, Köln and Lille. The analysis compared the home-work travel, professional travel, heating and electricity consumption. By investing in Lille companies reduce their CO2 emission by 15 to 40%. Over 100 buses are today driving on CVO-gas created by organic waste transformed to gas. This is a unique project in Europe.

HQ: How will you integrate it in its promotion as a congress destination? Charles-Eric Vilain XIIII: We certainly will continue to announce this around the globe. We also have followed a special speakers training with MPI to be able to talk widely about CSR.

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Lille is certainly a nice case study. In-house, we have hired a CSR manager in order to help meeting organizers to plan their ‘green meetings’ as well as developing an internal CSR policy.

HQ: Anything else, any new developments we should note about Lille? Charles-Eric Vilain XIIII: The Lille Convention Centre has just put a new ‘Carbon Care’ program. They have hired a CSR manager who will help companies to held their events on a ‘greener’ way. They use fully recyclable products, environmentally-friendly consumables and calculate your carbon footprint. The building is also constructed with highly efﬁcient insulating materials. Charles-Eric Vilain XIIII is the Managing Director of Lille Convention Bureau

> GRIMALDI FORUM MONACO

THE ‘GREEN EVENT’ IS A REALITY AT THE GRIMALDI FORUM MONACO Sustainability and respect for the environment can’t be today ignored by the meetings industry. The Grimaldi Forum Monaco, now ISO 14001:2004 certiﬁed, proposes a ‘Green Event’ offer to its clients to organise ecoresponsible events in only 3 steps: 1: Choose a committed country 2: Choose a certiﬁed Congress Centre 3: Choose to make your event a green one

PHASE 1: The active, dynamic eco-responsibility approach adopted by the Grimaldi Forum Monaco ﬁts naturally with the Monaco-wide action desired by H.S.H. Prince Albert II, an ardent defender of environmental issues who is concerned to preserve the planet through His own actions and those of His Foundation. Waste sorting is already a reality at all levels and all new constructions respect European High Quality recommendations. Regarding transport, it’s easy to understand that on a territory of 2 km2 everything is at walking distance. Buses are powered with Diester (diesel mixed with vegetable oil) and the journey is only 1€. Government helps developing the least polluting means of transport by giving grants for the purchase of electric or hybrid vehicles, and by augmenting the frequency of trains.

PHASE 2: On 15 October 2008 the Grimaldi Forum Monaco became one of the first European congress centres to obtain the ISO 14001:2004 certification. This certification first endorses the work initiated in November 2007 by the entire staff and management with the wish to complete the intrinsic values of the Grimaldi Forum Monaco, designed from the outset with a view to respecting and integrating into the environment, whether with regard to insulation, renewable energy use (seawater) or air conditioning.

On 26 November 2008, in the presence of all the Grimaldi Forum’s teams, His Serene Highness Sovereign Prince Albert II unveiled a plaque in the main hall of the building as a reminder of the environmental management system that applies to all, in the daily activities of the convention centre.

The Grimaldi Forum Monaco has involved its suppliers in this process so as to conduct a coherent, dynamic overall environmental policy. For the most polluting event industry materials such as carpeting and tarpaulins, the Grimaldi Forum seeks out suppliers to provide recycled or recyclable products. For example printed PVC banners are provided to the French company Reversible which reuses them to create urban bags and design objects.

PHASE 3: To help its clients organise a ‘Green Event’, the Grimaldi Forum Monaco offers 3 tailored solutions: • the Paperless Meeting to limit the use of paper, to print ecologically if printing is unavoidable and to recycle as much as possible, as well as to allow participants to download

documents, reports and brochure on site. • the Carbon Neutral to compensate for the ecological impact of your event through carbon offsetting in favour of a sustainable programme supported by the Foundation Prince Albert II. • the 360° Green Event to come as close to being a 100% Green Event as possible. In addition to Paperless Meeting and Carbon Neutral, you also use recyclable materials for signage and carpeting, opt for the ecodesign stands stocked on-site, choose menus based on seasonal regional products and optimise your selective waste management efforts with our ﬁeld specialists. For more information or to contact our green team: actgreen@grimaldiforum.mc

HEADQUARTERS 17

HQ > WROCLAW

POLAND: THE FASCINATING WORK IN PROGRESS OF WROCLAW YOU MAY NOT KNOW WROCLAW OR WHERE IT IS EXACTLY LOCATED IN POLAND, BUT STILL, THIS EMERGING DESTINATION DESERVES TO BE KNOWN. TO TELL THE TRUTH, I HAD NEVER HEARD OF IT BEFORE I FLEW THERE. AND WHAT I DISCOVERED IS A BOOMING

Market Square

demands of business and tourist travelers: a new passenger terminal is being built. The aim is to increase the airport’s passenger capacity to 3.2 million by 2010.

CITY, A FASCINATING REGION FULL OF YOUNG PEOPLE EAGER TO MAKE WROCLAW AND LOWER SILESIA A UNIQUE DESTINATION. WITH A DISTINCTIVE FORWARD-LOOKING FEEL, WROCLAW IS OPENING ITSELF TO THE WORLD IN GENERAL AND THE MEETINGS INDUSTRY IN PARTICULAR. AND IT DEFINITELY SHOULD NOT BE MISSED. REPORT RÉMI DÉVÉ

Wroclaw Opera House

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First some facts. As Poland’s four largest city with an agglomeration of one million inhabitants, Wroclaw seems to be on the map as never before. A thriving cosmopolitan at the forefront of change in the ‘new’ Europe, it is strategically located between Prague, Warsaw and Berlin, near the German and Czech borders. Getting there is quite easy as many international transport routes run across it. Direct ﬂights are constantly seeing light of day. In fact Wroclaw’s airport is undergoing serious changes to meet the growing

Far from the myth of obscure Poland, Wroclaw has deﬁnitely turned the page of dark communism. Of course it would be a lie to say that the city does not bear political stigmata of pre-capitalism times. But to tell the truth it does not matter. Because the years ahead seem bright as several strong investments along with a growing network of professional are underway. Take accommodation for example. At the moment the city can only rely on two 5-star hotels, Radisson SAS Hotel and Soﬁtel Wroclaw. But by 2012, the Hilton, Monopol, Rialto and Mennicza hotels will join the festivities, increasing the number of 5-star rooms by a staggering 233%. It is not a risky bet to assume that Wroclaw and Lower Silesia will very shortly offer

> WROCLAW

A WORD FROM ROB DAVIDSON SENIOR LECTURER IN BUSINESS TRAVEL & TOURISM UNIVERSITY OF WESTMINSTER (UK)

IT IS NOT A RISKY BET TO ASSUME THAT WROCLAW AND LOWER SILESIA WILL VERY SHORTLY OFFER THE RIGHT BLEND OF ACCOMMODATION, VENUES, INCENTIVES AND LEISURE OPTIONS FOR THE MOST DEMANDING ORGANIZERS the right blend of accommodation, venues, incentives and leisure options for the most demanding organizers. With its youthful optimism – the people working at the Convention Bureau must be the youngest in the business! -, a state-of-the-art convention centre on its way, an inspiring investment climate, a vibrant student community and a strong political belief in business tourism, the city and the region are is unmissable meeting places. Just like the slogan of Wroclaw - the meeting place - rightly says it.

Ossolineum Library

CENTENNIAL HALL: THE PERFECT VENUE Located just a few minutes by car from the city centre in the vicinity of Szczytnicki Park, the Zoo, the Japanese Garden, the Centennial Hall is an architecturally unique historical monument designed to meet the technical and organizational requirements of congresses and conferences. Being one of two such venues in Poland, it can accommodate over 3,000 convention guests under one roof so far. Its central layout with four apses allows for organization of various stationary and mobile types of auditorium seating, as well as multiple arrangements of conference rooms. In 2006, Centennial Hall was listed in UNESCO’s World Heritage List. As a result and with the ﬁnancial help of local and regional authorities as well as the Polish government, an ambitious modernization program has been launched to transform the Hall into a world class meeting center for the XXIst century. By 2010, Centennial Hall and the surrounding exhibition grounds will feature – among many other things ! – newly built high capacity, multifunctional conference and banquet rooms, a full-service restaurant, integrated high technology intelligent bulding system, a cybernetic fountain and an outdoor ice-skating rink!

As a vibrant and visually stunning conference destination, Wroclaw is definitely Poland’s undiscovered treasure. Jaded meetings planners - and blazé delegates will enjoy every minute that they spend in this fascinating city where a rich cultural heritage and 21st century modernity coexist in a harmonious whole. This is where Central European charm and hospitality go hand-in-hand with the efficiency and professionalism of those who are working hard to put Wroclaw where it deserves to be - firmly on the map of Europe’s top conference destinations. I spend a lot of my time visiting conference destinations all over the world, and I can honestly say that Wroclaw has the venues, the attractions and the hotel accommodation that add up to a real winning formula. Add to this the city’s unique atmosphere, and you can understand that Wroclaw’s future as a successful meeting place is guaranteed.

CONTACT Convention Bureau - Wroclaw Ul. Wystawowo 1, 51-618 Wroclaw, Poland Phone: +48 71 347 51 87 Fax: +48 71 347 51 85 info@convention.wroclaw.pl

Ksiaz Castle

HEADQUARTERS 19

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT: THE RESPONSIBILITY OF INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATIONS

Luc Maene

TRADITIONALLY, ECONOMIC IMPERATIVES USED TO PREVAIL FOR INDUSTRY OR TRADE ASSOCIATIONS. HOWEVER, FOR

subsequent milestone in the development of the international sustainable development agenda. During this World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD), international leaders agreed on quantiﬁable targets and concrete steps to implement Agenda 21. While Rio focused mostly on the environment, Johannesburg emphasized on the importance of societal concerns, placing the human being directly in connection with its natural and economic environment. These important meetings forged the now common term of ‘sustainable development’ and the three pillars that buttress the UN Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD): social, environmental and economic.

THE PAST TWO DECADES, THE AWARENESS OF THE INTERNATIONAL CIVIL SOCIETY OF ENVIRONMENTAL MATTERS CHANGED DRAMATICALLY, DIRECTLY AFFECTING THE WAY BUSINESS IS DONE AND SOCIETY IS IMPACTED. TEXT LUC MAENE – ESAE PRESIDENT AND DIRECTOR GENERAL OF THE INTERNATIONAL FETILIZER ASSOCIATION

The Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro in 1992 marked a turning point by placing the environment at the centre of global concerns. In Rio, the international community adopted Agenda 21. It is the founding document, a call for action, to address the human impact on the earth’s ecosystems at the local, national and global levels. The Johannesburg Summit in 2002 was the

HEADQUARTERS 20

The global reﬂection on environmental concerns has kept rising all over the world. However, population growth keeps putting stress on natural resources. Some people wonder how long the earth will manage to maintain itself. It should now be clear to all of us that business as usual is no longer a valid option. Any business activity is concerned by sustainable development imperatives and should address all three pillars. It is our role as business associations to take the lead in sustainable development and to show the way to the companies we represent in becoming ‘greener’. All business actors need to improve and become not only environmentally-conscious but also environmentally-friendly. We ought to keep in mind that adopting a voluntary approach is more favourable for us than having to abide by tight regulations.

In the fertilizer industry, we strive to integrate the notion of sustainable development in all aspects of business. As the industry’s international association, IFA just launched a new product stewardship programme, which aims at improving every step of the product lifecycle. In addition, we believe that becoming greener is not only about production but also about services. On the production side, we are working towards improving resource efﬁciency, reducing emissions, minimizing the carbon footprint, and preserving soils and water. With regard to services, a trade association can also make decisive strides towards becoming more conscious of the environment by, for example, reducing international travel, compensating for travel-related carbon emissions, using new technologies to improve remote communications, reducing ofﬁce-related emissions (lighting, heating, insulation, waste reduction, paper recycling, increased use of recyclable materials, environmentallyfriendly cleaning products). Any small initiative should be supported. Scale does matter, but what matters most is changing our behaviour as members of the workforce and as citizens in general. Associations have a responsibility to ‘walk the talk’ by creating awareness, supporting innovative initiatives, developing and disseminating guiding principles, and showing examples. We now live in a new era: the Green New Deal.

www.esae.org

STRATEGIES FOR CHALLENGING TIMES BUILDING YOUR THRIVING ASSOCIATION ESAE ASSOCIATION PROGRAMME 18 MARCH, 2009 | TOUR ET TAXIS, BRUSSELS IN CONJUNCTION WITH Join ESAE at EMIF in Brussels on 18 March - an unparalleled opportunity to participate in a truly pan-European event for association managers, combining knowledge-rich sessions with a range of opportunities to network and meet top suppliers.

WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT + a full Association Day programme, sponsored by Lille + top speakers and presentations + VIP-access to EMIF (European Meeting Industry Fair) - a premier meetings and incentives exhibition in Brussels, the heart of Belgium + VIP networking evening on the exhibition site (dinner and entertainment) + VIP drinks + plenty of opportunities to visit suppliers and to network with senior colleagues

This year, we face challenging times. It’s more important than ever to maximise your association’s resources and get the most from your supporters and stakeholders. We’ll be talking about how to engage your members and work in partnership as part of a focus on Strategies for challenging times: Building your thriving association. Get the most out of this knowledge-rich programme where you’ll network, learn and keep on top of issues and trends in today’s challenging climate as part of a uniquely knowledge- and contacts-rich opportunity. Some of the speakers we’ll be talking to: + Gérard Legris: Head of Unit responsible for Transparency, Relations with Stakeholders and External Organisations,

European Commission Specialties: anti-trust legislation, governance and accountability, registration of associations. + Susan Sarfati: Executive Vice President, American Program Bureau and CEO, Beyond Excellent! Strategies for our changing industry: What skills will keep you ahead in today’s market? A full afternoon programme continues the association programme with lunch, speaker sessions and round table discussions on Navigating VAT, Social and Viral Market-

Are you a meeting or event planner, located in Europe, and responsible for organising, influencing or making budgetary decisions for international meetings, conference, travel, exhibitions or incentives? You are eligible for EMIF’s exclusive hosted buyer programme, offering tracel and accommodation for qualified managers. Don’t miss the chance to take advantage of this added incentive helping you to get the most out of this packed event.

ing, Enhancing your Educational Strategy, Revenue generating, Membership Relevance, Strategic Alliances and Partnerships, Working with Volunteers, Association Trends. In the evening you’ll hear from more speakers and our key sponsor, and you’ll also engage in a dedicated session on the power of networking and how to use different business networks. A dedicated evening VIP visit to the exhibition and a networking reception at the VIP lounge completes a full day of association-focused learning and interacting.

FIND OUT MORE www.esae.org/associationprogramme www.emif.com

CONTACT info@esae.org

Tour et taxis

APPLY NOW to attend EMIF as a hosted buyer www.esae.org/hostedbuyer Apply now to attend EMIF as a local, free delegate www.esae.org/register

HEADQUARTERS 21

THE CARBON REDUCTION COMMITMENT: AN OVERVIEW BCSC - FORMERLY KNOWN AS THE BRITISH COUNCIL OF SHOPPING CENTRES - IS A MAJOR UK INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION NOW WELCOMING OVER 2800 CORPORATE AND AFFILIATE MEMBERS. AS PART OF ITS COMMITMENT TO UNDERSTANDING CLIMATE CHANGE AND TO OFFERING GUIDANCE TO MEMBERS AND STAKEHOLDERS, BCSC PRODUCES A SERIES OF GUIDANCE PAPERS AND RESEARCH, MOSTLY AVAILABLE TO

from their properties and then surrender those allowances based on their actual energy use. Those that improve their performance can make a profit by auctioning unused allowances; businesses that fail to improve must purchase additional allowances to cover their activities. Because allowances will be capped in 2013, the system will create winners and losers; poor performing companies face rising costs as allowances are auctioned in a constrained environment. The CRC is not the first carbon taxation or emissions trading scheme to affect UK industry, but it is the first initiated by the UK government. Moreover, the CRC targets a broad range of businesses that have to date escaped financial penalties for their CO2 production. The CRC thus signals the arrival of carbon taxation on a much wider scale for UK industry and represents a concrete cost for sustainability. Companies that fail to implement carbon reduction strategies face significant financial and reputational consequences as energy performance is now measured, monitored, taxed, and publicly reported.

MEMBERS. THIS IS A SUMMARY OF THE FIRST OF A TWO-PART SERIES ON THE CARBON REDUCTION COMMITMENT, PUBLISHED IN FEBRUARY 2009.

The ﬁrst few months of 2009 will usher in a new and far-reaching scheme: the Carbon Reduction Commitment (CRC). The CRC mandates that companies (and larger public bodies) pay for the carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions their properties produce. In February, Defra - the UK’s Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs issued a detailed consultation on the draft guidelines and by the summer of 2009, implementation of the programme will be well underway. Many UK organisations previously unaffected by carbon regulation are likely to be subject to the CRC and should begin preparing strategies for its implementation.

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Built upon a ‘pay as you pollute’ premise, the CRC encourages companies to improve their

WHAT IT IS In May 2007, the UK government published the Energy White Paper and announced its decision to implement a new emissions trading scheme: the CRC. The scheme introduces

COMPANIES THAT FAIL TO IMPLEMENT CARBON REDUCTION STRATEGIES FACE SIGNIFICANT FINANCIAL AND REPUTATIONAL CONSEQUENCES AS ENERGY PERFORMANCE IS NOW MEASURED, MONITORED, TAXED, AND PUBLICLY REPORTED energy efﬁciency by adding a tax on carbon. Companies will be required to purchase ‘allowances’ to cover their projected emissions

mandatory emissions trading to cut carbon emissions and requires that companies purchase ‘allowances’ - priced commodities

(£/ton) that are to cover the equivalent amount of CO2 a company produces from all of its buildings in a year. If a company reduces the amount of allowances it needs, it can auction these to other companies requiring further allowances. The use of market mechanisms encourages companies to become leaner in their energy usage as CO2 production is now associated with a deﬁnable ﬁnancial reward or risk.

NOT TAKING STEPS TO IMPROVE ENERGY EFFICIENCY AND CO2 EMISSIONS WILL BECOME, OVER TIME, A COSTLY PROPOSITION

The CRC applies to large commercial and public sector organisations (including supermarkets, hotel chains, government departments, large local authorities) whose total annual half-hourly metered electricity use is above 6,000 MWh (equal to an electric bill of roughly £1,000,000). The CRC covers companies that have traditionally fallen outside the EU Emissions Trading Scheme and Climate Change Agreements and thus affects a larger spectrum of energy users. Businesses and other large organisations will be required to report annually all of their UKbased CO2 emissions from their total building portfolios, including energy use for lighting, heating, and cooling. Thus, while metered energy use is the signaller for company inclusion in the scheme, allowances will have to be purchased for all CO2 emissions generated by the company’s real estate assets. Organisations will not be required to report on or purchase allowances to cover their transport emissions.

YEAR

ACTION

2008

This is the benchmark year for inclusion in the CRC. Companies should calculate their electricity use based on information provided by their suppliers. Those whose electricity consumption is greater than 6,000MWh per annum (organisations with a total electricity bill of £1,00,000 or more are likely to be included), will be covered by the CRC.

2009 (February)

The UK government will issue a detailed consultation on the CRC draft guidelines.

2009 (Summer)

The UK Environment Agency will contact all UK billing addresses with half hourly meters providing them with Registration Packs. If you receive one of these packs, you will need to provide information on your total half-hourly electricity consumption in 2008 together with a list of your half-hourly meters, assisted by your electricity supplier.

2010

The CRC scheme begins with the three year Introductory Phase.

2011

First sale of allowances begins in April. Sale will be for 2010/2011 and 2011-2012 allaowances. All future sales/auctions of allowances will only be for allowances for the year ahead. Allowances will be sold to participants for a fixed price of £12/tCO2.

2012

Second compliance year.

2013

Auctioning of carbon allowances begins. Price for allowances expected to rise as number of allowances is capped.

HOW IT WORKS Following the February draft regulations and beginning in the summer of 2009, the UK Environment Agency will contact companies viewed as candidates for the programme. Notiﬁcation will be based using 2008 as the benchmark year. If a company has an energy consumption for 2008 that exceeds the limits outlined above, they will be required to participate. Data collected for the full calendar year will determine who must participate in the mandatory scheme. Once eligibility has been determined, companies are required to calculate their emissions and determine their CO2 output. At the start of each compliance year, companies must purchase allowances from

the auction (or fixed price sale during the introductory phase) to cover theses total emissions. Throughout the year, companies are required to monitor their activities and try to reduce their energy needs. At the end of each year, companies must report actual emissions versus those projected and surrender sufficient allowances to cover their CO2 output. An introductory phase is planned to start in April 2010, whereby all allowances will be sold at a fixed price. The UK government intends to proceed with the allowance price of £12/ tCO2 for the introductory three-year phase. From April 2013, allowances will be allocated through auctions with a diminishing number of credits available over time.

HEADQUARTERS 23

attempt by the government to specifically target less energy intensive companies with a carbon cap-and-trade scheme. Energy intensive organisations are covered by the EU ETS and have been for some time, but the CRC casts a much wider net. What it means in most direct terms is that there is now a potential additional cost of doing business based on carbon output. Not taking steps to improve energy efficiency and CO2 emissions will become, over time, a costly proposition. Other cap and trade schemes instituted elsewhere quickly reveal financial winners and losers, and as the distance between companies increases, so too does the cost of doing business.

ESTABLISHING A RISING PRICE FOR CARBON BY RESTRICTING ALLOWANCES ENCOURAGES COMPANIES TO REDUCE ENERGY YEAR ON YEAR Establishing a rising price for carbon by restricting allowances encourages companies to reduce energy year on year. Not only will they have to purchase fewer allowances at the start of the year, but they will be rewarded over time based on their cumulative emissions reductions. Overall company performance - based on absolute reductions since the start of the scheme - will be summarised in a public league table that outlines the best and worse performers. The CRC is intended to be revenue neutral for the UK government. Revenue raised will be recycled to participants proportional to their 2009 emissions adjusted by a bonus or penalty related to their performance in the Carbon Reduction Commitment league table. This will continue for each year of the programme, with the percentage given to best performers increasing every allowance cycle. As such, the revenue recycling will provide further incentives for emissions reductions

HEADQUARTERS 24

and energy efﬁciency improvements. The scheme has been designed for simplicity, with self-certiﬁcation by the companies involved. Participants will be required to submit annual data statements via an on-line registry to the Environment Agency using their own meter readings or with reference to annual energy bills. It is proposed that the Environment Agency, the Scottish Environment Protection Agency and the Northern Ireland Environment Agency will regulate and audit the scheme, respectively.

TIMELINE AND IMPORTANT DATES The scheme is scheduled to begin in April 2010, with a three-year introductory phase. The ﬁrst capped phase will begin in April 2013. The table on page 23 highlights the major phases of the programme.

THE CRC: THE BIGGER PICTURE The CRC is important because it is the ﬁrst

Moreover, because the scheme is designed to rank companies against one another, the risks of not performing well are relative as well as absolute. The CRC will quickly establish frontrunners in reducing climate change in a very understandable and translatable way. Up until this point, there has not been a single measure to rank companies on their CO2 emissions and energy use. The CRC will do this with reputational as well as ﬁnancial costs at stake.

For more information about the Carbon Reduction Commitment, please visit: + The UK’s Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) CRC website: www.defra.gov.uk/Environment/climatechange/uk/business/crc/index.htm + The Carbon Trust: www.carbontrust. co.uk/climatechange/policy/CRC.htm + BCSC: www.bcsc.org.uk

MCKINSEY & COMPANY’S GLOBAL INSIGHTS INTO MAKING YOUR BOARD MORE STRATEGIC CORPORATE DIRECTORS WANT TO SPEND MORE TIME DEVELOPING FORWARD-LOOKING STRATEGIES THAT HELP MAXIMISE SHAREHOLDER VALUE. BOARDS THAT ARE ALREADY HIGHLY INFLUENTIAL IN CREATING CORPORATE VALUE WORK DIFFERENTLY.

A recent article published by global consulting ﬁrm McKinsey summarises the results of a wide-ranging survey that generated responses from 586 corporate directors, 51 percent of them CEOs. Respondents represented 376 private and 161 public companies in addition to senior executives at non-proﬁt organisations and public bodies. Twenty-six percent of the companies represented in the survey have annual revenues of $1 billion or more. What do these international opinion-leaders view as their priorities in terms of corporate

This indicated a major shift in attitude: the boards of many major organisations are now moving away from a reactive approach (stressing complying with standards and targets) to a more proactive focus (looking ahead to achieving realistic targets and building talent). European associations need to consider how this shift in long-term strategy might impact the activity of their own boards and executives. In the McKinsey survey, and following on from the talent-building approach, several corporate leaders also emphasised the importance of working with managers as part

THE BOARDS OF MANY MAJOR ORGANISATIONS ARE NOW MOVING AWAY FROM A REACTIVE APPROACH TO A MORE PROACTIVE FOCUS governance? In summary, the majority of survey respondents said they want to give ‘higher priority to talent management and forward-looking strategies that maximize shareholder value, and spend less time dealing with issues such as compliance’.

NEW PROACTIVE AND LONG-TERM FOCUS Strikingly, many corporate board survey respondents stated that they want to change their priority from a focus on compliance to a focus on strategy and talent management.

of a team to create value, and to then ensure that this value is passed onto stakeholders, members and shareholders.

such as succession planning and the evaluation of future performance - thereby gaining the most out of the talent and potential of staff and managers. + They are more likely to have expertise in sector and functional knowledge, performance management, and talent management. However, the report states that with regard to talent management there’s still room for improvement: only 46 percent of the respondents on inﬂuential boards say they have signiﬁcant or distinctive expertise.

MAXIMUM BOARD EFFECTIVENESS Seventy-nine percent of all respondents believe that boards could have great inﬂuence on the creation of corporate value if they were as effective as possible. The report raises a key discussion point: What do highly inﬂuential boards do differently? + They focus on long-term strategy. + They put a higher priority on activities

The full report can be found here: www.mckinseyquarterly.com/governance/boards/making_the_board_more_ strategic_a_mckinsey_global_survey_2124

HEADQUARTERS 25

TOWARD A SOCIALLY RESPONSIBLE ECONOMY OUR ECONOMIC SYSTEM BASED ON LIBERALISM AND EXTREME COMPETITION IS SHOWING ITS LIMITATIONS. WITH CONSUMERS SEARCHING FOR THE LOWEST PRICES AND INVESTORS THE HIGHEST PROFIT MARGINS FINANCIAL VARIABLES HAVE BECOME THE SOLE PERFORMANCE OBJECTIVES. TEXT BERNARD MICHE - TREASURER OF THE UIA AND CEO OF FINERGIE SPRL

system made us lose sight of the long-term logic of the concept of ‘sustainable development’.

BUT WHAT IS A LOGIC OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT?

This system has overemphasized short-term profit in a context of overconsumption. Such a dynamic pushes corporations to relocate the production of goods and services to locations where low wages may be paid and the cost of doing business is not influenced by concerns about social and environmental conditions. The impact of this type of management is devastating in terms of human resources and social organization. We are currently reaching a limit and the planetary financial system is wavering. Every day we are presented more alarming figures: stock exchange crash, bankruptcy of major financial institutions, high rise in unemployment and the number of bankruptcies, reduced credit available to businesses, global recession…

A logic of sustainable development rests on a management balance based on 4 axes (see graphic). The economic system must evolve to integrate new parameters of the management of social, environmental and innovative performance. To evolve towards an economic system which integrates a logic of sustainable development, we must teach the leaders this new mode of governance. The balance of management exists at the point of intersection between these four axes. In order to achieve this, the system of competition must evolve to a system of collaboration based on ethics and the implementation of a management paradigm which empowers the actors of the company.

WHICH LESSONS DO WE NEED TO DRAW AND HOW CAN WE REMEDY THIS SITUATION?

THE KEY TO SUCCESS: HUMAN CAPITAL AND THE INTEGRITY OF MANAGERS

The short-term vision generated by this

With this intention, it is necessary to

HEADQUARTERS 26

implement participatory management based on an ethical framing of ‘management’; one based on respect, co-operation and support of the individuals who take part in it. The foundations of such a system are the ethics of communication and compromise leading to an ethics of decision-making which respects all the parties involved. It is necessary to build the ‘knowledge of being’ in order to inﬂuence or instigate the knowledge of production. Managers must integrate new parameters in their decisions: intergenerational equity and spatial equity. Indeed, economic development must take into account the impact of decisions on our future generations in terms of social justice, environmental resources and their renewal. Considering the complexity of the current situation, we are obliged to modify our behavior by implementing cooperation as the functional process as opposed to competition. The only manner of achieving this is to build an organization where the talents and expertise of each individual is at the service of a collectively determined goal / shared common interest.

RESULTS OF SOCIALLY RESPONSIBLE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

• Can generate discomfort in those not accustomed to owning their responsibilities

The results are considerable and underpin a sensibility in economic action: • It reinforces the leadership of the managers by their values • It empowers the individuals of the company • It evolves to a bidirectional participative management • It activates the collective intelligence of the company • It enables the optimization of the motivation, commitment, engagement and the creativity of all, based on the diversity of the members • It introduces innovative practices of meeting facilitation, co-operation and dialogue • It trains and empowers individuals • It stimulates co-creation around a ‘shared vision’

ROLE OF ASSOCIATIONS

OBSTACLES TO BE ADDRESSED

Civil society will thus come to articulate itself with the economic world to offer its knowledge and to collaborate in global well-being by serving the economic world.

• Fear of change • Can raise emotive reactions because one treats relations of power (skepticism, enthusiasm, concern, relief)

The role of associations will be critical in this context. They are a source of knowledge thanks to their ongoing work. Up to this point in time they have played the role of a warning signal on certain problems regarding social and environmental justice. Now, they will become an important stakeholder at the side of the economic world, offering their expertise in search of the right decisions. Bernard Miche

They will have also a key role of consistency control to verify the truth of corporate statements concerning ethics of management and sustainable development strategy. They will validate the reality of the information communicated by the companies.

A logic of sustainable development rests on a management balance based on 4 axes:

ASSOCIATIONS WILL HAVE A KEY ROLE OF CONSISTENCY CONTROL TO VERIFY THE TRUTH OF CORPORATE STATEMENTS CONCERNING ETHICS OF MANAGEMENT AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY

social development CONCLUSION

economic d development

creativity

respect p for the environment

Humanity is at a crossroads. The current economic model is in danger and will generate more and more instability but we have the choice to direct it towards sustainable economic development grounded in ethics and values. We all are responsible for the future. For more information on UIA: www.uia.org For more information on Finergie: www.ﬁnergie.be

indissociable goal

HEADQUARTERS 27

> BERLIN

IMPRESSIVE BERLIN: THE PULSE OF CONGRESSING

Berliner Dom

ASK AROUND YOURSELF. IT’S IMPOSSIBLE TO HEAR NEGATIVE COMMENTS ABOUT BERLIN. PEOPLE WHO WENT THERE SIMPLY LOVE IT. AND WHEN IT’S YOUR TURN TO

that an excellent standard of service, high quality and a very diverse offer and you’ll just wonder why you didn’t choose Berlin in the ﬁrst place.

DISCOVER THE CITY, YOU CAN DEFINITELY UNDERSTAND WHY. IT’S A BOOMING, FASCINAT-

IT’S CHANGING ALL THE TIME! THERE ARE ALWAYS NEW VENUES, FORMIDABLE HOTELS, EXCEPTIONAL PLACES TO BE DISCOVERED… REPORT RÉMI DÉVÉ 161 congress hotels with 102,000 m2 of meeting space, no less than 6 convention centres including the largest one in Europe - and halls with 57,900 m2 of event space, 135 special venues where you can hold special events… Just have a look at the ﬁgures and Berlin will make you feel a little dizzy! It’s no wonder why the German capital is such a popular congress destination. The latest ICCA stats say it all: in 2007, the key conference hub between Western and Eastern Europe has moved to second place. Besides being an international trend-setting metropolis with an almost tangible vibrant

HEADQUARTERS 28

cultural lifestyle, it seems like there is always some kind of projects the association leader will ﬁnd interesting. In Berlin, railway stations are transformed into museums, remnants of the Berlin Wall become open-air galleries, new hotels open almost on a daily basis, old factories and impressive airports are converted into multifunctional event locations. Most important Berlin offers especially excellent value for money. For instance, ﬁnding decent accommodation for a reasonable price is quite easy, just as it is to go out to a restaurant without feeling you have just been robbed! Add to

If you’re eager to discover the Spree metropolis and the broad range of services of the Berliner suppliers, Berlin Convention Ofﬁce is organizing the event Meeting Place Berlin for a selected group of hosted buyers next July (see page 37). That could deﬁnitely be a good way to check out what Berlin is really about!

ING TOWN. SO WHY DOES IT NEED PROMOTION AS A CONGRESS DESTINATION? BECAUSE

Deutsches Historisches Museum Pei Bau

> BERLIN

“BERLIN KNOWS HOW TO THRILL ITS GUESTS” AN INTERVIEW WITH BURKHARD KIEKER THE PROMOTION OF BERLIN AS AN ESPE-

This year the focus of our activities with Berlin Convention Ofﬁce is on ‘Meeting Place Berlin’, our internationally renowned customer event. During this event selected hosted buyers have an opportunity to get to know the city and its offerings during a multi-day programme. Especially welcomed are the representatives of international associations.

CIALLY ATTRACTIVE DESTINATION FOR MEETINGS AND CONVENTIONS HAS NEVER BEEN SO STRONG. BURKHARD KIEKER, CEO OF BERLIN TOURISMUS MARKETING GMBH, EXPLAINS US WHY. HQ: You took over as the new CEO of Berlin Tourismus Marketing GmbH in January 2009. What are the main challenges in your new position? Burkhard Kieker: At the present time, the global economic situation has numerous imponderables for the development of the travel industry but we are nonetheless optimistic about 2009. Berlin has the most up-to-date hotel and congress landscape in Europe and offers its visitors excellent value for money. Hence, we are conﬁdent that Berlin will emerge as one of the winners in this crisis. Furthermore, over the next few months we will attract global attention to our city with a few special topics. HQ: Almost three years have passed since HeadQuarters wrote such a comprehensive report about the city of Berlin. How has Berlin changed since then? Burkhard Kieker: We are delighted that the congress destination Berlin has moved up to the second place of the ICCA Statistic last year. International participants in events particularly appreciate the excellent hotels, the diverse and, in some cases, really unusual meeting venues coupled with a cultural offering that sets international standards. Moreover, Berlin has one of the most up-to-date hotel landscapes in Europe with a capacity of almost 100,000 hotel beds. The diversity of the meeting locations is equally impressive. With O2 World that opened in 2008, Berlin now boasts one of the largest multifunctional arenas in the world. The International Congress Center Berlin was presented for the ﬁfth consecutive year with the World Travel Award in the category ‘Leading Conference & Convention Centre’. In addition, Berlin scores points among congress participants for its excellent image as a creative lifestyle metropolis

Burkhard Kieker

BERLIN HAS THE MOST UP-TO-DATE HOTEL LANDSCAPE IN EUROPE AND OFFERS ITS VISITORS EXCELLENT VALUE FOR MONEY that attracts artists from all over the world. This year the focus will be on the 20th anniversary of the Fall of the Wall. We invite you to come to Berlin and see what its residents have made out of this former divided city. HQ: Has the Berlin Convention Ofﬁce changed in a similar way? Burkhard Kieker: Under the direction of Heike Mahmoud, the Berlin Convention Ofﬁce (BCO) has presented the fascinating diversity of the convention metropolis Berlin to the entire world in the course of the last eight years. Together with its numerous partners, BCO is represented at all the big trade shows. Our own events last year, staged in cooperation with BTM Partnerhotels e.V. and Berlin Preferred Agencies were particularly successful. They included the UK Roadshow in London, the USA Roadshow in Chicago, Washington and New York and the Germany Roadshow in the spring.

HQ: What makes Berlin a thrilling congress destination? Burkhard Kieker: Berlin knows how to thrill its guests by day and night. This has to do not only with the fact that there are no closing hours for restaurants, bars or clubs. The events calendar lists some 1,500 events every day, a diversity that is unmatched anywhere else in Europe. 175 museums, more than 130 opera houses, theatres and ensembles and seven large symphony orchestras offer a wealth of entertainment in Europe’s capital of culture. HQ: Can you describe the feeling this city personally gives you? Burkhard Kieker: I am fascinated by the city that was lying like an island in an ocean of 50 years of history and division. And this fascination is also felt by millions of people all over the world.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION BERLIN CONVENTION OFFICE Am Karlsbad 11, 10785 Berlin www.berlin-convention-office.com www.meeting-place-berlin.com t: +49 (0)30 26 39 183 f: +49 (0)30 26 47 48 965 berlin-convention-office@b-c-o.com Member of ICCA, MPI, SITE, ECM, GCB, UIA

The BCO team

HEADQUARTERS 29

h d

> BERLIN

ICC BERLIN: A GEM ON THE SPREE METROPOLIS

Winning awards seems to become a habit for the ICC Berlin. In 2008, for the ﬁfth time running, it received one of the world’s most coveted awards for congress venues, the World Travel Award. This was presented in recognition of the architecture and diverse hall layout of the ICC Berlin, but also honoured the team of the Congress Division responsible for successfully organising and carrying out congresses. And when Wolfram Svoboda, ICC Berlin Marketing Manager, gave me a tour of the facility, I could certainly understand why.

Mr. Svoboda says it bluntly and has every reason to do so: ‘Our image is a very good one: because not only the infrastructure is more or less ideal but also the service and certainly the manpower make the difference.’ In fact, Messe Berlin’s Congress Division can look back on the most successful business year to date. 2008 witnessed an unprecedented number of large-scale congresses

ICC BERLIN IN FIGURES + 80 halls and rooms with seating space ranging from 5 to 5,000 participants + Boundless ﬂexibility and technical options + A 3-story bridge linking the ICC Berlin directly with the 160,000m2 of exhibition space (Messe) + personal favorite: the “round” Hall 6 which accommodates 200 people

in the ICC Berlin - 16 events welcomed more than 7,000 participants, and several high-level conferences in the Palais am Funkturm and on the Berlin Exhibition Grounds, resulting in a doubling of the turnover ﬁgures for 2005. The layout of the building and its technical systems make it possible to hold several events at the same time. Organising exhibitions to accompany congresses, poster shows or corporate presentations in the spacious foyer areas presents no problem at all. As Wolfram Svoboda puts it: ‘Our competiton is international. It somehow reﬂects what Berlin is about. And besides, we owe it to our clients to provide them with the best possible welcome.’ And I have to say: the place itself is still full of atmosphere. In 2009, the ICC Berlin will

UPCOMING CONGRESSES AT ICC BERLIN + International Forum on Quality and Safety in Health Care 2009, 18-20 March (3,000 participants) + DIA (Drug Information Association) - the 21st Annual EuroMeeting Berlin 2009, 22-25 March (4,000 scientists) + 14th Congress of the European Hematology Association, 4-7 June 2009 (5,000 participants) + EUROPACE 2009, 21-24 June (4,000 heart specialists) + 2nd European Congress of Immunology, 13-16 September 2009 (5,000 scientists) + Joint ECCO (European CanCer Organsiation) and 34th ESMO (European Society for Medical Oncology) Multidisciplinary Congress, 20-24 September 2009 (15,000 participants) + 18th EADV (European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology) Congress, 7-11 October 2009 (10,000 medical specialists) + International Congress of Ophtalmology, 6-10 June 2010 (6,000 participants)

celebrate its 30-year anniversary - it’s more or less the world ﬁrst purpose-built congress centre with an access to the fairground - and it seems it was designed yesterday, with a kind of retro-futuristic architecture. There are of course plans to renovate and even expand the space available: this will start around 2010, while the ICC Berlin is still running.

CONTACT Wolfram D. Svoboda, Marketing Manager svoboda@messe-berlin.de tel: +49(0)30 / 30 38-30 25 www.icc-berlin.com

HEADQUARTERS 31

> BERLIN

CASE STUDY: DGU - JOINT GERMAN CONGRESS OF ORTHOPAEDICS AND TRAUMA SURGERY

Carola Schröder

In 2008, the DGU - Joint German Congress of Orthopaedics and Trauma Surgery - took place, for the third time, at the ICC Berlin. It welcomed with 11,500 participants. In a few years, this congress has become the largest and most important German-language congress in its ﬁeld in Europe with international participation. Leading international

producers of medical technology and pharmaceuticals consistently feature among exhibitors. Carola Schröder, Head of Programme Management of Intercongress GmbH, explains why they chose the ICC Berlin. HQ: What were the selection criteria and processes that led to the nomination of Berlin and the ICC Berlin? Carola Schröder: Since 2003, two large conventions are combined: the Annnual Meeting of the German Society of Trauma Surgery (DGU) ist held together with the German Congress of Orthopaedics (DGOOC & BVOU). Berlin had hosted both congresses since 2001. The ICC Berlin was traditionally hosting the

DGU and had space enough for the combined meeting - so it was the easiest solution.

integrated. ICC and Messe Berlin matched the rising demands from year to year.

HQ: How did the ICC Berlin meet the requirements for your event? Carola Schröder: First, we had to

HQ: According to you, what are the main arguments in favour of Berlin and the ICC Berlin?

BERLIN IS THE CAPITAL OF GERMANY - MOST OF THE MEDICAL SOCIETIES HAVE THEIR HEADQUARTERS THERE enlarge the meeting to the fair ground in order to cope with the huge exhibition (5,000 m2). Subsequently, more rooms and halls were

Carola Schröder: Berlin is the capital of Germany - most of the medical societies have their headquarters there.

> BERLIN

BERLIN WOULDN’T BE SUCH A GREAT CONGRESS DESTINATION WITHOUT SOME DYNAMIC PEOPLE ENSURING THE CITY IS ON THE MAP AS ONE OF THE TOP CONVENTION CAPITALS. BIRGIT ZANDER IS THE PRESIDENT OF BERLIN PREFERRED AGENCIES. IN ADDITION TO BEING PULLMAN BERLIN SCHWEIZERHOF GENERAL MANAGER, MICHAEL CZERNIK IS THE SPEAKER OF THE MARKETING-PILLAR ‘MEETINGS, FAIRS, CONGRESSES’ WITHIN THE BTM-PARTNERHOTELS E.V.

Birgit Zander

HQ: What is exactly Berlin Preferred Agencies? Birgit Zander: Berlin Preferred Agencies is a network of 16 leading service providers for meetings, incentives, conferences, and events founded in 2002. We support the information and procurement services of the Berlin Convention Ofﬁce, providing detailed proposals as well as a full range of PCO services. HQ: How has it developed in the last few years? Birgit Zander: Berlin Preferred

Brandenburger Tor

Agencies is still growing. Meanwhile our agency pool consists of 30 additional Preferred Partners from a great variety of service sectors such as catering, technique, locations, restaurants, transport, personnel and many more. By this alliance the clients receive much more know how and excellent services paired with a pool of creativity, contacts and economic reliability. HQ: What do you think are Berlin’s main assets as a congress destination? Birgit Zander: Berlin offers the ideal environment for congresses and events of every kind, featuring a wide selection of ﬁrst class hotels, unique locations, food from around the world, and interesting events that are only to be found in a city like Berlin. The perfect price performance ratio and the ﬁrst class service of all partners in Berlin are our big advantages.

WWW.BERLIN-AGENCIES.COM

Michael Czernik

HQ: Tell us a little bit what Berlin has to offer in terms of accomodation. Michael Czernik: Berlin has nearly 100,000 hotel beds in all categories and an examplary modern infrastructure. Around 160 of the hotels in Berlin are especially designated conference hotels, all offering outstanding value for money. HQ: How has Berlin changed in the last few years regarding the hotels activities? Michael Czernik: The co-operation

of the hotels in terms of destination marketing under the umbrella of the Berlin Tourism Marketing GmbH and the Berlin Convention Ofﬁce did reach a new quality in the last years. We all have the same goal: to consolidate and extend the position of Berlin as one of the most exciting places in the world to host meetings. HQ: Why do you think congress goers should come to Berlin and not anywhere else? Michael Czernik: First of all, they should compare Berlin’s prices to the ones in other cities, and have a look to the whole package. It is a creative, ideally located city with unique cultural offers and a cosmopolitan atmosphere. With the Berlin Convention Ofﬁce we have installed a contact for comprehensive assistance to meeting planners. And due to Berlin’s rapid pace of change it makes sense to come regularly.

WWW.BTM-PARTNERHOTELS-EV.DE

HEADQUARTERS 33

> BERLIN

A SELECTION OF BERLIN’S SPECIAL VENUES: MAKE YOUR CHOICE! IN BERLIN, THERE IS NO ONE SQUARE METER LEFT WHERE SOMETHING MEMO-

axica © palast

RABLE CAN HAPPEN. IF YOU’RE LOOKING FOR STATE-OF-THE-ART VENUES OR OUTSTANDING LOCATIONS FOR A SPECIAL EVENT, LOOK NO FURTHER! OF COURSE IN THE THREE SHORT DAYS I SPENT IN BERLIN, I COULD ONLY CATCH A REALLY LIGHT GLIMPSE OF WHAT THE GERMAN CAPITAL

CAN OFFER…

axica - KONGRESS- UND VERANSTALTUNGSZENTRUM BERLIN

Berliner Fernsehturm

In the immediate surroundings of the Brandenburg Gate, the axica, an exclusive congress and convention centre, seems to be a participants’ favorite. Designed by Frank O. Gehry, the place is one of a kind. The Atrium of the light-ﬂooded building has an organic feel; the Plenum boasts a biomorphic shape, that of a diving whale. The conference theatre seats up to 85 people, while the spacious Forum accomodates up to 700 guests for cocktails and 350 for dinners.

Hangar 2 Flughafen Berlin Tempelhof

Garden Jewish Museum

O2 World

HEADQUARTERS 34

Opened a century ago offering endless and left in disarray for a few good years, this entertainment venue reopened in 2006. The Admirals theater seats up to 1,756 spectators and can be transformed into a ballroom. The Admiralspalast 101 accommodates up to 200 people for a seated dinner. The 423 seats of the Admiralspalast studio are removable to make room for concerts, parties or gala dinners.

BERLINER FERNSEHTURM Located on the famous Alexanderplatz, the impressive TV Tower offers not only an extraordinary view of Berlin, but has also become a famous event location. After a pleasant stay in the observation deck, you can check out the revolving restaurant on the upper ﬂoor. Buffets can be organized for up to 200 guests.

HANGAR 2 FLUGHAFEN BERLIN TEMPELHOF There’s no need to introduce the historic Berlin Tempelhof Airport. Behind its wall hides a modern venue, which was renovated in a manner true to the original of a historic hangar. The Hangar 2 has been the appropriate location for any event since 2000: receptions and banquets welcome up to 3,500 guests.

JEWISH MUSEUM Opened in 2001, the Jewish Museum Berlin stands out in the European museum landscape. Besides being a vibrant centre for German-Jewish history and culture, its function rooms offer space for private events, ranging from small select gatherings to full gala dinners in the glass-roofed atrium, designed for up to 500 people.

O2 WORLD Berlin now has one of the most state-of-theart arenas in the world for major sports and entertainment events. On the site of a former freight station, the O2 World, has a capacity of up to 17,000 visitors, 59 entertainment suites and a total arena area of 60,000m2.

OTHER SPECIAL VENUES WORTH TAKING INTO CONSIDERATION FOR YOUR EVENT + + + + + + + + + + + + +

Berliner Dom Filmpark Babelsberg GOYA Große Orangerie Schloss Charlottenburg Kalkscheune Meistersaal Kultur und Event GmbH Opernpalais Unter den Linden Salon Berlin Geﬂüster Spielbank Berlin TIPI am Kanzleramt bcc – berliner congress center Wasserwerk Berlin WISTA

> BERLIN

Seminaris CampusHotel Berlin, Science & Conference Center

Estrel Hotel and Convention Center

Steigenberger Hotel Berlin

InterContinental Berlin

BERLIN HOTELS: AN OFFER THAT WOULD MAKE OTHERS BLUSH

Pullman Schweizerhof Berlin

Adina Berlin Exterior

BEING A TREND-SETTING METROPOLIS, BERLIN BOASTS AN INCOMPARABLE OFFER WHEN IT COMES TO ACCOMODATION. THE CITY’S HOTEL LANDSCAPE IS ONE OF THE LARGEST AND MOST MODERN IN EUROPE - WITH NEARLY ALL MAJOR INTERNATIONAL HOTEL CHAINS PRESENT SOMEWHERE. THERE ARE CURRENTLY NEARLY 100,000 BEDS IN BERLIN, WITH, OF COURSE, EVEN MORE TO COME. HERE IS A SELECTION OF BERLIN’S CONGRESS HOTELS.

THE BRAND NEW ONES Berlin hotels have tailored their offering not only to tourists but also to the needs of convention organisers. If you’re into brand new facilitites, you’re sure to ﬁnd a few of them. Situated in the historic Mitte district, Adina Apartment Hotel Berlin Checkpoint Charlie boasts 5 spacious conference rooms, 127 air conditioned studios and apartments. Opening in March 2009, andel’s Hotel Berlin features 557 designer rooms, 3,800m2 of banqueting space and meeting space for up to 3,000 people. You should see it for yourself: its location, offer and character are simply unparalleled. And if you want to feel like a kind of a VIP student, why not try Seminaris CampusHotel Berlin, Science & Conference Center?

Its huge, very design glass cube offer 2,936 m2 of conference space, while its 186 ﬁrst-class rooms will meet the needs of the most demanding clients.

SURE VALUES I myself stayed at the ideally located Hotel Palace Berlin. Besides the Michelin-star rated restaurant ´ﬁrst ﬂoor´, this 5-star hotel has a 2,400m2 function area, divided into 18 banquet rooms. Together with InterContinental Berlin, Pullman Berlin Schweizerhof and Crowne Plaza Berlin City Center, it is part of a concept called ‘Destination Berlin’. The idea is to promote the accommodation and conference area along the Budapester Strasse as a whole. Together, these 4 hotels offer more than 1,600 rooms of all categories and 11038 m2 of meeting

Hotel Palace

space: this unique combination is like a small ‘village’ where the guests safely move around, a unique situation in Berlin. The Estrel Hotel & Convention Center is Germany’s largest conference hotel. It offers 15,000 m2 of useful space for events of all types and sizes. Its largest hall accommodates up to 6,000 people. Last but no least are Steigenberger Hotel Berlin and Maritim Hotels Berlin. Besides 386 rooms and 11 suites, the fomer offers to organize sustainable conferences in its 15 conference rooms for up to 300 persons on 444 m2. The latter is in fact twofold with Maritim Hotel Berlin and Maritim proArte Berlin. Maritim Hotel Berlin provides a total of 62 event rooms, for up to 6,200 people; the largest room in Maritim proArte Hotel Berlin is 1,000 m2 for up to 1,000 attendees.

More info on the hotels of the MarketingPillar ´Meetings, Fairs, Congresses´: www.btm-partnerhotels-ev.de

HEADQUARTERS 35

Experience the phenomenal: www.convention.palace.de

PA L AC E CONVE NT ION. FEATURING YOU. An executive seminar, a conference with 1,000 participants or the grand finale in our ballroom? Whatever you are planning, the 25,800 square feet function room area of our privately run, five-star hotel offers your guests everything they need. They will be thrilled. And your competitors envious. Meeting place Palace. Making room for you. · Inspiring city centre location with excellent transport connections · 282 luxurious rooms and suites with individual style · Certified business and conference hotel

Budapester Str. 45 · 10787 Berlin · Telephone +49 (0)30 25 02 0 Fax +49 (0)30 25 02 11 19 · www.palace.de · info@palace.de

> BERLIN

INVITATION TO MEETING PLACE BERLIN 2009: BE A PART OF THE 5TH INTERNATIONAL WORKSHOP FROM 2 TO 6 JULY 2009!

Meeting Place Berlin Sir Simon Rattle

THE IMPRESSIONS OF EX-PARTICIPANTS TO MEETING PLACE BERLIN SAY IT ALL: ‘BERLIN, A METROPOLIS WITH A HEART’ OR

Meeting Place Berlin Flag in front of Tempodrom

nies and agencies. The aim is to present the attractiveness of Berlin as a meeting and convention destination in the course of a multi-day workshop.

lin venues. They also visit the diverse meeting and conference venues in Berlin. The Meet Berlin Day showcases the special attractions of the Spree metropolis, during a tour that

‘BERLIN, THE RISING STAR!’ - IT SEEMS THAT NOBODY CAN GET ENOUGH OF IT! STAGED FOR THE FIRST TIME IN 2005, MEETING PLACE BERLIN, ORGANIZED BY THE BERLIN CONVENTION OFFICE (BCO) EVERY TWO YEARS, HAS MADE A NAME FOR ITSELF AS A COOPERATION PLATFORM FOR DECISIONMAKERS IN THE FIELD OF MEETINGS, CONGRESSES AND CONVENTIONS. IN A FEW YEARS, IT HAS EVEN BECOME A FIXTURE IN THE EVENTS CALENDAR OF THE CONVEN-

THE AIM IS TO PRESENT THE ATTRACTIVENESS OF BERLIN AS A MEETING AND CONVENTION DESTINATION IN THE COURSE OF A MULTI-DAY WORKSHOP During this extended weekend ﬁlled with information, site inspections and festivities, the participants are divided into two groups, each of which will attend three events based on a rotation system: Meet Professionals Day, Meet Facilities Day and Meet Berlin Day.

TION DESTINATION, BERLIN.

Today, together with BTM-Partnerhotels e. V. and Berlin Preferred Agencies, the BCO would like to invite you to this successful event, which will be held this year from 2 to 6 July. The target group consists of hosted buyers, like meeting and event organisers and organisers from associations, compa-

The name of these events are quite selfexplanatory. During Meet Professionals Day, convention planners have appointments with local suppliers, on which they had agreed beforehand. These providers range from ﬁvestar hotels and special events locations down to gourmet facilities and ﬁne restaurants. On the Meet Facilities Day the hosted buyers are given a professional overview of the Ber-

aim to enable all the participants to see for themselves the rich diversity of the German capital in terms of art, culture and history. One highlight will deﬁnitely be the concert during the Classic Open Air Festival on Gendarmenmarkt, one of the most beautiful squares in Berlin, on the Easter side of the city. This unique experience in a historical setting is also set to be the climax to Meeting Place Berlin 2009… waiting for Meeting Place Berlin 2011! For further information on and to register to Meeting Place Berlin 2009 please visit www.meeting-place-berlin.com

HEADQUARTERS 37

www.berlin-convention-office.com

BERLIN MAKES

YOUR HEART BEAT FASTER! Your Professional Partner for Meetings, Conventions and Incentives in Berlin Berlin Convention Office Berlin Tourismus Marketing GmbH

Phone +49 -30 -26 39 183 E-mail berlin-convention-office@b-c-o.com

e q u i re ! r u o y s a e c a p s As m u c h For International conferences, boardroom meetings, incentives or unforgettable gala events! We offer you a wide range of meeting space from 5 to 5.500 people, combined with high standard technology, 908 guests rooms in two hotels and International service. For further information please go to www.maritim.com

M proArte Hotel Berlin 路 Phone +49 (0) 30 2033-4411 路 meeting.bpa@maritim.com M Hotel Berlin 路 Phone +49 (0) 30 2065-1436 路 meeting.ber@maritim.com

COMING OUT SEPTEMBER’09 HEADQUARTERS MAGAZINE ASIA-PACIFIC EDITION MARCEL A.M. VISSERS

CÉCILE CAIATI-KOCH

Owner and Editor in Chief

Managing Director

Marcel A.M. Vissers, Owner and Editor in Chief, and Cécile Caiati-Koch, Managing Director, are proud to announce the launch of HeadQuarters magazine - Asia-Pacific Edition, the magazine for Asia-Pacific based international and regional associations The new magazine will be headquartered in Singapore from 1 September 2009 on

Distribution: 3,000 copies in 14 different Asia-Pacific countries Published 6 times a year To subscribe: pieter@meetingmedia.eu For special rates advertisement: cecile@meetingmedia.eu Send your press releases to: press@meetingmedia.eu

?HdX^Xq`e\ % Xj`X

4740

Also have a look at our website: www.hqmagazine.eu

HEADQUARTERS magazine, The Asia-Pacific Magazine for Association Executives To read Marcel’s thoughts about the meetings industry: marcelsblog.hqmagazine.eu

DDH

8 e\n [`d\ej`fe ]fi \m\i Y\kk\i j\im`Z\ Colloquium, the specialist in congress organization and management of professional associations, is now present in Brussels. Thanks to this European-scale development we are able to boost our international expertise and assistance capacities. We are now even closer and more responsive to you, conďŹ rming our ambition to provide our clients with the best possible consulting services. To ďŹ nd out more, go to colloquium-group.com

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