headquarters Published by Meeting Media Company (Europe) www.headquartersmagazine.com - press@headquartersmagazine.com
Denmark Cutting-edge conferencing MINDblowing meetings
facts DestinationFast Report Denmark
is a special edition of Headquarters Magazine November 2012
Introduction
Denmark - pioneering, productive and profitable Denmark continues to be a favourite conference destination based on its blend of conference techniques revolving around innovation, sustainability and effectiveness. Their style of conferences are a natural product of Danish society, focusing on essential corporate factors like cost-rewarding and pioneering standards, as well as captivating teaching techniques like Meetovation. Needless to say, meetings in Denmark have the potential to be MINDblowing.
Reliable and innovative Innovativeness remains an important factor in meetings for several reasons. In terms of business environments and corporate culture, teaching methods and learning techniques play an increasingly meaningful role when organising conferences. The use of ‘Meetovation’ – a Danish meeting design concept reliant on two-way communication and involvement – helps develop an innovative conference atmosphere. Such new concepts have as a goal the engagement of conference audiences, while promoting more effective learning through the use of physical facilities and the integration of local surroundings. As the word itself says, ‘Meetovation’ aims to combine elements of ‘Meetings and Innovation’ that rely on ecofriendliness, brain food, design and interaction between participants and speakers. 2
VisitDenmark and regional partners Wonderful Copenhagen, VisitAalborg, VisitAarhus and Inspiring Denmark all provide free of charge professional advice and assistance with regards to the organisation and promotion of international conferences. Such services may provide a helping hand for association planners and could also assist with the introduction of local services and liaising between various conference partners on the ground.
Green and tasty When helping the environment and providing ‘green’ alternatives, Denmark has pushed the boundaries by promoting sustainable conferencing. With a respectable track record – including the Danish EU Presidency in 2012 – Denmark boosts
several eco-friendly accomplishments. In 2012 the Danish meetings industry and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs ensured new certifications to maintain high environmental criteria, demonstrating their capabilities in organising large-scale events with optimal eco-standards. During the Danish EU Presidency in 2012, both Copenhagen and the city of Horsens in Jutland hosted over 15.000 delegates, while catering for political crowds from different countries with eco-certified hotels and ‘green’ food. ‘The complexities involved with organizing so many diverse events required a smart, efficient and flexible management system. The ISO 20121 standard helped us align our sustainability goals with practical business processes in a sensible and practical way. We felt a responsibility to deliver effective events at an efficient cost. Sustainable practices saved us money while protecting the quality for which Danish events are known,’ said Andreas Clausen-Boor, Head of Logistics for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Denmark.
Introduction
Already in 2009-2010, the Copenhagen Sustainable Meetings Protocol was written by the Danes on how the UN Climate Summit COP15 in Copenhagen in December 2009 was certified in accordance with eco-friendly standards and low emissions. Fine cuisine is also playing a role in shaping green and innovative conferences in Denmark. Copenhagen alone offers more Michelin star restaurants than Rome, Vienna and Amsterdam. As the 2012 Michelin guide awarded Copenhagen’s restaurants a total of 14 Michelin, guests now have the chance to dine in acclaimed kitchens like noma and Geranium. Other first-rate restaurants around the country include Mortens Kro in Aalborg and Dragsholm Slot on Sealand both of which incorporate local and ecological ingredients in different ways.
Ti Trin Ned in Fredericia
In essence, Denmark appeals to most sectors of the meeting industry, ranging from intimate board meetings to big-scale conferences.
Be inspired by our Meetovation movie Ofelia Beach
Why Denmark is an advisable choice: Sustainable and Green – The 2012 Global Green Economy Index (GGEI), which measures green city reputations, ranks Copenhagen as the world’s leading green city. Close to two thirds of Copenhagen’s hotels are certified as eco-friendly and few other destinations can boost as much about their track record in terms of hosting green events and upholding sustainable standards. Easy Access: from abroad and at home – Denmark has international flights from Copenhagen, Aarhus, Aalborg and Billund, covering all parts of the country proficiently. Service and Assistance – VisitDenmark and regional partners Wonderful Copenhagen, VisitAalborg, VisitAarhus and Inspiring Denmark are the one-stop shops when organizing conferences. They can help with everything from bookings to coordination and site inspections. Conference Methods – Denmark’s MINDblowing events incorporate the ‘Meetovation’ approach, which can help with feedback and comprehension through the interaction of participants. Great Gastronomy – There appears to be an increasing number of eco-friendly restaurants across Denmark, catering to different tastes
and styles. Restaurants like BioMio in the Copenhagen Meat Packing District – which can seat approximately 200 guests – strictly rely on organic ingredients. Others, like Cap Horn in Nyhavn, Copenhagen, rely on seasonal and partly organic ingredients. Eminent restaurants outside Copenhagen, which also emphasize on local produce, include Malling & Schmidt in Aarhus and Ti Trin Ned in Fredericia. Conference Venues - Denmark offers an array of large-scale, medium and small conference venues. Venues include the popular Scandic Hotels or Comwell Hotels scattered across the country and unique places such as the Utzon Centre in Aalborg, Trapholt museum in Kolding, the Concert Hall in Aarhus and Copenhagen’s prominent Royal Opera House. Sustainable costs – Its possible to be sustainable even when it comes to money. For instance, the Danish Presidency in 2012 approximately spent one-third of the costs previously spent by other member states. This was estimated to have saved the Danish government over 85 million Euro’s, simply by promoting reasonable and sustainable costs. Sustainability in Denmark is, as such, more than as focus on the environment. It is common sense and triple bottom line. 3
Green and Sustainable
State of Green Denmark has a long history of promoting environmentally friendly initiatives. Only this year, Copenhagen was ranked as the ‘greenest city in the world’ by GGEI, while being nominated European Green Capital 2014. For sustainable events, its advantages are obvious! It’s a known fact that Denmark produces many of the world’s wind turbines, leading the way for renewable energy. Similarly, at home, Denmark has hosted several climate friendly events, including the UN Climate Summit COP15 in 2009 and the Danish EU Presidency in 2012. Today, ‘green’ has become an integral part of doing business and organizing events, which means that hotels, restaurants and conference venues are increasingly turning to ecological alternatives to decrease CO2 emissions. Throughout the past years, Denmark has continued to improve when it comes to green meetings and conferences, while upholding new standards for better ecological practice. As a result of this trend, 64% of hotels in Copenhagen are now fully eco-certified. Similarly, many hotels provide environmentally friendly meals, to help lower emissions and support a ‘greener trend’.
Forum Horsens during the Danish EU Presidency
Denmark’s second largest city, Aarhus, also proved important for European standards in 2012 with 40% of its hotel rooms providing clients with eco-certifications and by the end of 2013 the number of certified rooms will have increased by approximately 150%.
Going Green The Green Key®, an internationally available eco-label, has been awarded to 95 hotels and conference venues in Denmark. The eco-label promotes new sustainability approaches, relying on new eco-friendly criteria like minimizing water use, eco-education and pre-sorting waste and is nowadays established in more than 35 countries. Renewable energy and sustainable ideas have also meant new values and better long-term visions for the Danish meetings industry. Green conference venues like the Bella Center and the Hotel Scandic Copenhagen have invested in protecting the environment, while ensuring maximum standards for clients. Hotel Scandic Copenhagen and its sister hotels in all of Scandinavia consciously tackles environmental issues by promoting responsible use of water, while also training its staff members in sustainable practices. The Bella Center – Scandinavia’s largest congress and conference venue - has already reduced its CO2 emissions by approximately 19%, while it envisions a total reduction of 25% by 2015. Or as stated by Michael Luehrs, President of Green Meeting Industry Council (GMIC): ‘The future is changing, we are progressively seeing more organisations gaining competitive advantage by using sustainability as a lens through which they can design better meetings and drive innovation. Denmark proves this!’ 4
What does green actually mean in Denmark? Green means trying to save by focusing on wasting less. Due to environmental standards, hotels emphasize on providing sustainable energy efficiency through insulation and heat. Many venues and hotels also prefer focusing on home produce and better durability, through locally produced food and ecological methods of preparation. Green means the importance of know-how, structures and skills, which can be found in countries like Denmark, due to their sustainable approach when handling political gatherings and large events. This is highlighted when looking at their emphasis on green accommodation and infrastructure, both in meetings as well as throughout society.
Be inspired by sustainable meetings in Denmark
Meetovation
Thinking outside the box When it comes to MINDblowing meetings, Denmark has its own methods and tactics, known simply as ‘Meetovation’. As it proves important to ensure conference participation, ‘Meetovation’ produces new techniques to support increased communication and better interaction, while trying to avoid the inactive and conventional model of conferences. With the introduction of the ‘Meetovation’ concept, it seems like Denmark wishes to rejuvenate the conference industry - and rightly so! While emphasising on a high Return on Meeting Investment (RoMI), there appears to be a conscious effort to help attendees always ‘think outside the box’ without forgetting the purpose of any given event. At the centre of ‘Meetovation’ lie the involvement of participants, sustainable and green ideas and the creative use of physical surroundings. More specifically, it comprises of four key concepts, including participation, creative setups, responsible thinking and local inspiration. All four factors play an important role in enabling a different and more innovative experience for the conference public. In practice, methods include ‘everything ranging from Walk n Talks’ and ‘Brain Food’ to different types of exercise and communication tactics. The ‘Brain Food’ concept (for more, see page 6) aims at maximizing participation and energy by relying healthy food to heighten brain performance.
According to specialists, our interactions count and so do the ways in which we involve the conference setting, layout and design. This, in turn, could help increase the learning curve of participants, while emphasising on high content levels and allowing attendees to obtain much more from their visits. Based on this line of thinking, it proves important to make sure that the traditional structure of venues are individually altered to fit every singly conference. Similarly, the physical changing of settings, including furniture and objects plays a role in revitalising attendees during the conference. This October, the Radisson Blu Hotels launched their ‘Experience Meetings’ concept – based on ideas very much in line with the Danish approach to creating innovative meetings. The hotel chain’s new services in combination with in-house ‘Meetovators’, makes the seven Radisson Blu hotels in Denmark genuine providers of innovative and inspiring meeting designs – Danish style.
Other venues also offer modern and aesthetical design surroundings, while providing the architectural flexibility to move around furniture and objects to shape the desired atmosphere. At disposal are conference centres like the Bella Center, Forum Copenhagen, CPH Conference and Aalborg Kongres & Kultur Center, all of which are willing to accommodate ‘Meetovation’ methods. Another interesting venue is Hotel Legoland Conference, where the setting is inspired by LEGO® brick and using your creativity to combine your meeting facilities exactly as you want it. Apart from hotels and venues offering in-house Meetovators, there is also the possibility to use professional conference organizers, such as ICS, BDP and DMC. To this date, 260 corporate meeting local planners and key staff members from some 80 hotels, congress centers, theaters and conferences from across the country have completed the educational programme and are certified “Meetovators”. (www.visitdenmark. com/meetovation)
FRESH Conferences An example of a successful event - inspired and guided by innovative thinking - is the ‘FRESH conference. Held in Copenhagen in January 2012, FRESH managed to promote and secure new technology, hybrid meetings and social media. In line with its core concept, it also created fresh formats, implying new presentation techniques, designs, the latest learning techniques and surprising science. ‘The FRESH Conference experiments with fresh ideas, start fresh trends, launch novelties and anything else that generates value in meetings
and makes them more effective’ according to Maarten Vanneste, President of the Meeting Support Institute, author of ‘Meeting Architecture’ and organiser of the FRESH conferences. Be inspired by
Following the successful completion of the first-ever MINDblowing FRESH conference, the next event takes place on meetings in 13-15th January 2013 in Copenhagen, Denmark too! Denmark (http://www.thefreshconference.com) 5
Gastronomy
Geranium in Copenhagen
Scandinavia’s gastronomic sensation Within the past decade, Denmark has become one of the fastest growing culinary destinations in Europe – varying between fine cuisine and affordable delicacies. Copenhagen is well known merging traditional and modern food, offering association planners extensive choice and variety. In terms of style, cost and size, Denmark provides a range of alternatives, from the intimate up-scale meal to large scale dining. The importance of food should not be undermined, especially when it comes to conferences and meetings! It’s therefore comforting to know that Denmark provides a rather extensive variety of foods, both in Copenhagen and at restaurants across the country. Its cuisine catapulted onto the list of culinary destinations less than a decade ago, with restaurants creating new micro-cuisine, relying on locally made raw materials and organic produce. And beyond fine dining, it also has a large selection of affordable catering, including traditional Danish produce, international cuisine and fusion foods. As a result, Copenhagen is now defined as an important culinary destination, outranking all of Scandinavia and overtaking cities like Rome, Vienna and Berlin. On the list of restaurants is of course the renowned noma, which won the first place on the Restaurant Magazine’s annual top 50 list in 2010 and – again – in 2011 and 2012. Culinary contributions have also come from Relæ and its head chef Christian Puglisi, 6
formerly at noma. Located in the middle of the Nørrebro area in Copenhagen, this Michelin starred restaurant lies in a rustic cellar and offered an array of simple dining at reasonable prices. Restaurants like Le Sommelier, Kødbyens Fiskebar and Søren K also share great food at more affordable prices, while all of them having been awarded the Bib Gourmand, an award given by the Michelin Guide to tasty, yet affordable restaurants. Outside the capital, other gastronomic gems include Henne Kirkeby Kro in Jutland, Falsled Kro on Funen and, of course, Frederikshøj Kro in Aarhus. All three venues encapsulate the bridge between traditional and modern, relying in part on local ingredients from the surrounding area, while maintaining a contemporary approach to service and style. Based in the Danish countryside, they also provide an intimate experience of luxury and traditionalism, allowing guests to benefit from the inn’s home grown vegetables and herbs.
Falsled Kro on Funen
BRAIN FOOD! According to scientists, the consumption of regular, healthy and tasty food will increase the performance and concentration of attendees during events and conferences. In cooperation with nutrition experts Radisson Blu Hotels created their own special version of brain food, simply called Brain Food. The focus was – and is - no providing a culinary remedy for fatigue and lack of concentration. Its core remedy relies on increased intake of fish, fruit, vegetables and locally produced ingredients. Another important factor is its reliance on organic products, void of unhealthy elements. In September 2010 the Brain Food concept was launched at all Radisson Blu Hotels across Denmark, aiming to create the best culinary settings for guests attending conferences and events. With the purpose of boosting participation Brain Food is now fully incorporated at all meetings unless a client wishes for something else. Be inspired by gastronomy in Denmark
Design
Black Diamond
D in Design
Hotel Bella Sky Comwell
Over the years, design and architecture have played a role in influencing conference methods and meeting techniques, including ‘Meetovation’. The association can be explained by looking at how these methods have drawn some of their inspiration from the Danish way of solving problems, at times combining aesthetics, exercise, design and innovativeness. In accordance with ‘Meetovation’, architectural surroundings have a major impact on conferences and participants more generally. It therefore appears essential that events be hosted in aesthetical and modern surroundings, inspiring open-mindedness and innovation. Both the Black Diamond, situated in Copenhagen, and the Utzon Center in Aalborg are architecturally inspiring buildings, which fall in line with new conference tactics, while also possessing capacity of up to 600 and 150 person respectively for different kinds of meetings. Among the designers and architects, who have influenced Danish culture over the years are Henning Larsen (the Royal Opera) and Arne Jacobsen (notorious for design objects like ‘The Egg’ chair and creator of the ‘world’s first designer hotel’; the Radisson Blu Royal Hotel).
Danish greenhorn Bjarke Ingels (BIG) has already won several awards for his extravagant sustainable architecture in the district of Ørestad in Greater Copenhagen.Other spectacular venues throughout the country include ARoS in Aarhus, designed by Hammer Schmidt Lassen and with an impressive panoramic skywalk entitled ‘Your rainbow panorama’ by Danish-Icelandic artist Olafur Eliasson and a capacity of up to 200 people on request. With such a variety of choice, conference planners have ample opportunities to pick between different types of artistic, cultural and design venues to influence their conference methods and meetings. With ‘Meetovation’ in mind, all major Danish cities offer exemplary ranges of original settings, varying from outdoors, waterfront locations and indoor sites.
Denmark offers spacious and large conference venues, including the Bella Center, Tivoli Congress Center, CPH Conference, Forum Copenhagen, the Aalborg Kongres & Kultur Center and Scandinavian Congress Center in Aarhus. These venues provide from medium to large capacities, with the Bella Center accommodating up to 12.000 people, while providing the best services in terms of catering and tasteful settings. Other large venues include the Odense Congress Centre on Funen, which can host up to 5000 people, and MCH in Herning with a maximum capacity at 15.000 attendees not to forget the MESSE C in Fredericia, which can host up to 10.000 people with major trade shows, congresses and conferences. Beyond innovative architecture and Nordic design, these locations attract clients based on their flexibility and impeccable customer service.
Radisson Blu Scandinavian Hotel in Aarhus
In line with artistic expression and avant-garde design, Denmark also offers guests the unique opportunity to host conferences in iconic design buildings such as the Concert Hall in Aarhus, Fænglset in Horsens and Alsion in Sønderborg.
Be inspired by architecture and design in Denmark 7
VisitAarhus Convention Bureau Kristian Rødbro | kr@visitaarhus.com VisitAalborg Convention Bureau Hanne Kristiansen | HK@aalborg.dk
Wonderful Copenhagen Convention Bureau Steen Jakobsen | stj@woco.dk VisitDenmark Convention Bureau Anh Thi Van Nguyen | atn@visitdenmark.com
Inspiring Denmark Diana Andersen | da@inspiringdenmark.dk
For more information about conferences in Denmark: www.visitdenmark.com/meetdenmark