MCCA Corporate Social Responsibility Report 2013 by Jose Nieto

commitment to social responsibility, we invite you to visit our website at massconvention.com/community/ corporate-social-responsibility.

Massachusetts Convention Center Authority 415 Summer Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02210 t 617.954.2000 f 617.954.2299 massconvention.com | T5Boston.com /MassConvention @MassConvention massachusetts-convention-center-authority

What moves us: Corporate Social Responsibility Report 2012â&#x20AC;&#x201C;2013

To learn even more about our

What moves us

2012â&#x20AC;&#x201C;2013 Corporate Social Responsibility Report

What moves us

The Massachusetts Convention Center Authorityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s mission is to host important events that generate significant economic impact for Massachusetts and support business development in the industries that are important to our economy. But we believe this mission extends further: to give back to the communities that make Boston a unique, diverse and engaging destination.

While we host people from all over

As a state authority, it is important

the world, we remain focused on

to show how we are performing

our connections to the communi-

as a business, but also how we

ties and people of Massachusetts.

are contributing to the citizens and

We do this by supporting important

communities of the Commonwealth.

programs that help people change

Last year’s inaugural Corporate

their lives; significantly reducing our

Social Responsibility report pro-

impact on the environment; open-

vided a broad overview of our

ing our venues for local cultural

outreach, from diversity initiatives

and civic events; showcasing local

to our environmental awareness.

artists to thousands of visitors; and

In this year’s report, we dive deeper,

encouraging a culture of caring and

telling the stories of some of the

giving with our employees.

incredible partnerships and enduring impact we’ve made with the

The MCCA’s commitment to

communities and people of Boston,

positive corporate social respon-

Springfield, and Massachusetts.

sibility starts at the top with our special board committee and executive team, who set goals and

Michelle A. Shell

real benchmarks to measure our

Board Chair

progress. The social responsibility board committee members include chair Ann Conlon Roosevelt

James E. Rooney

and board members Carol Fulp,

Executive Director

Vanessa Otero and Darryl Settles.

Reducing our footprint

A great deal of responsibility comes with operating four large facilities, especially when it comes to sustainability and green practices. At the MCCA, we are recognized leaders in the meetings and conventions industry in reducing our centersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; greenhouse gas emissions, energy and water consumption. And we bring our events in on the action through programs like Conventions 2

C.A.R.E. (Community Assistance by Responsible Events), through which exhibitors donate clean, usable and non-perishable items from their booths rather than pay to ship the items back home. We sort the donations and get them to nonprofits across Massachusetts.

Save That Stuff Finding green inside

a mountain of trash

Erik Levy & Adam Mitchell Save That Stuff, Charlestown, MA

â&#x20AC;&#x153;The world of recycling dramatically, so we see organizations easily a while they do it.â&#x20AC;?

continues to change e our role as helping adapt and save money Erik Levy, Founder & Partner, Save That Stuff

Prone to making snow angels in 20-

and Mitchell have teamed with the

foot-tall mounds of cardboard, Erik

MCCA to completely transform our

Levy and Adam Mitchell never see

recycling program. Working with

trash, only opportunity. Founded

our building services department,

by Erik Levy in 1990, Save That

Mitchell helped us set up an orga-

Stuff, Inc. was created to provide

nization-wide sustainable recycling

cost-effective and sustainable alter-

collection system, increased the

natives to waste disposal while also

number of commingled recycling

engaging the community in sustain-

containers throughout our facili-

able practices. Today, the organiza-

ties and provided tips to improve

tion serves over 2,000 New England

our kitchen composting program,

businesses, including the Boston

where we now compost 98% of all

Convention & Exhibition Center

food waste. Their passion and spirit

(BCEC), John B. Hynes Veterans

of innovation continues to inspire

Memorial Convention Center and

our daily facility operations and has

the Boston Common Garage. They

helped us become a leader in the

arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t just in the recycled-waste

conventions and meeting industry

removal business. Since we began

when it comes to sustainability.

working with Save That Stuff, Levy 8

In 2012 the MCCA: Recycled 665.37 tons through Save That Stuff Diverted 43% of waste from landfills Donated 125,900 pounds (62.9 tons) of goods through Conventions C.A.R.E. Reduced CO2 by 15.8% from 2008–2012 In 2013 the MCCA was awarded: A “Best Green Practices Award” from the Boston Business Journal for innovation with our Conventions C.A.R.E Program The “Stanley Cup of Sustainability” Highest Score award from A Better City 9

Recycled Using MCCA waste to inspire

Lessons middle school engineers

â&#x20AC;&#x153;My goal is to make engineering class different from other classes, but still have students take away important life skills through hands-on learning.â&#x20AC;? Mary Belge, Engineering Teacher, Dedham Middle School, Dedham, MA 12

Dedham Middle School students have the most organized lockers around, thanks to the lessons of their engineering teacher, Mary Belge. Belge is bringing hands-on learning to Dedham Middle School in a big way as

of her class budget. She decided

the school’s first, and newly-hired,

to reach out to the MCCA to see

engineering teacher. Hired in part

what events did with the leftover

to help students’ proficiency in

foam core board typically used for

science and math, Belge also

signage at our convention centers.

brings a passion for teaching

We started stockpiling leftover

problem-solving and teamwork

foam board for Belge the next

to the classroom. Recently, Belge

day. Now, instead of discarding

designed a lesson that required

this unrecyclable material, the

her students to create “The World’s

foam board continues to have a

Best Organizer,” but she needed

purpose and is currently stacked

sturdy materials that were outside

ceiling high in Ms. Belge’s classroom. However, she may soon have to share with a co-worker— the bright white board is also an excellent light reflector for pictures, something that caught the Dedham Middle School photography teacher’s eye.

Partnering with the arts

At the MCCA, we take full advantage of Bostonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s excellence in the arts. Through our partnerships with local artists, we work together to develop rotating exhibitions, to find the perfect sculpture for a unique convention center space, to help us create competitions to fill our outdoor Marquee with innovative and animated digital works, and so much more. And the artwork on display at our facilities isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t 14

just meant to be enjoyed by conventioneers from around the world, but residents as well, whether they attend one of our public art receptions, or just view it passing by on their way to and from work.

Lori Lander, Artist Cambridge, MA

Woman

Capturing the rhythm of life around the world

at Work

“I’m drawn to the special grace of women as they go about the rhythms and rituals of their daily lives.” Lori Lander, Artist

exhibition, which featured the work of 13 artists who live, work or exhibit in Cambridge. The exhibition was a part of our Neighborhood Art Program, a rotating exhibition that has featured more than 15 different art communities throughout Greater Boston. While Lander is used to creating collections for solo and group shows—in the last 10 years, she’s exhibited her artwork in more than 15 shows—this was the first time Artist Lori Lander uses oil paint-

she had to pick pieces to hang on a

ings to portray the daily lives

convention center wall. At the BCEC,

of women across the world, from

her striking depictions of resilient

Mexico to Tanzania. Lander

and graceful Balinese women were

travels to study her subjects, taking

shown next to sculptures, photog-

pictures of scenes where women

raphy and watercolors—a brilliant

interact in the marketplace, work

collection, full of strong shapes

in fields or tend to their families.

and colors that brought our facility’s

Lander then returns home to paint

walls to life. That’s why we chose

them on large canvases in her

Lander’s work, along with the work

Cambridge, Massachusetts home

of the other Cambridge artists.

studio, exploring with movement,

Not to fill a blank space on our

color and light through pattern and

walls, but to make our walls reflec-

texture. In 2012, she brought the

tive of the diverse and innovative

women of Bali, Indonesia to the

art community surrounding our

BCEC in the Cambridge Connects

convention centers.

Art on Screen Boston Cyberarts expands its canvas

â&#x20AC;&#x153;I love watching the artists when they see their work on the big screen for the first time. Their eyes get real wide and their jaws drop. That brings me a lot of joy.â&#x20AC;? George Fifield, Founder & Director, Boston Cyberarts, Jamaica Plain, MA 23

George Fifield’s job is to encour-

screen LED media tower. We work

age people to play video games.

with Boston Cyberarts to develop

At least that’s part of his job as

themes, recruit artists and choose

the Founder & Director of Boston

the finalists for display on the

Cyberarts, a nonprofit arts organiza-

Marquee. Art on the Marquee col-

tion created to foster, develop and

lections have featured artists from

present a wide spectrum of media

across the state with a variety of

arts, including electronic and digital

themes, from subtle works that can

experimental arts programming. On

play on the tower late at night, to

Fridays, Fifield mans the front desk

works created by members of the

of the Boston Cyberarts Gallery,

Massachusetts gaming industry

located on the ground floor of the

designed to run during PAX East.

Green Street train stop in Jamaica Plain. The gallery features rotating collections created by local artists; the most recent exhibit asked members of Boston’s digital gaming industry to create pieces that investigate the art of video games. It was inspired by PAX East 2013, the East Coast’s largest video game convention, which took place at the BCEC in March, in tandem with the Cyberarts exhibit. Fifield’s work at Boston Cyberarts was the perfect fit for the MCCA’s Art on the Marquee Program, an ongoing project where local artists are commissioned to create public media art for display on the BCEC’s 80-foot-tall multi-

City of Work, Michael Lewy

MCCA Neighborhood Art Program In 2012

Since 2007

19 artists featured 94 pieces shown 4 public art receptions held

586 artists featured 1,321 pieces shown 34 public art receptions held

Art on the Marquee Since 2011

6 different digital collections 44 different works shown, all by Massachusetts artists More than 46 artists featured 25

Opening our doors

Convening is what we doâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;whether on the global scale or at the community level. Our facilities thrive , thanks in large part to the remarkable communities surrounding them. From passionate life-long residents, to world-renowned businesses, to neighborhoods rich with art and culture, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s these communities that make Massachusetts a desirable destination for events from around the world to convene. 26

But our facilities arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t just for visitors. We are proud to not only host and support local events at our facilities, but also welcome opportunities to invite the community inside to experience convention center activity firsthand.

Community Servings and

the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s biggest bake sale

“Pie in the Sky is more than a fundraiser. It’s about community spirit and working together. More than 600 people, from students to CEOs work together to sell pies and help those who need it most.” David Waters, CEO, Community Servings, Jamaica Plain, MA

At Community Servings in Jamaica

exhibit hall nice and cool for fresh

Plain, Massachusetts, CEO David

pies, and some of our staff even

Waters and his extraordinary team

volunteered to help sort. 2012 was

are serving 7,500 lunches and

Pie in the Skyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 20th Anniversary

dinners a week to nearly 800

and their second year at the BCEC.

individuals and families throughout

All in all, they raised $565,000

Massachusetts who are homebound

to help feed the critically ill in

with a life-threatening illness.

Massachusetts. It turns out the

To fundraise for this work, Waters

BCEC is the perfect place for the

created the annual Pie in the Sky

Worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Greatest Bake Sale.

Thanksgiving pie sale, an event now replicated in cities around the country. Every November, 150 Boston chefs donate more than 16,000 pies, which Community Servings then sorts, packages and sells at 100 different locations. It takes a lot of space, a lot of volunteers, easy access to load vehicles and just the right temperature to make this operation possible. When our board chair, Michelle Shell, who also serves on the Community Servings Board, suggested Waters use the BCEC as the main sorting and packaging location, the perfect partnership was born. Our center had more than enough space, we kept the

275,000 community members hosted at charitable events in FY12 Timeline of Community Events hosted in 2012 January

November

Martin Luther King Jr. Breakfast

Celebration of Life Thanksgiving Dinner

March

Pie In The Sky, Community Servings

South Boston Citizens’ Association Dinner May

December

First Night Boston

Massachusetts Gaming Commission meetings

Christmas in the City

June

City of Boston’s We Are Boston Gala

Massachusetts Army National Guard 972nd Military Police Company Send-Off

El Jolgorio Navideño

MA Fallen Heroes Memorial Dinner

Isidro Roman III, Springfield, MA

A Fanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Dream Six-year-old Izzy Roman has an

unforgettable day in Springfield

“It’s nice to have a family activity that we can all enjoy on the weekends. Izzy has been looking forward to this day for weeks.” Angie Allard, Izzy’s mother

Six-year-old Isidro “Izzy” Roman III

catch a semi-final championship

of Springfield, Massachusetts, has

game at the MassMutual Center

basketball in his DNA—his grand-

Arena. The MAAC Fan Fest is run

father, Isidro Roman, played against

by a local organizing committee

Basketball Hall of Famer Patrick

and MassMutual Center staff, who,

Ewing in the 1979 state champi-

in addition to managing the tourna

onship game for Holyoke High

ment, also coordinate a local

School. So when the Metro Atlantic

college fair, cheer and dance

Athletic Conference (MAAC) Champi

clinics, and sponsor the bounce

onships came to the MassMutual

house free-for-all in the MassMutual

Center in March, his parents jumped

Center exhibit hall. And while you

at the opportunity to get him on

may have seen a few of our staff

the court. At the annual MAAC

members having some fun on an

Fan Fest, hundreds of kids like Izzy

inflatable slide, they do it all for the

were able to shoot hoops in the

community and kids like Izzy, as a

Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall

way to bring the community into

of Fame, dribble a ball through

our buildings and celebrate the

downtown Springfield in the Bounce

events that reflect Springfield’s

to the Arena Parade, spend the

culture and history.

afternoon hopping from bounce house to bounce house, and even 35

Working in the neighborhood

The success of our convention centers would not be possible without the support and hard work of the people and businesses in our communities. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s why the MCCA is committed to building and sustaining partnerships with local businesses and the many charitable organizations surrounding our facilities working to build a stronger Massachusetts. From

our Community Partnership Grants program, which has provided $2,394,189 in eventgenerated funding to nonprofits across Greater Boston, to our Local Vendor Fairs designed to connect our food and beverage provider, Levy Restaurants, with local businesses, we are dedicated to supportingâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;and working alongsideâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;our neighbors.

Teens Make Good BUILD helps create a new

class of entrepreneurs

BUILD students from Another Course to College High School, Brighton, MA

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Entrepreneurship is the hook that gets these students excited about learning again. The excitement carries through high school, and they actually want to continue to learn by going off to college.â&#x20AC;? Ayele Shakur, Regional Executive Director, BUILD, Boston, MA

Ayele Shakur knows that if you want to get kids excited about learning, you need to give them something to be excited about. As Regional Executive Director of BUILD: Greater Boston, Shakur is doing just that. A four-year program that begins as a ninth-grade elective in partner high schools and continues throughout a studentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s senior year as an after-school program, BUILD uses the lessons of entrepreneurship to teach students about working hard, being self-

is working together on an athletic

confident and networking to create

sock that has a secure pocket

a stronger community, all while

on the side for small valuables to

improving their academic skills

be stored during workouts. In 2012,

and giving students a reason to

the MCCA helped fund BUILD

stay in school. Through BUILD,

programs through our Community

Shakur helps Boston students

Partnership Grant Program, which

develop products from the ground

is funded by revenue generated from

up, buy material to produce them

consumer shows and encourages

and even pitch their ideas to inves-

local Boston nonprofit organizations

tors with the potential to start a

to apply for grants or donations.

real business. Shakur worked with

We are proud to support innova-

one group of student entrepreneurs

tive community programs like

to create a pen with an MP3 player

BUILD, a program designed to

attached that allows students to

excite and engage high-risk chil-

work on their homework while

dren and give them a reason to

also playing music. Another group

stay in school.

Since 2007 the MCCA has awarded: $2,394,189 in Community Partnership Grants $65,000 in Hospitality Scholarships In 2012 MCCA purchased 56% of food and beverage from local vendors

Girls Build Lives A construction company

that knocks down roadblocks

Me’Chelle “Mikey” Miles is tough

shape the person she became. In

as nails. You have to be when

2009, she decided to combine her

you work in the predominately

trade with her passion for com-

male profession of carpentry. But

munity service. She created the

Miles has never let the fact that

Sisters @ Work Summer Youth

she wears a pink construction hat

Program, designed to reach and

stop her from doing the work she

mentor high-risk girls growing up

loves. Instead, she was inspired

in her very own childhood commu-

by the roadblocks she faced, and

nities. Through the nine-week pro-

created her own construction

gram, Miles introduces girls to the

company in 2005, called Sisters

building trades and teaches them

@ Work (S.A.W.). Miles, who grew

life skills, work readiness, finan-

up in Roxbury, Dorchester, and

cial literacy, career exploration,

Hyde Park, has also always felt an

and health education. In 2012,

intense need to give back and sup-

the MCCA provided Mikey and

port the communities that helped

S.A.W. Summer Youth Program with its first grant. Miles received a check for $5,000 through our Community Partnership Grant Fund. Today, the check proudly hangs in Mikey’s home office where she now works full-time to better the lives of young women.

“I’m a passionate leader with energy, tenacity and ideas, but the MCCA’s Community Grants Program helped me get S.A.W. off the ground and running.” Me’Chelle “Mikey” Miles, Founder & Executive Director S.A.W., Roslindale, MA 47

Sweet and Local A Boston bakery makes good

at home and across the nation

Maggie Kerr David Lamlein Dancing Deer Baking Company, Hyde Park, MA

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Dancing Deer makes a great, local product that gives our attendees a true taste of Boston.â&#x20AC;? Tim Townsell, General Manager, Levy Restaurants, Hynes Convention Center

local goods as well: we’re serving up 30,000 Dancing Deer cookies every year at the BCEC and Hynes Convention Center. Two years ago, Maggie Kerr and David Lamlein of Dancing Deer attended one of the MCCA’s first Local Vendor Fairs. Founded in 1994 right here in

Our Local Vendor Fairs were held

Boston, Dancing Deer Baking

regularly to help local businesses

Company is now sending gourmet

learn more about our operations,

brownies, cookies, cakes and

and to help our internal food and

specialty items across the nation.

beverage partner, Levy Restaurants,

In fact, Dancing Deer brownies are

fill our kitchens with local ingre-

literally flying cross country every

dients and products. Since then,

day, thanks to the bakery’s partner-

we’ve created a terrific partnership

ship with Delta; the airline serves

with Dancing Deer, and they have

upwards of 3 million of the bakery’s

become the sole provider of cook-

brownies a year. And while Dancing

ies for our boxed lunches.

Deer Baking Company has appeal nationwide, they are doing great things locally as well. One of the first 25 Massachusetts companies to be certified as a Sustainable Business Leader, Dancing Deer uses all-natural ingredients—and local ingredients as much as possible—and each goodie is made from scratch in their Boston bakery. Our attendees get to sample the

Profiles in caring

MCCA employees are not only committed to excellence in serving the needs of our meetings and conventions customers. We also take pride in our connection to the many communities we serve through strong partnerships, fundraising events and volunteer work.

MCCA employees are always willing to volunteer their own time to help community organizations flourish. And if there is a road race to be run for a good cause, you can bet Team MCCA will be at the starting line.

Stefanie Smith Administrative Assistant, Public Safety & Transportation, Massachusetts Convention Center Authority

Stefanie Smith always wanted to

called the Diva Dash, where run-

call herself a runner, but didn’t

ners fundraised for local organi-

know where to begin. When she

zations such as Strong Women,

heard about an opportunity to join

Strong Girls Boston. After getting

her coworkers in raising money

a few shorter runs under her belt,

for Mass General Hospital’s Home

Stefanie finally crossed home

Base Program through the Red

plate at Fenway Park, successfully

Sox Foundation’s Run to Home

completing the Run to Home Base

Base, she saw an opportunity

9K, and joining the MCCA team to

and signed up to run. She posted

raise more than $13,000 for the

a “Couch to 5K” chart on her office

Home Base Program.

wall and got training. As part of her training, Stefanie participated

Stefanie also serves as a director

in a number of charity fun runs,

for the Boston Chapter of the

including a 5K obstacle course

National Black MBA Association and is involved as a mentor in the Big Sister Association of Greater Boston, as well as the CHICA Program, a nonprofit organization for Latinas ages 14–16 from lowincome and underserved communities in the state.

“At the MCCA I’m a part of a big team working together to make a difference, one run at a time.”

â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Boston Marathon is not really about competing at all, but more about a community of passionate people running to raise awareness for important causes. It was an honor to participate in this tradition, finish or not.â&#x20AC;?

Michael Westfield Senior Sales Manager, Massachusetts Convention Center Authority

Since Michael Westfield joined the MCCA team two years ago, he has taken it upon himself to give back in the community where he works, in as many ways as possible. In 2012, Mike helped clean up and fill tree beds on A Street in Fort Point Channel. Once a

smaller, local nonprofit would have

week, he donates his lunch break

an important and lasting impact.

to read to an elementary school

Mike was unable to complete

student at South Bostonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Condon

the race, stopped by law enforce-

School through the Read to a Child

ment officials outside the Hynes

program. And in 2013, Mike ran

moments after the explosions

the Boston Marathon to support

occurred. But Mike learned more

the South Boston Neighborhood

about the importance of commu-

House, a local nonprofit that pro-

nity and working together to heal

vides programming and events

and make Boston a better city

for the South Boston community.

through his experience. He hopes

Mike discovered the South Boston

to get the opportunity to run again

Neighborhood House through a

in 2014 and vows to cross that

colleague who serves on the

finish line for the South Boston

organizationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Board of Directors.

Neighborhood House and for the

He decided that fundraising for a

city of Boston.

One with Boston

The MCCA is deeply connected

facility to hold evidence, we opened

to the Boston Marathon—not just

our exhibit halls to them. And when

as the host of the annual marathon

residents and business owners

weekend Sports & Fitness Expo

were finally allowed back into their

at the Hynes Convention Center,

homes and businesses, we were

but also as a Boston business,

honored to have the Hynes serve

with a facility steps away from

as the initial gathering place for our

the marathon’s famous finish line.

neighbors. And our staff continues

On Patriot’s Day, our employees

to volunteer, run for and donate to

often stand along the third floor

The One Fund, a foundation that

Boylston Street windows to watch

will help the people most affected

and celebrate a treasured Boston

by the marathon tragedy.

tradition just as the many visitors from around the world come to do.

It was a tragic day and difficult

We often have staff and family mem-

week in our great city, but we

bers participating in the historic

rallied as a community. Boston is

run to raise awareness for local

a proud and spirited city that grows

nonprofits.

stronger every time it’s tested. We’ve adopted the motto: We are

On April 15, 2013, that tradition was

Boston. We are Strong. We are

momentarily interrupted by tragedy.

Boston Strong.

But like many other Boston businesses we were, and are, deter-

We are proud to be a

mined to show our city’s resiliency.

Boston Strong business.

When law enforcement needed a

What moves us

commitment to social responsibility, we invite you to visit our website at massconvention.com/community/ corporate-social-responsibility.

What moves us: Corporate Social Responsibility Report 2012â&#x20AC;&#x201C;2013

To learn even more about our

What moves us

2012â&#x20AC;&#x201C;2013 Corporate Social Responsibility Report