Sister companies Advito and BCD Meetings & Events have developed what they say is the first emissions calculator for meetings and events certified by the ISO (International Organization for Standardization)
The two firms, which are both owned by BCD Travel, announced the sustainability initiative at the Global Business Travel Association Convention in San Diego.
The tool is ISO-certified and is based on a carbon-emissions tracking methodology developed by Advito called Gate4, which stands for "global amenities for travel emissions" across four key areas: air, hotel, rail and ground.
The calculator allows planners to input a wide range of data in the pre-event planning stage to understand the “impact of their choices and the levers they can adjust to decrease emissions”.
It is designed to help planners to make “more conscious decisions” and ensure their events are more sustainable when choosing a destination, venue and other design elements. The calculator also looks at non-emissions-related impacts such as the use of plastic and water.
Advito's principal and vice president Olivier Benoit said: “Eventually, we hope that thanks to this tool, there will be more decisions made with lower environmental impact for meetings and events.”
Benoit added that the calculator was now available for a single-use fee or as a subscription model for corporations running multiple events.
Advito’s sustainable collaboration practice lead Julien Etchanchu said: “We developed our M&E calculator to ensure clients are getting a true picture of their footprint.
“The ISO certification means that the methodologies are accurate, robust and compliant with internationally recognised [greenhouse gas] measurement and reporting standards.”