WASHINGTON, DC - July 8, 2008 - The Convention Industry Council's Accepted Practices Exchange (APEX) and ASTM International have partnered in the important endeavor of defining what is "green" in the meetings and events industry. The immediate goal of the co-sponsors is to organize stakeholders, NGO's and other interested groups to actively develop standards specifying environmental best practices associated with meetings, conferences and trade shows. The process in developing green standards was initiated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in discussions with the Green Meeting Industry Council (GMIC). They agreed that there was a tremendous need in the meeting and event industry for a uniform measurement of environmental performance. The EPA had approached ASTM to assist in this effort by developing an accredited standard. This could then be adopted as the basis for a federal purchasing program focused on environmentally preferable government-run meetings and conferences. As the umbrella organization, the Convention Industry Council (CIC) is the natural place to bring together this unified industry effort.
Sue Tinnish, APEX Director, comments, "This is a great opportunity for industry and government to work collaboratively on consistent standards." The EPA has two fundamental goals in participating with the development of the standards: The first is to institute a voluntary, market-based approach to environmental performance in the meeting/event/ hospitality industry. The second is to further the government's policy of reducing its own impact on the environment by selective use of appropriated funds.
Harry Lewis, EPA's Pollution Prevention Division attorney said, "We feel that there will be a strong incentive for service and facility providers to adopt the green meeting standards into their business practice. This will be the case as the government is one of the largest consumers of meeting services in the country and intends to adopt the standards as a measuring stick in making their spend decisions." ASTM International is one of the largest voluntary standards development organizations in the world and serves as a trusted source for developing a range of technical standards involving areas of materials, products, systems, and services.
Terri Breining, APEX Chair stated, "ASTM International plays an important role in helping to establish the technical specifications that guides many industries globally. The meetings and events industry will be overwhelmingly supportive of green meeting standards and this is critical to progress toward more environmentally sensitive meetings."
Past APEX accepted practices have been developed using the ASTM voluntary consensus model of gathering information and data throughout the meeting industry in the US and Canada. More than 5700 volunteers developed the first seven practice areas through an extremely comprehensive process to ensure accuracy and completeness. APEX will follow the same process allowing the industry to fully participate through subcommittee participation and offering feedback through discussion groups (geographic and virtual). CIC embraces the opportunity to partner with ASTM which has over 100 years of experience in setting standards. This partnership allows APEX to associate green meetings and events with an organization known for its best in class practices for standards development and delivery.
The Green Meetings and Events standards will go through ASTM's committees and processes. Participants in the meetings and event industry will have the opportunity for comment during both the APEX and the ASTM process. The effort will be housed in ASTM's E06 practice area under the auspices of the E06.71.14 Task Group. All interested parties are encouraged to participate in the APEX process as well as the ASTM Task Group.
About the Convention Industry Council: The Convention Liaison Council was founded in 1949 by four organizations to facilitate the exchange of information within the meetings, conventions, and exhibitions industry. Now the Convention Industry Council, the organization has grown to include 33 member organizations. CIC's members represent more than 103,500 individuals and 17,300 firms and properties involved in the meetings, conventions and exhibitions industry. The Accepted Practices Exchange (APEX) is an initiative of the Convention Industry Council that is bringing together all stakeholders in the development and implementation of industry-wide accepted practices to create and enhance efficiencies throughout the meetings, conventions and exhibitions industry. About ASTM: ASTM International was originally known as the American Society for Testing and Materials. For over 100 years, ASTM International has maintained an unwavering commitment to its core capability and mission: the development of high quality, market-relevant standards. ASTM volunteer members create and deliver standards that make a difference to people everywhere. The organization supports the development through the Society's world-class infrastructure. Since its inception, ASTM International has had an enduring role in facilitating a cleaner global environment.
For example, ASTM has been involved in setting standards on Food Service Equipment which play an important part in the Environmental Protection Agency's Energy Star Program (ASTM Committee F26). About GMIC: The Green Meeting Industry Council is leading the meeting industry in improving meeting management by supporting collaboration and the development and dissemination of resources and opportunities that improve the environmental performance of meetings and events. For technical information, contact Sue Tinnish, APEX Director, Convention Industry Council, 700 N. Fairfax Street, Suite 510, Alexandria, VA 22314 (phone: 847-394-9857; stinnish@conventionindustry.org ). ASTM Committee E06 meets Sept. 28-Oct. 1 during the October committee week in Miami Beach, Fla. For meeting or membership information, contact Stephen Mawn (Phone: 610-832-9726; smawn@astm.org).
Contact: Brenda Anderson / Phone: 312-673-4902 / Brenda_Anderson@site-intl.org
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