Following the spirit of the United Nations’ 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development Goals, the Italian Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong & Macao is committed to embracing sustainability in its organizational operations. The Chamber has developed a multi-year sustainability plan, a framework of incremental strategies to improve sustainability in its operations––from event management to communication medium––with ongoing pro-bono support and assistance from BEE Incorporations.
A Greener Gala 2019
As a first step towards implementation, the Chamber consciously planned, organized and managed annual Gala Dinner 2019 on November 1st, which invited over 500 guests representing Hong Kong’s institutional and business scenes at the Grand Hyatt in Hong Kong. Green event management best practices were implemented across various facets of this event:
- Paper: 70% of this event’s printed collateral were printed in wood-free paper, as an alternative to conventional paper that is often sourced from unsustainably harvested wood.
- Catering: Food and drinks menu was carefully selected to minimize waste and promote a circular food economy.
- Decorations: After this event, the Chamber donated 100% of the centrepieces to a lucky winner per each table to avoid unnecessary waste, and stored 100% of the décor at its warehouse for re-use at its next events. Big plants used for the foyer had been rented from a local farm and were returned after the event.
- Waste: To achieve its goal towards a zero-plastic event, the Chamber replaced single-use plastic utensils with wooden or durable non-plastic utensils.
- Carbon Offset: The Chamber will offset the footprint of the on-site event-generated carbon through a verified third-party organization, based on an audit of actual event operations and waste data.
Through small and simple steps like these, the Chamber hopes to make a difference in its operations, reduce its negative impacts to the environment, and inspire its community.
The multi-year sustainability plan was developed by BEE, a Member Organization of the Chamber, and was included in the booklets at this year’s Gala for guests to explore the Chamber’s commitment.
Read the full sustainability plan here: Publications – Italian Chamber of Commerce
