For our campaign 'Telling the Story of the Power of Events' during the UN Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development, we have conducted research with five academics from universities around the UK. The research has looked into the ways in which the events industry could help the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to be met. The focus of the research has been be on Hunger (SDG 2), Gender Equality (SDG 5), Reduced Inequalities (SDG 10), Responsible Consumption and Production (SDG 12) and Climate Action (SDG 13). This research aims to raise the profile of events and show how they can make a different to the world.
On the 9th August at 2:00 pm (BST), we are hosting a webinar in which we will talk our campaign for the UN Year of Sustainable Tourism and reveal a preview of some of the findings from our academic research piece. If you would like to attend this webinar, please fill in the information below.
Register here
If you miss it, you can view the webinar here!
The Hosts
Vicki Higgins
Vicki Higgins is the Vice President of Destination Development for Greater Palm Springs Convention & Visitors Bureau…known for its attitude of chill, extraordinary natural beauty and more than 300 days of sunshine per year, as well as the Coachella Music & Arts Festival, more than 100 golf courses, hiking trails, world-class resorts, spas, attractions and cutting-edge restaurants.
Vicki is responsible for the Destination Development Plan to bring all nine cities together to work toward the same goals for the destination. Highlights include: sustainability, outdoor adventure, health & wellness, arts & culture, education initiatives and transportation to the destination.
Higgins has 20+ years of experience in tourism, events and marketing. She has worked for Los Angeles tourism, Newport Beach tourism with offices in the UK, Australia, France, Germany and China. She has coordinated events with sports teams and cultural events around the world, and launched her marketing career with the Indiana Pacers NBA Basketball Team.
Graeme Barnett is Senior Exhibition Director for Reed exhibitions, the world’s largest exhibition organiser delivering over 500 events annually. Graeme has 20+ years of experience in delivering live events, having worked on some of the world largest and most respected trade shows as well as launches and acquisitions in the UAE, China and Latin America. Graeme has championed sustainability best practice in events both in the UK and overseas
Dr Kate Dashper is Senior Lecturer in Events Management at Leeds Beckett University. Her research focuses on gender and identity, and she regularly speaks about women and leadership at industry events. Her research has been published in international books and journals.
Dr Thomas Fletcher is a Senior Lecturer in Events Management (sport specialism). He is particularly interested in equality and diversity, ethnic identities and migration. He has conducted research for a variety of clients, including the England and Wales Cricket Board and Sport Wales. He has published widely in academic journals and books and is the editor of Sports Events, Society and Culture (Routledge).
Fiona Pelham launched not for profit Positive Impact in 2005 to provide education and collaboration opportunities to create a sustainable event industry. Positive Impact shares stories of sustainability best practice with the global event industry for example the annual #CSRShareDay social media initiative reaches over 1.2 million people and in 2017 Positive Impact is leading a campaignto tell the story of the power of events during the UN Year of Sustainable Tourism.
Fiona is also CEO of Sustainable Events Ltd a global consultancy for sustainability in events whose clients range from Manchester United Old Trafford to San Francisco Giants, from Zurich Bank to VMware from Rio 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games to FormulaE. The Sustainable Events team of over 20 associates are based across the world.
Fiona was the youngest female to chair an ISO standard when, in 2012, ISO 20121 a management system for event sustainability inspired by London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games was created.
In 2014 Fiona received an honorary doctorate from Leeds Beckett University for services to the event industry and sustainability.
In 2017 Fiona is immediate past international chair of the board for Meeting Professionals International, a global association of over 17,000 members belonging to more than 60 chapters and clubs in 22 countries. Fiona is an award winning entrepreneur passionate about sustainability and her background in events and strategy gives her a unique perspective which she has shared at numerous presentations around the world.