Radisson and GDS-Movement launch guide for sustainable

Radisson Hotel Group and GDS-Movement have launched a new guide to help professional congress organisers and associations make their meetings more sustainable. The roadmap, titled 'Accelerating Sustainable and Regenerative Events: A Guide for Associations and PCOs', provides practical frameworks for planning, delivery, and reporting.

According to findings cited in the report, there is a significant implementation gap. While 66% of associations consider sustainability highly important, fewer than 34% have embedded it into their operations. Only 3% report having an advanced sustainability programme.

Barriers to sustainable events

The organisations identified several key barriers preventing progress. These include perceived high costs, limited access to relevant sustainability data, fragmented supplier networks, and a general lack of practical, actionable frameworks. The guide argues that overcoming these challenges requires greater collaboration across the entire event ecosystem.

Inge Huijbrechts, chief sustainability and security officer at Radisson Hotel Group, framed the issue clearly. "The industry does not have a sustainability awareness problem; it has an implementation challenge," she said.

The role of destinations and collaboration

The guide highlights the critical role destinations play in helping organisers meet their targets. Destinations are assessed through the GDS-Index against 74 indicators aligned with UN Sustainable Development Goals. This provides a measurable standard for event planners to reference.

Stronger collaboration between associations, destinations, venues, and suppliers is deemed essential for establishing consistent standards. This is particularly vital for organisations managing events across multiple international locations.

Guy Bigwood, CEO of GDS-Movement, emphasised this point. "Collaboration between destinations, venues and suppliers is essential to creating events that generate meaningful social, environmental and economic value," he stated.

A five-point action plan

The roadmap outlines five concrete actions for associations and professional congress organisers to take. These steps are designed to move planning from ambition to measurable action.

Huijbrechts explained that the guide was born from practical experience. As a global hospitality company, we work closely with Associations, event organizers and destinations around the world and understand the practical barriers they face, she noted. The guide aims to provide planners with the tools and collaboration models needed for real change. The partnership shows how hotel groups are increasingly positioning themselves as facilitators for client sustainability goals beyond just room rates.