Oregon Convention Center, Portland
In a move that should be a win-win for Convention Industry Council (CIC) and the green meetings movement, the CIC announced on Friday that the Green Meeting Industry Council (GMIC) will merge as a committee of the well-established organization that represents of the meetings and events industry.
“GMIC is the meetings industry’s most respected authority on sustainability, and the board of directors has been working tirelessly over the last several months to finalize an exciting new partnership to take GMIC to new heights,” said Karen Kotowski, CMP, CEO of CIC. “CIC is looking forward to not only helping GMIC return to its roots as a council leading the conversation on sustainability in the meeting and events industry, but also to support it by expanding its reach through the CIC members and CMP communities to drive the industry towards these practices.”
In a press release from the CIC, the merger was called a “bold move designed to demonstrate the importance of collaboration in a crowded marketplace.” The merger also will help GMIC reach a wider audience and promote its assets for a deeper impact.
“I’m deeply proud of our community of very dedicated individuals and this important step for sustainability in the events industry,” said Roger Simons, CMP, chair of the GMIC board of directors. “The evolution of the organization in hand with the CIC allows us to amplify our voice, to better advocate and educate for sustainability whilst ensuring that unwavering focus on our original founding mission.”
Driving Green Meetings Message
CIC and GMIC intend to drive the sustainability conversation at a pivotal time. The recent United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and the Paris Climate Agreement have pushed the green movement to the forefront. GMIC and CIC are responding by creating a volunteer committee to focus on the critical role of developing content, research and education, and implementing initiatives to push the cause forward.
With the governance council under CIC, GMIC volunteers can be readily engaged to support the APEX/ASTM Sustainable Meetings Standards continued maintenance and development which both organizations were instrumental in developing.
