sustainability report

Transcription

1 sustainability report world forum Sustainability Report World Forum 1

2 Events that shape the world 2 Sustainability Report World Forum

3 table of contents world forum Introduction 5 1. Organisation Profile Our Company Structure The Market Stakeholders CSR policy Recognition of CSR results Memberships People Employment issues Human rights Society Ambitions Planet Energy consumption Waste CO2 compensation Catering Ambitions Profit About this report GRI table 24 Appendix 26 Colofon 28 Sustainability Report World Forum 3

4 4 Sustainability Report World Forum Photographer: Lex Draijer

5 introduction world forum Dear reader The World Forum Convention Center in The Hague (Holland) is possibly one of the smallest members of the United Nations Global Compact. However, being internationally oriented as we are, we still feel we can make an impact. At the World Forum we see our corporate social responsibility policy as a sport at the highest level. In top sport, you go for gold alone. It is for that reason that the signing of the Global Compact 3 years ago was the official kick-off for a new race to run at the World Forum. In doing so, we pledged our dedication to protecting human rights, labour rights, the environment and fighting corruption. We are ethically and sustainably active in various areas. For instance, the World Forum Ethical Program comprises various measures for checking choices for integrity and actually making a difference for a more sustainable society. As part of the Ethical Program the World Forum only uses green electricity and, among other things, it is a member of the Green Meeting Industry Council and MVO Nederland (CSR Netherlands, a Dutch government subsidiary). On a much smaller and local level we have agreed to participate with our team in the National Day of Volunteers, a nationwide initiative with local execution. We also are supporting a school which enables children who live in the more challenging part of the City of The Hague with their weekend program. Chain reaction Be inspired and inspire others by receiving and giving green signals is crucial for an effective change. Since the signing of the United Nations Global Compact we have let our partners and suppliers agree to sign our Suppliers Code of Conduct which includes the same goals as stated by the UN Global Compact. In doing so we have encouraged them to taka a fresh new look at their operations and company philosophy. potential environmental impact of their event, they are offered to calculate their final impact on our website. They are then offered to compensate through the efforts of the Climate Neutral Group or locally through the The Hague Climate Fund. Since the World Forum started its Ethical Program all staff is committed to change in their own area of responsibility. From big decisions to small ones. If the Facility staff needs to install new lights LED lighting is ordered, if the communication department needs to order new pens, they order, after a long search, biodegradable pens. A Green Update is sent regularly to the staff and partners of the World Forum. By no means we will ever think we have arrived in the area of Corporate Social Responsibility but the journey to make serious progress is an exciting one. We have noticed it is not only our top priority but also the focus of many associations, institutions and corporations we work with while planning and executing their events. Our slogan Events that Shape the World greatly describes the way we like to operate. Sincerely, Michiel Middendorf General Manager We effect also a chain reaction through our Green Event Checklist on the website, a document with plenty of suggestions and ideas for making an event as green as possible. With this list clients are encouraged to check how green their upcoming event is. Once they have reduced the Sustainability Report World Forum 5

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7 1. organisation profile world forum 1.1 Our company The World Forum is an international congress centre in The Hague, the city of peace and justice. Historically, The Hague, with its Peace Palace, has been the world s location of choice to discuss international peace and justice. The city hosted its first peace conference in Since then, whenever any new development in the field of peace emerges, The Hague is looked to as a potential home for it, and over time many institutions in the field of international law and peace have come to establish themselves here. The World Forum is located at the heart of The Hague World Forum, The Hague s international zone, and stands shoulder to shoulder with the city in providing a home for meetings on peace and justice. Each and every one of the extraordinary meetings and events that take place in the World Forum, no matter what the scale, have the potential to change the world view of those who attend them. Whether it s an international conference on banning chemical weapons, or an illuminating discussion between two CEOs, these are events that shape the world. The conferences of the International Criminal Court (ICC) or the OPCW (Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons) held here represent dialogues at the highest levels of international relations and law. And in 2009, the World Forum successfully hosted the biggest peace conference to be held in the Netherlands since the Second World War: the UN summit on Afghanistan, with its 73 delegations from all over the world. Along with national and international conferences at the highest level, the World Forum also hosts corporate events, receptions and exhibitions. The flexibility of its multifunctional location allows the World Forum to offer a wide variety of events for any target group. The site is also home to the Netherlands largest theatre auditorium, where many major national and international productions are staged. Sustainability Report World Forum 7

8 1.2 Structure Since October 2009, the operation of the World Forum has been handled by GL events, a French events management company with 33 conference and event centres worldwide. For over 30 years, GL events has been managing events in Europe and beyond. Today the company is active on five continents and employs over 3,500 people. The day-to-day operations of the World Forum are handled by General Manager Michiel Middendorf, who reports to GL events Managing Director, Venue Management (Jean-Eudes Rabut) at the company s headquarters in Lyon. The World Forum has a total of 29 staff (23.36 FTE). GL events takeover of the operations is entirely in line with the World Forum s international profile. It is a natural step in the continuing rise of the World Forum s international profile, culminating in the UN Afghanistan summit in March General Manager Management Assistant Facility Manager Manager Finance & Control/ HRM Operations Manager Project Management Account Management & Account Support Communications Facilities: Finance & Control Stage Management Duty Management Front Office Organization chart GL World Forum Convention Center B.V. 8 Sustainability Report World Forum

9 1.3 The market The World Forum serves the national and international conference and events market. The clients of the World Forum come from three areas: Public, Corporate and Culture. den Ende Theaterproducties, Senf Theaterpartners, Studio 100 and Stardust. They bring to the World Forum Theater a continuing programme of national and international top artists, musicals and other cultural performances. Fotograaf: Bert Rietberg The public clients include organisations such as ministries and associations. The corporate market is made up of national and international businesses, including corporations such as Microsoft, Aegon and ING, as well as Dutch national events agencies. The World Forum s cultural clients are major Dutch agencies and producers like Stage Entertainment/Joop van Most of the events and conferences hosted by the World Forum are governmental or UN-related Number of events per year international national cultural chart of international conferences, national conferences and cultural performances ( ) Sustainability Report World Forum 9

10 1.4 Stakeholders The stakeholders of the World Forum are the organisers, partners, vendors, local authorities, neighbouring businesses, visitors, local residents and employees. On all issues, including those related to sustainability, we stay in constant contact with our stakeholders on the developments at the World Forum. At the start of each year, the stakeholders receive an annual report of the World Forum that outlines the most significant events of the past year. The stakeholders will also receive a copy of this sustainability report. 1.6 Recognition of CSR results Green Award In 2008 the World Forum won the Green Award, the award for the best green initiative. The jury lauded the World Forum Ethical Program. The World Forum very clearly and unequivocally opted to assume its corporate social responsibility last year. The jury report was full of praise that the World Forum does not only lead by its shinning example, but also provides its clients the opportunity to follow that example. 1.5 CSR policy The World Forum s corporate social responsibility policy is a defining feature of the organisation. Corporate social responsibility and corporate citizenship is now the World Forum s singular USP. In this sector, trust is critical, and the World Forum has to be able to bank on trust. We win the trust of our clients and partners by profiling ourselves as a socially responsible and engaged business that highly values integrity, ethics and sustainability. Green Key In 2009 the World Forum received the Golden Green Key. The Green Key is the international eco-label for companies in the tourism and recreation sectors that desire to be seriously occupied with environmental protection in a manner that can be monitored. This certificate is proof that the World Forum is making more of an effort for the environment than is required by law! The World Forum s payoff, Events that shape the world, is also connected to our Ethical Program (the name used to refer to the CSR policy within the World Forum). We refer to it this way because we want to emphasise that for the World Forum, CSR means much more than just attention to environmental issues. 10 Sustainability Report World Forum

11 1.7 Memberships The World Forum is a member of a number of national and international organisations in the field of sustainability. In these networks, the World Forum is a participant in the exchange of knowledge and experience on corporate social responsibility, not only within its own MICE market but on a wider scale. UN Global Compact In 2008, the World Forum became the first location in the Netherlands to sign the United Nations Global Compact. For the World Forum and its partners, respect for human rights, safe working conditions and environmentally conscious operations are paramount concerns. The endorsement of the UN Global Compact is an extra incentive for the World Forum to continue to dedicate itself to a sustainable and responsible business climate. Green Meeting Industry Council To keep on top of the latest international developments in green meetings, the World Forum is a member of the Green Meeting Industry Council, an international consultative body promoting the greening of the meeting industry. MVO Nederland Membership in MVO Nederland (CSR Netherlands) gives the World Forum access to a broad knowledge and network organisation within the industry in the field of corporate social responsibility and corporate citizenship. Green Label Events Within the Dutch events sector, the World Forum is a proud participant in the Groene Hartlopers initiative by Green Label Events. This initiative is made up of a number of businesses from the events sector. Our goal is to join with our industry partners in standing up for corporate citizenship and sustainable development in our industry. We exchange ideas with allies and competitors alike, and together we inspire each other to set the bar higher. Like all participants of the Groene Hartlopers initiative, we want to be in the vanguard of corporate social responsibility and put our money where our mouth is. For us, the bottom line is transparency, knowledge transfer, direct action and creating green solutions. Sustainability Report World Forum 11

12 2. people world forum The World Forum is engaged with the people aspect in various areas, both within and outside of the company. This means not only the people of World Forum, but people in society. Each year, the World Forum supports a number of initiatives at the local and national level. Along with financial and material support, this also means utilisation of our expertise within the market. 2.1 Employment issues Internship placements The number of internship placements within the World Forum has doubled. Where previously the World Forum had place for two interns, one in the facilities department and one in the events department, we recently added two extra internship placements in the departments communications and sales. The World Forum chose to expand the number of internship placements because the demand in society for this type of position has increased dramatically in recent years. Working part-time As a company, the World Forum stands for helping employees to continue their career after life events such as pregnancy and childbirth. We offer employees the option to work part-time or work partially from home. Our goal is to allow employees the room to strike a good balance between their work and private lives, something that ultimately benefits our organisation. Education and training The World Forum offers an annual collective budget for education and training. We invite all our employees to draft a personal development plan each year. We then look at all personal development plans and determine what training is needed and who can participate in which programmes. A supervisor with end responsibility can ask an employee to take a training and/or coaching programme deemed necessary for the proper performance of the employee s tasks and responsibilities. The supervisor and the employee then make individual arrangements on the employee s participation. For education and training costs in excess of a fixed amount, a study agreement will generally have to be signed. These agreements will usually stipulate a repayment schedule. GL Campus At the end of 2008, GL events launched the GL events Campus, an internal training institute with a number of objectives: Promoting employee motivation and participation Promoting shared culture and team spirit Promoting integration between the various divisions and departments of GL events and creating networks Developing and organising training programmes that meet employee needs Maximising the return from training & education and achieving internal knowledge sharing 12 Sustainability Report World Forum

13 To achieve these objectives, GL Campus has a twofold mission: coordination of all training & education plans of the GL Group for optimum results and designing training programmes for the development of expertise in the various GL business lines. At present, GL Campus offers mainly training programmes given in the French language (oriented towards senior management, operational management and basic management), and focuses primarily on management, sales positions and project-oriented employees. However, there are now two English-language programmes available for international staff: the Management Training and the Welcome Convention. MPI Scholarship Program World Forum is partner of the first MPI Scholarship Program in the Netherlands, an initiative of MPI (Meeting Professionals International). This program will start in april This is a cooperation between the World Forum in The Hague, MPI Netherlands and Stenden Hospitality Management in Leeuwarden. In 2010 twelve students will be organizing two events. Six students of Stenden Hospitality Management will be organizing the first event Next Generation on the 24th of June in the World Forum. This event is part of a MPI educational program set up to involve students (the next generation) in the meetings and events industry and offer them the chance to organise an actual MPI event for students, faculty members, MPI members, press and non members. The students organizing this event will receive a one year MPI student membership sponsored by the World Forum and are welcome to attend all MPI events in the Netherlands. The event needs to be organised in a Corporate Social Responsible way. The World Forum The Hague has a golden Green Key and wants to express their CSR in the events they organise and host. The event will reflect how the next generation sees the meeting and event industry, how new tools and new media are integrated in future events. Kijk Mee Day Each year, the Municipality of The Hague organises an open day (the Kijk Mee Dag) for primary school pupils. Under this initiative, children in their last year of primary school are given an opportunity to get a look behind the scenes at a variety of professions in industry or governmental or other institutions. The World Forum is proud to be a part of this initiative, and gives pupils a chance to get to learn about a number of aspects involved in facilitating a theatre performance or conference. Engagement Regular updates on the developments in the field of CSR are provided in an electronic Ethical Program Message sent to the World Forum s employees and partners. CSR is also a recurring agenda item in the team meeting with all World Forum employees. All this helps engender engagement on the part of the employees. Sustainability Report World Forum 13

14 2.2 Human rights Concert for Child Soldiers In 2009, the World Forum participated in a unique project launched by an individual with a vision and a dream for the child soldiers of the world. Ultimately, this project resulted in a concert ( The Armed Man: a Mass for Peace by Welsh composer Karl Jenkins), with the entire proceeds going to War Child. The World Forum provided the auditorium and supervised the entire project. The partners and vendors of the World Forum also fully sponsored all facilities. The end result was a packed World Forum Theater, with total revenues of 69,000, all of which were donated to War Child. This 100% concept was made possible thanks to the dedication of all performers and people involved, who dedicated themselves to the project on an entirely voluntary basis. It was a project in which the World Forum not only showed engagement, but even more importantly, was genuinely engaged in society. The project also made the employees of the World Forum feel truly engaged - that what they were doing had a real impact. And gave them a sense of renewed pride in the company they work for. In addition to a successful event, the organisation also wanted to promote affirmation (ratification) by our country of the Optional Protocol to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. This protocol bans the involvement of children under the age of 18 in armed conflicts. And the objective was met; On 24 October 2009, the protocol became effective on the entire territory of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, sending an important signal and making an important contribution to the lobby for eliminating the use of child soldiers. Vendor code of conduct When selecting its regular partners and vendors, the World Forum considers all aspects of socially responsible purchasing. Vendors and partners must sign a code of conduct document in which they endorse the ten principles of the United Nations Global Compact, including a commitment to not deal in products that are the result of child labour. When we request our partners and vendors to sign this document, we feel we are raising awareness and getting people thinking. Child Labour conference Royal closing at global child labour conference in World Forum. Her Majesty Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands attend the closing of the two-day international conference against 14 Sustainability Report World Forum

15 Ex child-soldier Kon Kelei on the War Child Benefit Concert child labour ( The Hague Global Child Labour conference 2010, Towards a World without Child Labour, Mapping the Road to 2016 ) on the 11th of May in the World Forum. center for peace and justice, that locates events that have a bearing on the entire world, Events that shape the World. Mr. Piet Hein Donner, the Minister of Social Affairs and Employment, was the organisator of the conference together with the International Labour Organization (ILO). The conference was visited by 380 participants from 80 countries Those present include government officials from Bangladesh, Brazil, South Africa, India and the Netherlands, representatives of employer and employee organizations from various countries, non-governmental organizations and international organizations as UNICEF and UNESCO. The purpose of the conference is to emphasize once again the importance of the fight against child labour and to reach concrete agreements about eradicating the worst forms of child labour by Such as work that is inevitably harmful to their health and safety, as well as the deployment of children as soldiers, in the sex industry or in illegal activities like drugs trade. The subject of this conference includes with the company profile of the World Forum as an international convention 2.3 Society NL DOET World Forum and its employees participate annually in NL DOET (formerly Make A Difference Day ), the largest volunteer action in the Netherlands. For one or two days in May, participants volunteer to work on a project/institution in or around The Hague, like painting work at a petting zoo or tackling some neglected garden work at Parnassia, an institution helping adults and young adults with psychotic disorders and elderly people with mental conditions and memory problems. On the day, we pay our employees their normal salaries to participate in activities like these during their regular working hours, so they can experience for themselves the importance of social responsibility and citizenship. It increases the social consciousness and involvement of our employees, and helps keep them motivated and inspired in their other work. Sustainability Report World Forum 15

16 IMC Weekend School The IMC Weekend School is a school for supplemental education for motivated young people aged ten to fourteen who come from underprivileged neighbourhoods. At the Weekend School locations, students follow a 2_-year programme of courses taught every Sunday by committed teaching professionals who love their job. The goal is to help these young people expand their horizons, boost their self-confidence and develop their talents. The World Forum supports the location in The Hague by providing accommodation as well as knowledge in the field of the theatre, and by offering the experience of an actual cultural performance. Business and Climate In 2010, the World Forum is participating in the Dutch Business and Climate project, an initiative of the Municipality of The Hague. A few regions in the Netherlands are already familiar with this successful sustainability project, one of the projects of Schools for Sustainability. Within these projects, young people are asked to come up with creative solutions for sustainability issues. In the Business and Climate project, students form an advisory group designated the climate intervention team. The team then sets about studying a number of research questions within a company. The content of the student research depends on the sustainability and climate issues relevant to the specific company. The questions that the World Forum has put to the students are: What are the options for the separation and disposal of the World Forum s oversized waste? Would it be feasible to offer this waste to local vendors or private individuals for re-use? How can the World Forum achieve better waste separation during conferences? This question is also about helping conference-goers to separate their own waste. By participating in this project, the World Forum hopes to come up with new and better ways to separate waste. In addition, the World Forum is also showing its social commitment and helping teach students how to approach a real-world case. Valid Express Valid Express was founded by Nicolette Mak in Seeing her physically handicapped brother incapable of getting a job inspired her to set up this courier service. It serves as a vehicle for helping the chronically sick and physically handicapped to get off, and stay off, benefits. Today, Valid Express employs sixty people, with offices in Amsterdam, The Hague/Rotterdam and Utrecht, and has six hundred clients. Valid Express believes in a world that takes its own responsibility. Where people who have bodies with issues can join forces with the business world, focusing on potential instead of limitations. For clients requiring courier services, the World Forum offers Valid Express as preferred supplier. Chain reaction The World Forum challenges its clients to be more socially conscious in their own events. And we also challenge our regular partners, vendors and the industry. The objective of the World Forum Ethical Program is to promote corporate social responsibility and corporate citizenship at the micro level. We see communicating all activities and progress in this area to the market and the world around us as an essential part of this objective. It was not so long ago that just such an incentive by one of our clients pushed us over the line and made us go green. That s why we at the World Forum are sure we can pass on the green bug to others; because we know first-hand how effective such a signal can be. We call it our stinging nettle theory: one little prickle is so irritating that before long you ve just got to do something about it. 16 Sustainability Report World Forum

17 Green Events Checklist The World Forum has developed a Green Events Checklist full of practical tips an organiser can use to help put on a socially responsible event. We have developed this list to encourage our clients to make their events as green as possible. (See appendix on page 26.) CO2 calculator Clients of the World Forum can choose to compensate for their event s CO2 emissions, either internationally (through the Climate Neutral Group) or locally in the Netherlands (through Klimaatfonds Den Haag climate fund). On the World Forum website, we provide a CO2 calculator that clients can use to calculate the emissions of their event and compensate them through the Climate Neutral Group. Event organisers preferring to compensate their event s emissions locally can also choose to compensate them through the Klimaatfonds Den Haag by using the emissions calculator on www. klimaatfondsdenhaag.nl. MVO, dat doe je zo! The World Forum offers lectures on our CSR policy to businessmen and women in all sectors, as part of the corporate social responsibility stimulus programme MVO, dat doe je zo!, a project of the Dutch Chamber of Commerce. Our recent lectures in this programme include a lecture at the Business Conference for the Haaglanden region, to ING event managers, and at the Dutch Chamber of Commerce s Added Value Day Ambitions The World Form intends to make the people aspect a focus for continuing development in 2010, and will be investigating all options to do so. As one example, we are looking at the possibility of setting up a programme for underprivileged youth, to give young people with no prior training the opportunity to specialise within one of the departments of the World Forum. Sustainability Report World Forum 17

18 18 Sustainability Report World Forum Photographer: Robert Aarts

19 3. planet world forum The World Forum looks after the environment whenever and wherever possible. We scrutinise our energy consumption, waste separation and compensation of the CO2 we still produce despite every effort to reduce our emissions Energy consumption The World Forum s first priority is to reduce our energy consumption. We then try to cover all our remaining energy needs with green power wherever possible. Whatever CO2 emissions ultimately remain, we compensate in full. In 2008, the World Forum s total electricity consumption was 5,498,746 KWh, of which 2,300,000 KWh were generated from green sources. In 2009, we reduced our consumption to 4,838,263 KWh. Given that our number of events was only reduced by a very small amount, this means we cut our power consumption by 12%, a reduction mainly accounted for by the switch to LED lighting in a number of areas. In that same period, the World Forum also reduced its consumption of district heating, from 24,745 GJ in 2008 to 22,035 GJ in LED lighting World Forum s electricity consumption, 2008 and 2009 World Forum s district heating consumption, 2008 and 2009 Sustainability Report World Forum 19

20 All public spaces of the World Forum were equipped with LED lighting last year. The LED lamp is a very energy-efficient lamp, which uses fully 90% less energy than an ordinary incandescent bulb - and lasts 50 times longer. And unlike saver bulbs, when they do burn out LED lamps are not chemical waste, but can be thrown away as ordinary trash. An LED lamp produces 120 kg less CO2 annually than an ordinary incandescent bulb. Summer break When no conferences are being held in the World Forum during the summer period, we take a number of steps to reduce energy consumption. These include turning off as much lighting, ventilation and lifts as possible. In 2009, measures like these and others allowed us to reduce our energy consumption in the months of July and August by 23% from one year earlier. The switch to LED lighting in the public areas of the World Forum has led to substantial energy savings. In the next phase, we will be replacing all lighting in the auditoriums, which will mean even more significant savings in energy consumption. The exact savings will be made clear in next year s figures. Energy scan In 2009, the World Forum had an energy scan conducted. In this scan, the required building features were inventoried, analysed and evaluated for energy-saving alternatives. The scan showed that electricity and heat consumption is lower than average according to benchmark information from The result of the scan led to a number of recommendations for further reduction, some of which were implemented immediately: Insulation of fittings A number of parts of the return flow equipment and transformers were insulated to better retain heat Installation of daylight regulators On weekdays on which there are no events taking place in the World Forum, a significant portion of the total lighting system is fully turned off. In addition, a project for the improvement of the working lighting is currently underway. The working lighting in the auditoriums has also been optimised to be used during activities as a replacement for auditorium lighting. Green power At the end of 2008, the World Forum completed the switch to all-green power. And on this, we no longer offer our clients a choice. All the power used in the building for our day-to-day operations and during conferences and events is 100% green power. In addition to switching to green power, the World Forum continues to work towards reducing its total consumption. 3.2 Waste We separate the waste produced at the World Forum into the following categories: Office waste Paper Oversized waste (pallets, doors, steel frames) Organic waste Glass Chemical waste (including fluorescent lighting elements) Grease trap In 2010, as part of the Business and Climate project (see 2.3), we will be taking a closer look at the World Forum s waste process. We will investigate the developments and trends in the field of waste separation, and look for answers to the questions of how the World Forum can better separate its waste and how to involve conference-goers in the process. 3.3 CO2 compensation As an organisation, the World Forum operates on a fully climate-neutral basis by compensating its CO2 emissions. We compensate these emissions through the Climate Neutral Group, a worldwide pioneer in the field of voluntary CO2 compensation services. Through the Climate Neutral Group, the World Forum is investing in sustainable energy and forestry projects. The World Forum also compensates an additional 10% of its total CO2 emissions locally, through the Klimaatfonds Den Haag. This means that the World Forum is in fact overcompensating its emissions (110%). We compensate more than we emit. In 2008, the World Forum s CO2 emissions totalled 1, tonnes. In 2009, we reduced these emissions by over 78%, to tonnes. This shows that the measures that the World Forum has taken with its CSR policy have had a direct 20 Sustainability Report World Forum

21 and significant impact on our organisation s CO2 footprint. This dramatic reduction in CO2 emissions can be primarily attributed to the switch to green electricity. CO2 emissions, in tonnes, 2008 and Catering The World Forum partners with catering company Maison van den Boer, an organisation that fully endorses the World Forum s CSR policy. In its catering offerings, Maison van den Boer selects a combination of organic, local and seasonal products and sustainable choices. For example, all breads and meats served are organic, and for ecological reasons, Maison van den Boer chooses to not serve eel. Client demand for organic or local products is on the rise. As one indication, in 2010 the government will be imposing an organic products requirement for a large portion of its conference catering. Water Car Public Transportation Paper Heating Electricity (non-green) 18,9 31,04 0,03 0,14 5,46 8,81 370,18 415, , The World Forum can offer a professional O-Original drinking water connection. The drinking water comes from the Dutch dunes and is filtered on-site into mineral water. O-Original water has many advantages: it is environmentally friendly, costs less to transport, purchase and store, and, above all, tastes great. It is on offer in a choice of varieties (still, lightly carbonated and carbonated), has the same great flavour every time and is available in any desired quantity, any time. Along with this form of water, the World Forum also offers Earth Water. A choice for Earth Water supports social responsibility by making a contribution to the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR). In cooperation with the UNHCR, Earth Water is contributing to the solution to the worldwide shortage of clean drinking water. 100% of the net profit goes towards providing clean water in disaster areas. Earth Water asks for no donations of cash or time (spent doing volunteer work), only to drink water. Earth Water donates all net proceeds from the sale of this water to the UNHCR, which invests them directly in sustainable water systems in areas where refugees need it the most. Juices The World Forum has added juices (apple, pear and orange) produced by De Appelaere company to its standard range. Appelaere juices are pure and natural, with no additives or preservatives. The juice is squeezed from fruit harvested using environmentally friendly methods. The flavour and colour of the apple and pear drinks are determined by the different varieties of apple and pear used. Fair Trade Restaurant Week The World Forum s Restaurant Pangea participated in the Netherlands first-ever Fair Trade Restaurant Week, an initiative organised by Puur! uit Eten (a Dutch sustainable culinary magazine), and the Max Havelaar Foundation (the driving force behind the Fair Trade quality mark). For one week, restaurant fans could enjoy fair square meals from a tempting Fair Trade menu. Why look anywhere else? Haagsche Ooievaartjes As a local treat to accompany coffee and tea, we at the World Forum frequently serve Haagsche Ooievaartjes, delicious shortbread biscuits made according to a traditional recipe and decorated with the image of a stork (ooievaar). The stork in the coat of arms of The Hague was first affirmed by the College of Arms on 24 July 1816, but even in the 16th century the stork was already associated with the city of The Hague. The stork on the great bell in the clock tower of the Great Church of The Hague was cast in Sustainability Report World Forum 21

22 3.5 Ambitions The World Forum has set up an energy team. The energy team is there in order to see in what ways the energy that is used within the World Forum can be reduced. They will gain advice from their colleagues, suppliers and specialists. The goal of the energy team is to reduce the use and thereby the costs of energy. At this moment the following points are on the agenda: The energy contracts are screened The central heating system will be replaced Lightning plan New procedure of turning of the lights The work-light will be checked New meters will be placed Conversations with the partners to discuss their involvement within the use of energy ISO 20121: Sustainable events standard At the invitation of the Netherlands Standardisation Institute (NEN), the World Forum participated in the start-up discussions on the setting of an international standard for sustainable events. The goals of these discussions were: gaining information on the set-up and status of the Sustainable Events international standard committee within ISO determining whether the Dutch Market has a need/interest in contributing to the development of this international standard for Sustainable Events and setting up a national shadow committee/working group to that end. Today, in the year 2010, the time has come for quantifiable sustainability criteria, and if these are feasible, the World Forum will be looking forward to following them. Waste The results of the Business and Climate project (see 2.3) are intended to lead to a number of recommendations to help the World Forum to further optimise its waste separation processes. Certification In 2010, two new ISO standards for socially responsible business were issued, and the World Forum will follow them closely. ISO 26000: Guidance on social responsibility ISO helps organisations set their priorities in corporate social responsibility and gives recommendations on how to embed CSR within organisations. ISO is also intended to introduce a uniform CSR terminology. 22 Sustainability Report World Forum

23 4. profit world forum The World Forum contributes to the national and local economy, particularly through facilitating multiday international conferences. By actively attracting international multi-day conferences, we generate extra economic spin-off for hotels, restaurants, retail, transport companies, museums and attractions. The economic spin-off from international multi-day conferences (both corporate and non-profit) is calculated by multiplying the number of conference participants by the number of days of the conference. The product is expressed in conference participant days (CPDs). The number of CPDs is multiplied by an expense factor determined by the Netherlands Board of Tourism & Conventions (currently 344). In 2009, the World Forum hosted 30 international conferences, 20 of which were multiday, for a total number of CPDs of 49,463. Multiplied by the expense factor of 344, this translates into economic spin-off of 17,015, about this report world forum This sustainability report is the World Forum s first report on its CSR policy. In it, we report on 2008 and 2009, and look ahead to a few events in We also discuss a number of our ambitions for the coming years. This report is intended for all World Forum stakeholders. From now on, we will be releasing this sustainability report annually to report to our stakeholders, clients, partners, vendors and employees on the World Forum s developments in sustainability issues. Sustainability Report World Forum 23

24 6. GRI table world forum The GRI table is based on the guidelines for sustainability reporting issued by the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI). GRI is a network-based organization that has pioneered the development of the world s most widely used sustainability reporting framework and is committed to its continuous improvement and application worldwide. We feel that the C-level of the G3-guidelines of the GRI apply to this report. The World Forum has no special CSR department. It will be a challenge to improve our reporting level in coming years. In the table below you will find an overview of the core indicators, which you will find in this report. 24 Sustainability Report World Forum

25 G3-indicator Location Page Strategy and analysis 1.1 A statement by the top decision maker within the organisation Introduction 5 Organisational Profile 2.1 Name of the organization 1.1 Our company Products and services 1.1 Our company Operational structure 1.2 Structure Location of the organisation s main office 1.1 Our company Number of countries in which the organization operates 1.1 Our company Ownership structure and legal form 1.2 Structure Markets 1.3 The Market Size of the reporting organization 1.2 Structure Significant changes in the organization 1.2 Structure Awards during the reporting period 1.6 Recognition of CSR results 10 Reporting parameters 3.1 Reporting period 5 About this report Date of the most recent report 5 About this report Reporting cycle 5 About this report Contact for questions about the report Colofon Process for determining the contents of the report 3.6 Definition of the report 5 About this report State any possible limitations to the scope or definition of the report Not applicable 3.8 Foundation for reporting Not applicable 3.10 Explanation of the consequences of possible reformulations of previously supplied information Not applicable 3.11 Significant changes with regard to previous reporting periods Not applicable 3.12 GRI table 6 GRI table 24 Management, obligations and involvement 4.1 The organisation s management structure 1.2 Structure Indicate whether the chairman of the highest administrative body also Structure has a managerial function 4.3 Independence of Board of Management 1.2 Structure Shareholder feedback mechanism Not applicable 4.13 Associated memberships 1.7 Memberships List of stakeholders 1.4 Stakeholders Stakeholder identification 1.4 Stakeholders 10 Economic performance indicators EC 1 Direct economic values 23 Environmental performance indicators EN 3 Direct primary energy consumption 3.1 Energy consumption 19 EN 5 Energy saved due to savings and efficiency improvements 3.1 Energy consumption 19 Social performance indicators LA 10 Training per employee 2.1 Employment issues 12 HR 2 Supplier screening on human rights 2.2 Human rights 14 HR 6 Child labour 2.2 Human rights 14 SO 1 Impact on communities 2.3 Society 15 Sustainability Report World Forum 25

26 annex green events checklist Green events checklist is empowered by the World Forum, The Hague It s not easy being green Focussing on our Corporate Social Responsibility, we have discovered that Kermit is right: it s not easy being green, especially when you want it to be authentic and effective. Sustainability is a journey. The World Forum will strive to reach clear, measurable and realistic goals. These goals include the operation of our venue but also our responsibility as a partner of our client meeting planners. We hope this checklist will be a useful tool in order to meet our common goals. preparation Check it off the beaten green track... If delegates arrive by car, have all tires checked and air-serviced, also as a reminder of the environmental impact of fully aired tires. Have some actors walk around as Environmental Police to create awareness in a fun way. Rent bicycles for all delegates for venue-hotel transportation. Go beyond Carbon-Neutral and allow delegates to donate for example a planting of a tree and exceed your own neutral efforts. Assign an Environmental Officer to guard the green compliance of your event Establish a green purchasing policy. Your (potential) suppliers could sign this document in order to comply with your green standards Consider the possibility of a paperless event by planning all communication as follows: Announcements, invitations by On-line registration Updates during the event by SMS or by use of flatscreens Seminar/workshop/event feedback on-line on site. Make hand-outs available on-line Order green meeting products, including writing pads and badges complying with the FSC mark requirements. Products bearing this mark guarantee a manufacturing process in which the entire cycle from cutting down trees up to and including the end product has been strictly monitored. Prepare an environmental policy for the meeting, and share it with all those involved: management, suppliers, delegates, presenters and exhibitors. just do it! 26 Sustainability Report World Forum

27 accommodation and venue selection Choose hotels and meeting venues that are connected to the airport by mass transit, and within walking distance of one another. Ask potential accommodation suppliers for their in-house environmental policies and a description of programs. Give preference to hotels and venues with a Green Key certificate Perform a site visit to verify that your environmental service requirements can be met. Choose a hotel and/or venue that is interested in doing more to become green. A willingness to cooperate will make your task so much easier. transportation Make it easy for delegates to travel between the airport and the hotel/ meeting venue. Provide information about the local public transit system, or arrange for carpooling shuttles. If vehicular transportation is required, look for vehicles that reduce emissions of greenhouse gasses such as CO 2. Electric and hybrid powered vehicles, as well as vehicles propelled by natural gas, propane, methane gas, and ethanol, produce less emissions than gas or diesel fuelled vehicles. Provide a public transit pass and map in delegates packages. Establish a Carbon-Neutral initiative to counteract the CO 2 emissions resulting from your event. catering Minimize the use of disposables Offer organic meals and snacks which are in season and locally available Ask that condiments, beverages, and other food items be provided in bulk instead of individually packaged. Ensure food and beverage packaging is recyclable, and that it will be recycled. Give your delegates reusable coffee mugs at the start of the conference. Offer fair trade, shade grown, organic coffee. Request organic produce, and free run chicken/eggs/meats. Offer vegetarian meal selections; vegetables consume less land base and energy to produce. Ask delegates to sign-up for meals, by letting you know what meals they will be attending. This will reduce food waste and your costs. exhibition Create signage that can be reused in future events. Provide re-use collection bins for delegate name tags. Tell your exhibitors about your greening plan. Get them involved by asking them to: Print their collateral materials on recycled paper stock, using vegetable-based inks; Bring only what they need to the event, and take away what they don t hand out; Suggest they give away items that are made from recycled materials, durable, reusable, etc. Promote their own environmental initiatives. For venue and stand-builder: On site recycling is provided for paper products and other recyclable materials that are generated; Choose decorations and display materials that can be reused. Clean-up crews be trained to sort out recyclable and reusable items from the garbage Display booths be created using recycled material, and be reusable. sources think green, make green, do green, grow green! Environmental Officer World Forum, The Hague, The Netherlands world forum ENG Sustainability Report World Forum 27

28 Colofon Text Linda van Wijngaarden Design The Key Agency, Amsterdam Contact For more information or questions about the Corporate Sustainability Report of the World Forum, please contact Linda van Wijngaarden: World Forum Churchillplein 10, 2517 JW The Hague, The Netherlands T +31 (0) F +31 (0) E info@worldforum.nl I