GSTC MICE Criteria for Venues

The venue has a sustainability policy and plan that applies to all events they host. A person or group is responsible for implementing the policy and plan and reviewing it periodically. The policy and plan drive continuous improvement.

1. The venue has a sustainability policy and multi-year sustainability plan.
2. Venues that are part of a multi-location brand have a sustainability plan specific to the individual property (not just an overarching corporate policy).
3. The policy and plan are being actively implemented. A person or group is responsible for implementing and monitoring the policy and plan.
4. The policy and plan address the environment; the local community, economy, and culture; human rights; and health and safety.
5. The policy and plan include measurable goals.
6. The policy and plan include a process for monitoring continuous improvement in sustainability performance.
7. The policy is reviewed at least every three years, and the plan is reviewed annually.
8. The sustainability policy is approved by the general manager, a senior executive, or an equivalent position.

The venue manages risks and has contingency plans for unexpected situations during the event.

1. The venue conducts a documented analysis of risks that may affect the health and safety of people on-site during events.
2. The venue conducts a documented analysis of risks that the events it hosts may pose to the environment and the local community and economy. The venue consults local stakeholders during the analysis.
3. The venue has a plan to prevent and mitigate identified risks during events.
4. A person or group is responsible for conducting risk analyses, implementing prevention and mitigation plans, and communicating the plan to the relevant staff and stakeholders.
5. The venue has an emergency and/or crisis management plan, including staff roles and consideration of people with disabilities. A person or group is responsible for maintaining and communicating the plan and facilitating its implementation when needed.
6. All plans for preventing and mitigating risks or responding to emergencies include steps for collaborating with local authorities and stakeholders if a risk or crisis escalates beyond the event venue. 

1. The venue is in compliance with all applicable local and national laws and regulations in all countries of operation, including, among others, health, safety, labor, and environmental aspects.
2. The venue possesses up-to-date versions of all necessary official documents, such as permits, licenses, and certificates.
3. All permanent and temporary structures constituting the venue comply with zoning requirements and laws related to protected and sensitive areas and heritage considerations.

1. The venue makes its sustainability policy available to stakeholders and the local community.
2. The venue publishes an annual sustainability performance report online, shares it with all stakeholders, and makes the report available in an offline format upon request.
3. All communications about the venue, including promotions and marketing, are accurate with regard to its sustainability claims.
4. Sustainability actions and policies relevant to attendees are visible during the event via methods that adhere to sustainable best practices for displays and communications (see A9.7).
5. The venue provides a post-event sustainability report to each event client containing data for sustainability functions operated by the venue, such as waste disposal, energy consumption, and water consumption.

1. Staff are included in the development and engaged with the implementation of the sustainability policy and plan.
2. Staff and volunteers receive guidance and training regarding their roles and responsibilities with respect to sustainability policies, plans, and practices. Records of training or guidance are available.
3. Staff training and guidance materials are available for reference, including in multiple languages and formats accessible to people with disabilities as needed, to train all relevant staff.
4. The venue seeks feedback from staff on the sustainability policy, plan, and practices. This feedback is taken into consideration for continuous improvement.
5. Staff have the option to submit feedback anonymously and are protected from retaliation.

1. Stakeholder feedback, including aspects of sustainability, is monitored, analyzed, and used for continuous improvement.
2. The venue communicates ways that stakeholders and attendees can support or submit feedback about the sustainability policy, plan, and implementation.
3. The venue takes corrective action where appropriate, documents it, and consults the affected
   stakeholders for feedback.

1. The venue is involved with sustainable tourism planning and management in the destination.

1. The venue uses local materials, practices, and crafts in buildings, temporary structures, and designs where practical and appropriate.
2. For any temporary structures provided or sourced by the venue, the venue chooses materials that are rented or can otherwise be diverted from landfills and incinerators according to its solid waste management plan (see D2.4).
3. The venue pursues a third-party audited green building certification for any currently planned or in-progress construction or significant renovations.

1. The venue has a written sustainable purchasing policy that prefers sustainable, local, and/or fair-trade suppliers and products when available.
2. The sustainable purchasing policy includes event displays and decorations, food & beverage, building materials, temporary structures, promotional items, and consumables purchased directly by the venue.
3. The venue’s sustainable purchasing policy prefers reusable or rented goods over consumable or disposable goods when available.
4. The venue’s sustainable purchasing policy favors recyclable or recycled-content products when the purchase of consumable or disposable goods is unavoidable.
5. The sustainable purchasing policy is being actively implemented.
6. Contracts with suppliers include environmental sustainability requirements relevant to each supplier, including a target percentage of sustainability-certified products as applicable.
7. Signs, banners, and other on-site displays and communications posted by the venue are displayed electronically, saved for future reuse, or printed on locally recyclable materials.

1. The venue supports the local community financially or in-kind in areas of need identified by the local community. Examples of support include contributions to projects led by local partners relating to the local infrastructure, environment, culture, education, training, small business development, health, or sanitation.
2. The level and nature of contributions made to schemes in the local community are recorded.

1. The venue has a policy to prefer local residents from the event destination for permanent and temporary positions.
2. The policy is being actively implemented.
3. Local residents are given equal opportunity for advancement and employment in management positions.
4. The venue monitors the number and proportion of permanent employment it provides for local residents.

1. The venue has assessed the capacity of the local infrastructure and environment when determining its maximum per event attendee capacity.
2. The activities of the venue do not jeopardize the provision of basic food and water, energy, health, and sanitation services to neighboring communities in the event destination.
3. A communication mechanism is in place for local communities to report any reductions in the availability of basic food and water, energy, health, and sanitation services in the areas of venue operations.
4. The venue takes corrective action where appropriate, documents it, and consults the affected stakeholders for feedback.

1. The activities of the venue do not restrict local access to livelihoods, including land and aquatic resource use.
2. The activities of the venue do not restrict access to rights-of-way and transport.
3. The activities of the venue do not restrict access to local residences.
4. A communication mechanism is in place for local communities to report any instance of restricted access to transport, local residences, and local livelihoods in the areas of venue operations.
5. The venue takes corrective action where appropriate, documents it, and consults the affected stakeholders for feedback.

1. The code of conduct reflects the venue’s policies regarding exploitation, harassment, and human trafficking (see B6).
2. The code of conduct encourages respectful treatment toward all people regardless of race, religion, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, parental status, national origin, age, disability, or political affiliation.
3. The code of conduct includes guidelines for interactions with children, including guidance on appropriate physical contact. In particular, taking photos or videos of children, giving gifts to children, and accepting gifts from children are discouraged without the permission of the child and the child’s parent or legal guardian.
4. The code of conduct includes guidelines for interactions with vulnerable and marginalized groups, including people with disabilities. In particular, taking photos or videos of adults in the local community is discouraged without the subject’s permission.
5. The venue communicates the code of conduct to staff, suppliers, and clients.
6. The venue provides staff guidance and training about the code of conduct. Records or evidence of training or guidance are available.

1. The venue has a written policy against sexual or any other form of exploitation, harassment, human trafficking, including forced labor.
2. The policy includes procedures for monitoring event activities for exploitation, harassment, and human trafficking, including forced labor as well as procedures for reporting and responding to incidents.
3. The policy covers children, adolescents, women, and other vulnerable groups such as minorities, Indigenous people, people with disabilities, etc.
4. The policy is communicated internally and to the stakeholders.
5. The policy is being actively implemented.
6. The venue is engaged with initiatives and efforts against exploitation, harassment, and human trafficking, including forced labor.
7. Supplier contracts include a zero-tolerance clause for exploitation, harassment, human trafficking including forced labor.
8. The venue provides staff with guidance and training relevant to their roles
   in recognizing and reporting incidents of exploitation or harassment. Records or evidence of training or guidance is available.

1. The venue provides access for people with disabilities, pregnant and nursing mothers, people with allergies, and the elderly.
2. Upon request, the venue consults clients and provides additional accessibility services or equipment when feasible.
3. The venue seeks feedback from clients, staff, and attendees about accessibility and inclusion practices. This feedback is used for continuous improvement.
4. The venue provides staff with guidance and training regarding their roles and responsibilities related to accessibility and inclusion. Records of training or guidance are available.

The venue promotes inclusion and equal opportunities, including in management positions, without discrimination.

1. The employees of the venue have been trained in recognizing bias and discrimination and have identified groups at risk of discrimination, including women, local minorities, Indigenous people, and people with disabilities.
2. The venue offers employment and advancement opportunities, including in management positions, without discrimination on the basis of race, religion, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, parental status, national origin, age, disability, political affiliation, or other non-merit-based factors.

1. The venue complies with International Labor Organization (ILO) standards and regulations.
2. The venue provides a safe and secure working environment for all staff.
3. Water, sanitation, first aid access, and hygiene facilities are provided for all on-site staff and volunteers.
4. The venue pays staff no less than the legal minimum wage in the venue location. If there is no local minimum wage, the venue pays staff a wage that is comparable to local wages for similar work.
5. The venue provides full-time staff with health insurance (if healthcare is not provided universally in the country where the venue is based) and participates in the national social security program, if available. The venue has a program to cover costs for staff for job-related injuries and illnesses.
6. The venue monitors staff job satisfaction.
7. The venue offers staff training appropriate to their roles and relevant advancement opportunities.

1. When the venue’s clients plan visits to Indigenous communities or sites of cultural or historical significance to Indigenous groups, the venue provides relevant information from Indigenous groups to the clients.
2. When the venue’s clients plan visits to culturally or historically sensitive sites, the venue provides relevant information about local regulations and guidance from impacted local communities.
3. The venue provides staff that are not local with guidance about appropriate behavior in light of local customs, traditions, and etiquette.
4. A communication mechanism is in place for local communities and Indigenous people to report adverse impacts from visitors.
5. The venue takes corrective action where appropriate, documents it, and consults the affected stakeholders for feedback.

1. The venue provides financial or in-kind support for the protection, preservation, and enhancement of local properties, sites, and traditions of historical, archaeological, cultural, and spiritual significance.
2. Venues that include sites of historical, archaeological, cultural, and spiritual significance do not fully restrict access to those sites by local residents.
3. The venue takes necessary actions to prevent damage to or theft of any historical and archaeological artifacts on display.

1. The venue has a written energy conservation/efficiency policy.
2. The venue measures the energy used in its operations and the energy use over which it has direct influence or control. Energy is measured by type, such as gas, electricity, transportation fuel, etc. Data may be measured directly by the venue or collected from relevant stakeholders.
3. The venue uses renewable energy sources when available and measures the share of renewable energy in the total energy supply.
4. The venue takes steps to minimize the overall consumption of energy. For example, the venue may use energy-efficient lighting, heating, and cooling equipment and/or turn off equipment and vehicles that are not in use.
5. The venue has specific annual energy consumption reduction targets.
6. The venue provides guidance to suppliers, clients, and staff on minimizing energy use.

1. The venue has a written water conservation policy.
2. The venue has assessed and documented its water risk in the venue location.
3. In destinations where water risk has been assessed as high, the venue identifies and pursues water stewardship goals.
4. The venue measures the water used in its operations and the uses over which it has direct influence/control. Data may be measured directly by the venue or collected from relevant stakeholders.
5. The venue takes steps to minimize overall water consumption.
6. The venue has annual water consumption reduction targets.
7. The venue provides guidance to suppliers, clients, and staff on minimizing water use.
8. The venue’s water originates from a legal source.

1. The venue measures greenhouse gas emissions in Scope 1, Scope 2, and areas of significant influence in Scope 3.
2. The venue has specific greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets aligned with recent Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) guidance.
3. The venue has a written plan to avoid and reduce greenhouse gas emissions from its operations and areas of influence.
4. The plan is being actively implemented.
5. The venue encourages and collaborates with suppliers to avoid and reduce significant greenhouse gas emissions.
6. The venue offsets some or all of its greenhouse gas emissions that remain after avoidance and reduction efforts.
7. The venue has a policy to prefer offsets that remove carbon rather than offsets that avoid emissions and to select carbon offsets that are additional, permanent, and verified by a credible organization.

1. The venue actively encourages staff to use the cleanest and most resource-efficient transport alternatives available, including public mass transit, for commuting and event operations.
2. The venue actively encourages clients and suppliers to use the cleanest and most resource-efficient transport and freight alternatives available and practical, including public mass transit.
3. The venue implements strategies for minimizing single-occupancy vehicle use for transfers between the destination’s primary arrival points and the event venue.

1. The venue has documentation of the treatment arrangements for wastewater generated by the venue.
2. Wastewater resulting from the event is disposed of to a municipal or government-approved treatment system, if available.
3. If suitable municipal wastewater treatment is not available, the venue works with local authorities to ensure that wastewater has no adverse impacts on people and the environment.

1. The venue measures solid waste by relevant waste types, such as food waste, recyclables, waste to landfill, and waste to incinerator, as applicable.
2. The venue has goals in place to reduce annual overall solid waste.
3. The venue has an active solid waste management plan. The plan includes actions to reduce overall waste as well as reuse, donate, or recycle materials. The plan addresses food waste and construction materials where applicable.
4. The venue has a program in place to collect and divert waste from landfills and incinerators (including waste-to-energy facilities).
5. The venue’s waste diversion rate is equal to or greater than the national or municipal average recycling rate of the venue location, whichever is greater, if available.
6. The venue has measures in place to prevent event waste from entering the local environment.
7. The venue has a recycling program for batteries and electronic waste, such as computers, peripherals, printer cartridges, and appliances. Electronics that are still usable are reused or donated rather than recycled.
8. The venue gives guidance on minimizing waste to clients, suppliers, and staff.

1. The venue keeps an inventory and safety data sheets (SDS) for all harmful substances, including pesticides, paints, disinfectants, and cleaning materials.
2. The venue requests from the event organizer the safety data sheets (SDS) for all harmful substances brought on-site for the event, including pesticides, paints, disinfectants, and cleaning materials.
3. The venue substitutes the use of harmful substances with sustainability-certified alternatives when available.
4. The venue stores, handles, and disposes of chemicals in accordance with appropriate standards and applicable regulations.
5. The venue posts relevant safety warnings about harmful substances for attendees and staff.

1. The venue reviews and identifies potential sources of pollution from its activities, including noise, light, runoff, erosion, ozone-depleting substances, and air, water, and soil contaminants.
2. The venue monitors potential sources of pollution covered in the criterion.
3. The venue takes action to minimize and, where possible, eliminate pollution from sources listed in the criterion.

1. The venue works with local conservation bodies to identify natural protected areas, areas of high biodiversity value, and wildlife and habitats that are adjacent to its facilities or may be impacted by its operations.
2. The venue has a written plan to support biodiversity on its properties as well as avoid and mitigate activities with the potential to disturb the areas identified above.
3. The venue provides and records monetary or in-kind support for local biodiversity conservation.
4. If the activities of the venue have disturbed or damaged local natural ecosystems, the venue provides funding for restoration.

1. The venue provides guidelines to relevant stakeholders to avoid the introduction of invasive species.
2. When using live plants for landscaping and decoration, the venue procures native or endemic plants and avoids invasive species.

1. When the venue’s clients plan visits to natural sites or wildlife interactions, the venue provides guidelines from local conservation bodies or relevant local authorities to minimize adverse impacts on the environment and wildlife, if available.
2. The venue conducts due diligence to ensure suppliers that provide products from the wild are in compliance with local and national regulations concerning wildlife harvesting and trade.
3. Upon request, venues provide information to clients about regulations concerning wildlife harvesting, consumption, and trade and the need to avoid buying illegal products/souvenirs derived from threatened species of wildlife notified by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) or Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).

1. If any wild or domestic animals are temporarily or permanently located at the venue, their housing, care, and handling comply with local and national regulations regarding animal welfare. Personnel responsible for animal care regularly inspect the conditions of animals and their housing.
2. Personnel responsible for animal care have appropriate qualifications and experience and are fully licensed, if applicable.
3. The venue does not participate in the acquisition, breeding, or captivity of wild animals except by authorized and suitably equipped persons in compliance with local and international law.
4. If working with suppliers to provide or care for on-site animals, the venue conducts due diligence to ensure suppliers are in compliance with local and national regulations concerning animal welfare and captive wildlife, if applicable.