PRESENTER BACKGROUND
• Nicholas N. Kimani, Chandaria School of
• Business, United States International University,
• Nairobi, Kenya.
• PhD: Environmental Governance, Australian
National University (2008)
• Post-Doc Research: Climate Change
Governance, University of Cape Town (2009)
TOPIC OF PRESENTATION:
• ‘Green-Conferencing’ Promotion in
Kenya:
• Towards an Enabling Policy, Legal
and Institutional Framework
My Focus In This Presentation:
Policy, Legal & Institutional Issues:
• I focus on these issues by reference to the
following question as follows:
• HOW CAN KENYA BECOME AFRICA’S
LEADING DESTINATION FOR ‘GREEN’
CONFERENCING/ BUSINESS
TOURISM?
BODY OF PRESENTATION
1.
Setting the Scene:
– Concepts & Contexts
– Why green-conferencing
Kenya
matters
for
• (2) How have our competitors in Africa
succeeded?
• (3) Lessons-learnt and way forward for
Kenya
Setting the Scene: Concepts &
Contexts (1/3)
• Sustainability:
1. It matters: Sustainability is top of the agenda for
international event planners, ranking alongside bed
stock availability & flight availability into a destination.
2. It presents business and societal opportunities: From a
strategic perspective, contributing to environmental
conservation provides opportunities to:
– Drive brand value, achieve long-term growth and
increase profits;
– Identify smarter ways to do more with less;
Setting the Scene: Concepts &
Contexts (2/3)
• A "green" conference is: Conference where a
conscious effort is made during planning
sessions to ensure that:
1. Amount of waste generated is kept to a
minimum;
2. Items used during the course of the
meeting are of recycled content; and
3. The waste generated is recycled or
reused to the maximum extent possible.
Setting the Scene: Concepts &
Contexts (3/3)
• The meetings industry
• Very competitive and dynamic due to the many
emerging conferencing destinations & changes in
technology;
• Although Kenya has a very-appreciated culture of
having warm customer friendly people with
impeccable quality in hospitality service delivery, we
need to do more for Business/Conference tourism.
Why Green Conferencing
Matters for Kenya
– Kenya’s official (ICCA) 2009 ranking: Africa's 4th
best performing Convention Centers—after South
Africa (90); Egypt (32); Morocco (28); and then Kenya
(19). Also Kenya was ranked at position 60 up from
623 in 2008;
–Kenya’s tourism sector earnings: These rose by
32.9% to Sh. 98b in 2011. Potential therefore exists
for further growth notwithstanding challenges e.g.
travel advisories
Why Green Conferencing
Matters for Kenya
–Improving Kenya’s ranking would increase
opportunities to:
1.Win new sales and to consolidate existing
business;
2.Enhance the multiplier effect to Kenya’s
economy e.g. jobs creation (e.g. local farmers),
building linkages with industry (e.g.airlines, forex
bureaus, transport, hotels) & the grassroots
(communities)
Issues for Consideration
• Becoming Africa's preferred 'green'
conference destination would require careful
and thoughtful planning.
• "Green meetings do not just happen.”
• The key question: How have our
competitors in Africa succeeded?
The key question: How have our
competitors succeeded?
…
• Case studies:
1. Cape Town International Convention Center (CTICC) &
•
• 2. Durban International Conference Center (ICC)
•
(Both have among the most highly advanced conference facilities in the world.
But that is not my focus at this juncture)
• Our Focus
a) How their sustainability programmes have reduced
environmental impacts of conferences hosted: energy,
water & waste;
b) What lessons we can learn: Policy, Legal & Institutional
CTICC Environmental Initiatives(1/3)
•
CTICC’s commitment to environmental excellence through its Nurture
Our World (NOW) initiative:
•
My Tree in Africa: Reducing carbon footprint left by meetings and
events by assisting conference delegates purchasing trees, which are
planted in disadvantaged communities in Cape Town;
•
Global Green Alliance: CTICC + Melbourne Convention and Exhibition
Centre (MCEC) + Arena and Convention Centre (Liverpool)– formed a
Global Green Alliance to encourage industry best practice for hosting
sustainable events globally;
CTICC Environmental Initiatives (2/3)
•
United Nations Global Compact (UNGC) Member – CTICC is the first
convention centre in Africa to become a signatory to the UN Global
Compact– a strategic policy commitment for businesses to align their
operations and strategies with internationally accepted principles in
human rights, labour, environment and anti-corruption;
•
ISO 14000 (Environmental Management)– CTICC boasts ISO 14000
certification. Many local organisations, e.g. KICC already familiar with
the processes involved in establishing world class management
systems—ISO 9000.
•
NOW Supplier Accreditation –‘Green’ criteria that suppliers can strive
to meet;
Environmental Initiatives of CTICC
(3/3)
•
•
•
Green Living Training - CTICC, in conjunction with the City of Cape
Town offers its staff comprehensive ‘green living’ training, aimed at
encouraging environmental awareness and ‘green’ practices both in
the workplace and at home;
Enhancing energy efficiency, water efficiency and waste minimisation
–e.g. encouraging reducing, re-using and recycling. A significant part
of CTICC’s business strategy focuses on these sustainable initiatives.
ICC Environmental Initiatives(1/3)
• Exceptional Environmental Management and Safety
Systems: ISO14001; ISO9001, ISO22000 (food safety)
& OHSAS18001 certifications;
• Building on-site food production: ICC grows its own
culinary herbs for use in its kitchen used in
conferences;
• World class high tech green building: focus on natural
lighting, energy efficient light fittings and air
conditioning systems, & indigenous landscaping.
ICC Environmental Initiatives(2/3)
• Dedicated to waste reduction and recycling: focus on
minimising waste at source--reducing the supply of
bottled water for events and functions, favouring tap
water filled jugs and water dispensers.
• Stringent Targets: Waste separation policy During the
first half of 2011, 50%+ of the waste generated was
recycled.) & Energy efficiency (7% of current total
demand through solar powered LED street lighting.
ICC Environmental Initiatives(3/3)
• Showcasing Environmental and Cultural Icons: The
immediate surrounds of the ICC building boast a
number of cultural heritage icons: Life-size White
Rhino Bronze Statue; Baobab Trees; and Human
Rights Commemorations
THE WAY FORWARD: Policy Issues
(1/1)
• We need a National Ecotourism Strategy to include guidelines
for developing Business Tourism and Conferencing in Kenya.
• Requires Multi-stakeholder buy-in from entire industry (EK,
Min. of Tourism, KTB, Kenya Tourism Federation and other
sister tourism associations including KATO, KAHC, KATA, PERAK,
KAAO and MCTO);
• Challenge: Agreeing on common guidelines for specific roles
(e.g. waste/ energy reduction) or recycling) & specific
responsibilities (e.g. Venues, conference organisers—carbon
offsets)
THE WAY FORWARD: Legal Issues
(1/2)
1. Has the time come for binding legal guidelines? If
so:
– Should we advocate widening the scope of the
existing Eco-rating guidelines (voluntary in
nature)?
– Should we push for compulsory ‘Green-Star’
Rating e.g. through NEMA?
THE WAY FORWARD: Legal Issues
(2/2)
• 2. If we opt for binding legal guidelines, further
issues:
a) Should they reward leaders, and if so how?
b) Should they penalize laggards, and if so how?
c) What is the current international best practice? E.g.
is industry-led self-regulation better than
Government oversight?
THE WAY FORWARD: Institutional
Issues (1/2)
• Entails a focus on Individual Stakeholders (Venues &
Service Providers). Some pertinent questions:
1. Do we have a credible environmental policy? If
not, why?
2. Have we identified areas for cost savings in our
operations? Energy, Recycling, Reusing, Premise
Management
3. Do we have any evidence for the business case
for green business tourism/ conferencing e.g.
feedback from guests
In Conclusion
• For Green Conferencing/ Business Tourism to become
standard practice in Kenya, we must:
– RETHINK the way we presently operate as an entire
industry;
– REFUSE to implement practices in our office or
conference environment that are harmful to the
environment;
– COMMIT to detailed planning and organisation.
THANK YOU!
• END OF PRESENTATION