MELBOURNE
​SUSTAINABILITY
​GUIDE

SUSTAINABILITY THRIVES HERE


Ensuring Melbourne is a sustainable destination for business events is a key mission of Melbourne Convention Bureau. We are committed to our role in securing business events for Melbourne that will have a positive social, environmental and economic impact for our city, and will reiterate our position globally as a safe, sustainable and innovative destination.

MCB recognises that Melbourne has an unparalleled opportunity to embrace, promote and leverage our industry’s initiatives, efforts and programs focused on sustainability and ensure it is at the forefront of our client’s minds when hosting events in our city.

But we can’t do it alone. Acting on sustainability will take commitment from everyone – government, the tourism and events industry, our association clients and delegates - but together we can achieve great things with a combination of big moves and small steps.

Part of the charm of our wonderful city is that it’s constantly changing – boldly innovating and adapting to meet new needs over many decades. And sustainability is no different - we’ve responded in a uniquely Melbourne way to ensure our destination is available for future generations to enjoy and love.

ABOUT THIS GUIDE

Thank you for using this link to view and download Melbourne’s sustainability resources and assets.

This guide provides you with educational resources, helpful templates and inspiration to help you plan a sustainable event in Melbourne and Victoria.

Our team is always here to help. Please get in touch with your dedicated Convention Servicing team member for more information or contact us at info@melbournecb.com.au.


SUSTAINABILITY FAST FACTS


#1 SUSTAINABLE CITY IN AUSTRALIA

MCB participates in the Global Destination Sustainability Index (GDS Index), that recognises sustainable practices in the business tourism and events industry.


A CITY THAT CARES FOR ITS ENVIRONMENT

City of Melbourne is taking strides towards climate change with initiatives to make sure our city stays green, safe and accessible for everyone. Find out more here.


A 6-STAR CONVENTION CENTRE

Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre is the first convention centre in the world to have a 6-Star Green Star rating and has also achieved EarthCheck's Platinum certification.


COMMITTED TO GREATER OUTCOMES MCB's strategy aims to deliver greater "Beyond Tourism" outcomes for our stakeholders with a focus on legacy, sustainability & supporting Melbourne's First Peoples communities.


ACCESSIBILITY 

Our city prides itself on being welcoming, inclusive and accessible for all. Find out more about accessing Melbourne here.


GREEN TRANSPORT OPTIONS

Melbourne's sophisticated tram network is 100% powered by solar and free to use in the city centre. Our city's grid layout means we're the perfect walking city for delegates and visitors.


EVENT ORGANISER TOOLS

SUSTAINABLE EVENT PLANNING TOOL KIT

Event planners can take proactive steps to ensure that their event results in positive social and environmental impacts for the hosting city. Creating a sustainable event should be considered early in the planning process.

These tips, tools and templates can help you take action on climate change by making your event in Melbourne more sustainable. Please reach out to our friendly team if we can provide any tailored assistance with your event's sustainability efforts.


SUSTAINABLE EVENT CHECKLIST

Our checklist includes simple ways you can incorporate sustainability initiatives into your event here in Melbourne.



CARBON NEUTRAL EVENTS

The Climate Active Carbon Neutral Standard for Events (Event Standard) is a voluntary standard to manage greenhouse gas emissions and achieve carbon neutrality. It provides best-practice guidance on how to measure, reduce, offset and report emissions that occur as a result of an event’s activities.



STATEMENT OF COMMITMENT

Publicly making a statement of commitment towards a sustainable event helps get everyone on board and provides a clear message to your stakeholders about what you stand for. City of Melbourne's template will assist you in getting started.



INCLUSIVE EVENTS

Melbourne is one of Australia’s oldest cities but accessibility for people with special mobility needs is improving all the time. Find out about accessible accommodation, activities and attractions and the best ways to get around in Melbourne and Victoria.


MCB'S SUSTAINABLE PARTNERS

Use the keyword "sustainability" in MCB's Supplier Search to find our partners going above and beyond with their sustainability initiatives.



SUPPORT LOCAL

A great way to have an event with a positive impact is to support local organisations and projects. Some examples of how to do this are included in our guide below.

FIRST PEOPLES ENGAGEMENT GUIDE

Create a culturally rich business event and drive social impact with MCB's First Peoples Engagement Guide. You'll find essential information about why, when and how to organise a Welcome to Country or Acknowledgment of Country, a curated Indigenous Supplier Guide and so much more.


PLANNING & MEASUREMENT TOOLS

Planning ahead makes it easier to be more sustainable during your event, and measuring your impacts enables you to identify opportunities for improvements.

Keep up to date with Melbourne's sustainability initiatives from a business events perspective by subscribing to MCB's newsletter here.

LEGACY AND IMPACT PLANNING


There is a strong body of research identifying that the benefits derived from business events extend well beyond immediate economic contributions to tourism. When these benefits actually occur can be divided into two categories:

Meeting Outcomes Benefits that occur during the meeting such as showcasing of new technology, local exhibitors and delegates meeting new international clients, education programs for local students, knowledge exchange and networking. Meeting Outcomes, such as the announcement of future commitments by keynote speakers or the event organiser, have the potential to create Legacy Outcomes.  

Legacy Outcomes Benefits that occur after the meeting has ended, whereby commitments made during the conference period are delivered over time and impact the targeted beneficiaries.

MCB is committed to supporting event owners and planners through their strategic legacy planning journey to ensure positive, long-lasting, and sustainable impacts for your event in Melbourne. We will do this by:

SUPPORTING PLANNERS WITH MARKETING OPPORTUNITIES

Ongoing support from MCB’s marketing team to capture case studies, interviews and blog posts of the legacy program, from conceptualisation through to implementation and measurement, for promotion across MCB's channels.

INTRODUCING EVENT OWNERS TO OUR EXTENSIVE NETWORK ACROSS MELBOURNE

MCB has established relationships and can facilitate introductions across government, universities and research institutes including MCB's Knowledge Partners, and members of the Club Melbourne Ambassador Program to assist in your legacy journey.

CONNECTING EVENT OWNERS AND PLANNERS WITH LEGACY CONSULTANT EXPERTS FOR 1:1 SESSIONS

Opportunity to undergo a tailored Legacy Clinic workshop delivered by leading legacy consultants, to explore further understanding of strategic legacy concepts.

ALLOCATING FUNDING TO DEVELOP AND IMPLEMENT LEGACY STRATEGIES

Funding offered through MCB and Victorian Government can be used specifically for the concept development and implementation of a legacy strategy.

CONNECTING LIKE-MINDED EVENT OWNERS FOR KNOWLEDGE SHARING EXCHANGE

Connecting event owners and planners together of both past and upcoming events to facilitate the exchange of knowledge and success stories with regards to legacy.


A SUSTAINABLE DESTINATION

MELBOURNE, A SUSTAINABLE CITY


Melbourne is known for its coffee, laneway culture and street art, but its environmental initiatives have earned it a reputation as one of the most sustainable, not just in Australia, but throughout the world. The below details some of our city’s environmental, economic and social sustainability initiatives, programs and steps towards ensuring Melbourne can be enjoyed for generations to come.

SUSTAINABILITY FOR MELBOURNE

City of Melbourne is taking strides towards this goal with initiatives to make sure our city stays green, safe and accessible for everyone. The city is proud to be part of a local and international movement of cities that will act to reduce emissions and to address climate change impacts, and recently worked with climate experts and the community to develop a Climate Change Mitigation Strategy to 2050.

Find out more about City of Melbourne's initiatives here.

VICTORIA LEADING THE NATION ON CLIMATE CHANGE

Victoria’s Climate Change Strategy is a roadmap to net-zero emissions and a climate resilient Victoria by 2050. The Government has set ambitious, but achievable targets to reduce the state’s greenhouse gas emissions from 2005 levels by 28–33% by 2025 and 45–50% by 2030. These targets maintain Victoria’s position as a climate leader in Australia and confirms our position among leading jurisdictions around the world, such as the United States and the European Union.

To achieve these emissions reduction targets Victoria’s Climate Change Strategy includes actions to:

  • transition our state to a clean energy future that will create jobs, cut costs for households and businesses and strengthen our energy system
  • invest in innovative technologies, such as zero emissions vehicles and hydrogen, and partner with businesses and communities to set Victoria up for their adoption
  • recognise and safeguard the role of our natural environment in reducing emissions, and ensure our farmers are well placed to embrace new technologies and practices that reduce emissions
  • support Victorian businesses and communities to cut emissions and thrive in a net-zero emissions future.

Find out more about Victoria's Climate Change Strategy here.

A SUSTAINABLE VENUE CHOICE 


Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre (MCEC) is always working to find innovative ideas that provide better outcomes for our community, our customers and our environmental footprint. They will continue to deliver creative solutions for our customers and collaborate with industry partners to ensure MCEC is a truly sustainable event destination.

Read current MCEC Sustainability Strategy

Download MCEC's 2022-2023 Impact Report

MCEC's POSITIVE IMPACT GUIDE

Visit MCEC's impact hub to access advice, toolkits, and guides to enhance your event's positive impact.

View here




MCEC's CIRCULAR FOOD ECONOMY

Listen to what Executive Sous Chef - Culinary Development, Karl Edmonds, has to say about MCEC's excellent strategies to create a circular food economy, ensuring delegates meet and eat sustainably in Melbourne.

Watch video

SUSTAINABILITY SUCCESS STORIES


Melbourne's commitment to continued excellence as a global sustainable city is evidenced in our infrastructure, variety of programs in and around the city, and delivery of sustainable events.



SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS EVENTS WITH ARINEX

MCB sat down with leading, carbon-neutral Professional Conference Organiser, Arinex, to discuss sustainability in business events, and how Arinex work with their clients to enhance the beyond tourism benefits of their events.

CODA 2022 - CARBON NEUTRAL CONFERENCE

Strengthening Melbourne’s reputation as a premium destination in hosting global events in the medical field was the unparalleled healthcare event, Coda 2022. Across four days, over 2,000 delegates from around the globe convened at MCEC to enjoy a festival of clinical learning, health advocacy and a celebration of the healthcare community including a focus on fun and wellbeing.


CARBON NEUTRAL CITY OF MELBOURNE EVENTS

The City of Melbourne is the first organisation to have an event portfolio certified Carbon Neutral through the Australian Government’s Climate Active Program.

Since 2018, their portfolio has grown to include Melbourne Fashion Week, Melbourne Music Week and Melbourne Knowledge Week. They are committed to continue making these events carbon neutral and growing their portfolio of carbon neutral events into the future.



IT'S EASY TO MEET SUSTAINABLY IN MELBOURNE WITH HARRY THE HIRER

One of Melbourne's top exhibition build and furniture hirer businesses, Harry the hirer, explains what they are doing to provide end-to-end sustainable solutions for their clients, and initiatives to become a more sustainable business now and into the future.


ITINERARIES WITH IMPACT

We understand that for many delegates this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to visit Australia. From beautiful beaches, outback landscapes, culinary delights, native fauna and flora, arts and culture to iconic landmarks there is so much to discover.

Encourage your delegates to get to know Melbourne and Victoria's good nature, as they discover sustainable and eco-friendly travel options around the state.

Learn about Victoria's rich and complex Aboriginal history at galleries, museums and cultural centres. Book into experiences that give back to the environment through conservation efforts and awareness. Stay in eco-friendly and off-grid accommodation — from tiny houses and eco-lodges to cosy cottages on working farms. Try a little nature therapy along coastal or forest trails, and take time out from everyday stresses in hot springs and geothermal pools.

Explore Melbourne's green laneways and take a ride on the city's iconic trams, powered by a large-scale solar plant in regional Victoria. Take your taste buds on an eco-tour of the state's renowned food scene. Settle into social enterprise cafes and restaurants, where good deeds pair with great dishes. Drop into farm gates along regional food trails and order modern meals that showcase native Australian ingredients.

Melbourne and Victoria are good-natured, in more ways than you might imagine.

USE THE LINKS AND RESOURCES BELOW ON YOUR CONFERENCE WEBSITE TO PROMOTE THE MANY GOOD-NATURED EXPERIENCES FOR DELEGATES TO ENJOY WHEN THEY VISIT MELBOURNE AND VICTORIA.

SUSTAINABLE TRAVEL IDEAS

Discover eco-friendly tours, attractions, eateries and more. Access road trip itineraries with a feel-good difference.

Click here to read.

ECO-FRIENDLY ACCOMMODATION

Encourage your delegates to get off the grid pre or post conference by embracing Victoria's natural environment with an eco-friendly stay.

Find a list of eco-accommodation options here.

SOFT MOBILITY & GREEN TRANSPORT OPTIONS

Educate, encourage, and enable your delegates to use more sustainable forms of mobility. Melbourne boasts environmentally-friendly forms of transportation including our 100% solar powered tram network which is free to use in the city centre. Melbourne's grid layout means its easy to navigate by foot too.

Find out more here.

FIRST NATIONS EXPERIENCES

With a living history dating back 60,000 years, we strongly encourage your delegates to learn more about the spiritual beliefs and unique traditions of South Eastern Australia's first people. Talk to our team about incorporating indigenous elements into your conference, or how to promote pre-and-post conference tours supporting our First Nations people.

Find out more about Aboriginal Victoria here.

TWO DAY CULTURE, WINE AND NATURE ADVENTURE FOR UP TO 15 PEOPLE

This itinerary takes your group away from the usual tourist spots and ventures north to the Goulburn Valley, where you’ll find rivers, native River Red Gums, wineries and a warmer climate. Here you’ll connect with the people, places and perspectives at the heart of the Taungurung community.

Find out more

ONE DAY URBAN CULTURE AND ADVENTURE EXPERIENCE

The land we now call Australia has been home to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities for more than 60,000 years. The fascinating history and contemporary culture of the country’s Traditional Owners are displayed through art, music, food and ceremonial traditions. Here's a sample itinerary based in Melbourne to give you an idea of how you can enrich your program.

Find out more


A COMMITMENT TO SUSTAINABILITY

LEADING THE EVENTS INDUSTRY

Melbourne Convention Bureau's vision is to strengthen Melbourne's position as a global leader in business events and enhance Victoria's reputation as Australia's event capital.

OUR COMMITMENT Ensuring Melbourne is a sustainable destination for business events is a key mission of Melbourne Convention Bureau. We are committed to our role in securing business events for Melbourne that will have a positive social, environmental and economic impact for our city, and will reiterate our position globally as a safe, sustainable and innovative destination.

MCB recognises that Melbourne has an unparalleled opportunity to embrace, promote and leverage our industry’s initiatives, efforts and programs focused on sustainability and ensure it is at the forefront of our client’s minds when hosting events in our city.

PROGRESS TOWARDS THE SDG’S The United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDG’s) are a roadmap for a better, more sustainable and equal world. MCB mapped the UN Sustainable Development Goals against the business events industry in Melbourne and identified the following goals that are most relevant:

ALIGNING WITH MCB’S ORGANISATIONAL STRATEGY MCB is committed to embedding sustainability in our operations. In addition to our key objective being to “drive economic and social progress for Victoria by securing and delivering world class business events”, sustainability in all its forms has been identified as a key KPI of MCB’s organisational strategy, which will be achieved through the implementation of MCB’s Sustainability Strategy 2022-25. In particular, MCB’s organisational strategy calls out the following strategic imperatives for FY23/24:

  • Position business events as enablers of ‘Beyond Tourism’ benefits which deliver greater outcomes for stakeholders with a focus on legacy, sustainability & supporting Indigenous communities
  • Leverage Victoria’s strengths in First Nations business and sustainability

KEY PRIORITIES The following priorities structure MCB’s work to advance the sustainability of the business events industry in Melbourne and are demonstrative of our commitment to our vision.



MCB SUSTAINABILITY RESULTS