Are Virtual Events Really More Sustainable?

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Published Jun 22, 2021

Most people make the unchecked assumption that a virtual event is always more sustainable than a physical one. But is this really the case? Almost 40 million tons of CO2 per year were caused by the operation of the Internet and Internet-enabled devices In Germany alone in 2019 - and that was even before the outbreak of the corona virus.

Has the digital industry with its servers and data centers, energy-intensive manufacturing of end devices and enormous power consumption, also become an environmental problem? At the end of the day, the digitization of an event, a seminar or a congress should avoid at least as much CO2 emissions as it causes, according to Jürgen May, managing director of 2bdifferent, consulting agency for sustainability in the event industry. It would be even better, of course, if this balance were positive in terms of sustainability.

But which factors for more sustainability have to be weighed up concretely for virtual events? An event can be divided into the planning or pre-event phase, the main event itself and the after-event phase. Sustainability aspects should already be taken into account when designing hybrid or virtual trade shows, trade show booths, congresses, conferences or webinars - in other words, during requirements engineering. However, it is difficult to obtain valid figures for the digitization of events. Most providers of virtual events are unable or unwilling to provide data on this.

In addition, the sustainability of virtual or hybrid events does not end with the creation of a carbon footprint and the purchase of green electricity, but is reflected in social aspects of sustainability, among other things. In addition, the topic of the supply chain is also taken into account here, as it is necessary to consider where the programming takes place, e.g. through outsourcing in China, India or Russia, and where the servers and end devices are produced. That means, for example, what are the working conditions, remuneration, social standards and human rights like there?

For Jürgen May, this raises the question: can digitalization in the event industry ultimately contribute to a more sustainable, greener and fairer world, or does the digitalization boom further fuel climate change and human rights abuses? This is a topic that every planner of digital events should give fundamental thought to.

With:
Speaker: Jürgen May, 2bdifferent, Managing Director

#Keynote #MICETrack #MICE #EventManagement #Sustainability #Digitalization #InGerman #Convention #CSR #Sustainability

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