“Samantha Ferrier is the Sustainability Manager at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre (MCEC). MCEC hosts more than 1000 events each year and is well regarded for its environmental sustainability initiatives. Sam seeks to ensure that the legacy left behind by MCEC, and indeed the events industry, is one that is positive and restorative. Sam developed MCEC’s five-year Sustainability Strategy and Action Plan and is responsible for its delivery.
Sam has been working in waste, environmental management and sustainability for over ten years, with experience in driving programs for non-for-profits, private companies and government. She is a member of the Australian Business Events Council (ABEA) Sustainability Council, the former chair of the Goulburn Valley Waste and Resource Recovery Group Education Steering Committee and was one of the early adopters in local government to develop a Waste Wise Events program.
She is driven by a passion for waste avoidance, regeneration, circular economy, food security, education, action on climate change and reducing our collective environmental footprint. Sam holds a Master’s degree in environmental management from RMIT University, Melbourne.”

WHERE YOU CAN SEE Samantha…

Synopsis

Our industry knows we must act on climate change. We have responded by developing the biggest, most inclusive collaboration ever seen in our industry – the Net Zero Carbon Events (NZCE) Pledge. The initiative is the events industry’s global campaign to achieve net zero emissions by 2050 – at the latest. Hosted by Joint Meetings Industry Council (JMIC) and supported by the United Nations, NZCE is supported globally by over 600 businesses from across our sector. Join this session to hear from UFI’s CEO, Kai Hattendorf, who will provide an overview of the key elements of the pledge, highlighting the role of the events industry in addressing climate change collectively. Kai will then be joined by a panel of local practitioners who will share their journey as signatories to the pledge, providing tangible tips. The panel will answer questions and address challenges to help audience members along their own emissions reduction journey.

Key Takeaways

“1. An understanding of the Net Zero Carbon Events Pledge and what it means to become a signatory
2. How the Net Zero Carbon Events pledge relates to the Asia Pacific
3. The benefits and challenges associated with committing to net zero emissions
4. How to start your net zero emissions journey”

Target Audience

Venues, organisers, service providers, associations, suppliers and destinations