Estoril Congress Centre gets the green light for environmental sustainability

06/03/2012 Portugal

The Estoril Congress Centre in Portugal has taken on several environmentally sustainable steps to place itself as a green leader in the MICE industry. These steps have now been officially recognized by the environment managing programme EarthCheck marking a clear acknowledgment to the need of environmental accountability in the MICE industry.

In a conscientious and dedicated programme, which was started 5 years ago, the Estoril Congress Centre has changed its business plans, practices and operations in order to commit itself to respecting the economy and remaining commercially accountable. The director of the centre, Pedro Rocha dos Santos stated that the move was a long-term pledge and an attempt to develop a more responsible and sustainable business model.
However, this was no simple feat as EarthCheck benchmarking programme is renowned for being scientifically rigorous and meticulous. Several key indicators are taken into account and measured, for example, the centre’s energy and water consumption, waste production and community commitment are all used to create an overall picture of their commitment to environmental sustainability. This involves the daunting task of submitting a year’s worth of information, but needless to say, this results in much-deserved recognition.
This year, the congress centre, which is one of Bedouk’s valued clients, will further its green efforts with the EarthCheck’s Silver Certification in their sights. This ambitious target demonstrates the management’s drive for improvement and continuous progress. Several initiatives have been adopted such as an extensive recycling programme, the training of staff in environmentally sound practices and a wide use of eco-certified products. Environmental sustainability has even extended to the kitchen with the centre’s catering services stemming from locally sourced food products. Where possible, the centre has stated its intention to source food from a 30km radius, thus reducing transport emissions.
The Estoril Congress Centre also offers its guests the opportunity to have a zero carbon event through purchasing carbon offsetting credits, meaning that you too can take an active part in the venue’s ambition to become fully environmentally sustainable. So, when you hold your next event at the Estoril Congress Centre, you can enjoy its beautiful scenic position in the comfort of knowing you’re doing your bit to help the environment. Although there is inevitably room for improvement, this has been a great landmark achievement for the Estoril Congress Centre, providing a benchmark for other congress centres around the world and proof that environmentally friendly measures can be implemented during uncertain economic periods.