A project examining and promoting the value of 'meeting legacy' and its benefits for associations and destinations around the world has won a coveted environmental award.
The Copenhagen Legacy Lab (CLL), run by convention bureau Wonderful Copenhagen, won the Global Destination Sustainability Movement’s Innovation Award 2021.
The announcement was made at the 60th ICCA Congress’ hub in Paris in recognition of CLL’s forward-looking focus and efforts to hasten the meeting industry’s focus on legacy work. Elsewhere Gothenburg won the Leadership award for the fifth consecutive year while Lyon won the Most Improved category.
Kit Lykketoft, director of conventions at Wonderful Copenhagen, said: “The concept of legacy work and on creating long-lasting positive impact has been on our agenda for some years, but the pandemic has certainly given it new dimensions.
“It has amplified the necessity to use a system model where associations are given the right tools to achieve their mission towards the community - and our Copenhagen Legacy Lab concept covers this need by offering a new purpose to association conferences.
“It is our hope that the international acknowledgment received today will serve as an inspiration for more associations and destinations to embrace legacy work and look into the huge untapped potential of impact activities as part of their strategic congress actions.”
Peter Grönberg, CEO of Gothenburg & Co, said: “This is a great award to receive and a huge recognition. Gothenburg has for many years successfully driven the development of a more sustainable meeting industry and hospitality industry. GDS-Index was born in our city, and the fact that there are now over 70 cities that have joined is in line with our ambition to be an international role model in sustainability."
Guy Bigwood, managing director of the GDS-Index, said: “We had many entries for the Innovation Award in 2021 and everyone are inspiring examples of destinations committed to transforming their approach to stakeholder engagement, product delivery, communication, and the use of technology in their collective efforts to accelerate the benefits of circular systems that benefit people and the environment. The Copenhagen Legacy Lab has been awarded the winner for its program that assists international associations to achieve long-term, positive and sustainable impacts from their global events and that have been developed for the benefit and transformation of all stakeholders involved.”
Apart from the Copenhagen Legacy Lab by Wonderful Copenhagen CVB, the Innovation Award finalists shortlisted this year included Aarhus by VisitAarhus Convention Bureau, Helsinki by Helsinki Marketing, Bordeaux by Office de Tourisme et des Congrès de Bordeaux Métropole / Bordeaux Meeting & Congress, as well as the Faroe Islands overseen by Visit Faroe Islands.
Written By
James Lancaster
AMI editor James
Lancaster is a familiar face in the meetings industry and international
association community. Since joining AMI in 2010, he has gained a reputation
for asking difficult questions and getting lost in convention centres. Proofer, podcaster, and panellist - in his spare time, James likes to walk,
read, listen to music, and drink beer.
