QUEEN Sirikit National Convention Center (QSNCC) is the first events space in Asia to be accredited for ISO 20121: Event Sustainability Management Systems, its chief executive says.
Sakchai Pattarapreechakul, president of NCC Management and Development, which manages the centre, said the accreditation will help QSNCC consolidate its position as a leading “green” MICE facility in the region.
“We have been (ISO 20121) accredited for meetings, conferences and conventions, which are easier to control when it comes down to making sure all stakeholders meet the requirements,” he said.
“Exhibitions (accreditation) will take more time as it requires ensuring every stage of the supply chain, including suppliers, exhibitors and booth designers meet the required sustainability standards. This means the whole local industry needs to be able to deliver these standards. In Thailand, we’re not quite there yet.”
Sakchai said it took almost two years to train management and staff to the required standards, but now that has been achieved QSNCC can aggressively target events and associations which have environmental and sustainability requirements.
“We believe this trend (of sustainable events) will only increase in coming years,” he said.
QSNCC can now offer clients paperless events with a greater emphasis on technology and connected devices. “Paperless events are more expensive,” he said, “but we offer free Wi-Fi for the whole event as an incentive. We’re the first facility in Thailand to do so.”
Other green developments include ceasing the provision of drinking water in plastic bottles, providing free shuttle services to connect with local public transport and increasing parking space for bicycles.
QSNCC obtained TIS 22300: MICE Security Management Systems in 2008 and ISO 50001 Energy Management Systems in 2011.
The centre has invested 200 million baht (US$6.2 million) over the past few years and received support in the form of tax breaks, as well as subsidies from Thailand Exhibition and Convention Bureau which cover up to 40 per cent of the one million baht ISO accreditation fee.
