As another hot summer begins, with water shortages continuing to affect the landscape and cities facing increasingly high temperatures, we are once again reminded that sustainability is not merely a marketing buzzword or a trend of recent years. More and more, it is becoming part of the everyday reality of cities, businesses, and events alike.
At Brno Convention Bureau, we see sustainability as a natural part of the destination’s long-term development and have been systematically addressing this topic for several years. Today, the meetings industry is also increasingly focused on how to plan events more responsibly – from energy and waste management to transportation, the selection of local suppliers, and the overall impact events have on the destinations where they take place.
Our goal is to open up new opportunities for our partners, share inspiration and best practices, and gradually help move the entire region towards a more responsible approach together.
We regularly explore sustainability-related topics on our blog, and over the years we have organised a number of lectures, workshops, and study visits for our partners focused on sustainability in practice. One particularly well-received initiative was last year’s joint visit to Vienna’s Hotel Stadthalle, renowned for its environmentally responsible approach to hotel operations. The opportunity to see concrete solutions in action often proves to be one of the greatest sources of inspiration for our partners.
An equally important part of our work is our long-term collaboration with partners across the region. We regularly share our own sustainability questionnaire with them, which serves not only as an assessment tool but also as an opportunity for organisations to reflect on the measures they have already implemented and identify areas for further development.
Our focus extends beyond environmental protection alone. The questionnaire consists of 20 questions and maps partner activities across the full spectrum of ESG topics – Environmental, Social, and Governance. We look at areas such as energy and waste management, support for local suppliers, employee wellbeing and development, accessibility of services, diversity, education, as well as internal processes and organisational strategies.
Partners who meet the established requirements are awarded a green leaf label, “Sustainable Venue,” in the venue catalogue on our website. The designation is based on an internal assessment using 20 criteria covering environmental, social, and governance (ESG) aspects. However, our aim is not simply to recognise a one-time achievement. Over the years, we have seen organisations evolve, expand their activities, and introduce new measures. This long-term progress and willingness to explore new approaches are, for us, important indicators that sustainability is steadily gaining momentum across the region.
Among our partners, there are already organisations that are taking sustainability efforts a step further. One example is Hotel Ryzlink in Mikulov, which has implemented a wide range of measures aimed at creating a more responsible operation and continues to seek new ways to engage both guests and event organisers. As one of the few hotels in the region, it has introduced its own “Be Sustainable” programme, encouraging organisers to make choices that help reduce waste, lower energy consumption, and support local services. Participants are rewarded with specific benefits for selected actions. At the same time, the hotel is preparing to obtain an official certification that will further validate its long-term commitment.
Another inspiring example is SONNENTOR, where a responsible approach is embedded throughout the entire organisation – from production processes and day-to-day operations to engagement with visitors and the local community. The company is currently expanding its facilities with new conference spaces, creating another attractive option for event organisers seeking an inspiring venue with a genuine commitment to sustainability.
At the same time, we have increasingly recognised that South Moravia is home to a growing number of solutions that support more responsible event planning across the entire meetings industry supply chain – from venues and catering services to transportation and event management providers. Yet this information is often scattered across different sources, making it difficult for event organisers to navigate and identify suitable partners.
This year, through our ambassador Markéta Novotná, we established a collaboration with students from Masaryk University as part of the course Sustainability in Tourism. The students worked on individual projects focused on mapping responsible suppliers across various segments of the meetings industry in South Moravia. Their research covered areas such as venues, catering, mobility, and event agencies, identifying concrete examples of good practice throughout the region.
The outcome of this collaboration will be the Sustainable Kit – a practical guide to suppliers, inspiration, and available solutions designed to help event organisers plan more sustainable events in South Moravia. Our aim is not to create yet another formal database, but rather to provide a useful tool that connects organisers with concrete solutions while showcasing the many high-quality and inspiring partners already operating in our region.
Sustainability in the meetings industry does not happen overnight. However, we believe that sharing experiences, exchanging inspiration, and fostering collaboration across the region are key to driving meaningful progress throughout the sector. We therefore see the Sustainable Kit as another step in the long-term effort that Brno Convention Bureau, together with its partners, has been developing and advancing over the years.