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PRESENTER BACKGROUND

PRESENTER BACKGROUND. Nicholas N. Kimani, Chandaria School of Business, United States International University, Nairobi, Kenya. PhD: Environmental Governance , Australian National University (2008) Post-Doc Research: Climate Change Governance, University of Cape Town (2009).

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PRESENTER BACKGROUND

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  1. PRESENTER BACKGROUND • Nicholas N. Kimani, Chandaria School of • Business, United States International University, • Nairobi, Kenya. • PhD: Environmental Governance, Australian National University (2008) • Post-Doc Research: Climate Change Governance, University of Cape Town (2009)

  2. TOPIC OF PRESENTATION: • ‘Green-Conferencing’ Promotion in Kenya: • Towards an Enabling Policy, Legal and Institutional Framework

  3. My Focus In This Presentation: Policy, Legal & Institutional Issues: • I focus on these issues by reference to the following question as follows: • HOW CAN KENYA BECOME AFRICA’S LEADING DESTINATION FOR ‘GREEN’ CONFERENCING/ BUSINESS TOURISM?

  4. BODY OF PRESENTATION • Setting the Scene: • Concepts & Contexts • Why green-conferencing matters for Kenya • (2) How have our competitors in Africa succeeded? • (3) Lessons-learnt and way forward for Kenya

  5. Setting the Scene: Concepts & Contexts (1/3) • Sustainability: • It matters: Sustainability is top of the agenda for international event planners, ranking alongside bed stock availability & flight availability into a destination. • It presents business and societal opportunities: From a strategic perspective, contributing to environmental conservation provides opportunities to: • Drive brand value, achieve long-term growth and increase profits; • Identify smarter ways to do more with less;

  6. Setting the Scene: Concepts & Contexts (2/3) • A "green" conference is: Conference where a conscious effort is made during planning sessions to ensure that: • Amount of waste generated is kept to a minimum; • Items used during the course of the meeting are of recycled content; and • The waste generated is recycled or reused to the maximum extent possible.

  7. Setting the Scene: Concepts & Contexts (3/3) • The meetings industry • Very competitive and dynamic due to the many emerging conferencing destinations & changes in technology; • Although Kenya has a very-appreciated culture of having warm customer friendly people with impeccable quality in hospitality service delivery, we need to do more for Business/Conference tourism.

  8. Why Green Conferencing Matters for Kenya • Kenya’s official (ICCA) 2009 ranking: Africa's 4th best performing Convention Centers—after South Africa (90); Egypt (32); Morocco (28); and then Kenya (19). Also Kenya was ranked at position 60 up from 623 in 2008; • Kenya’s tourism sector earnings: These rose by 32.9% to Sh. 98b in 2011. Potential therefore exists for further growth notwithstanding challenges e.g. travel advisories

  9. Improving Kenya’s ranking would increase opportunities to: Win new sales and to consolidate existing business; Enhance the multiplier effect to Kenya’s economy e.g. jobs creation (e.g. local farmers), building linkages with industry (e.g.airlines, forex bureaus, transport, hotels) & the grassroots (communities) Why Green Conferencing Matters for Kenya

  10. Issues for Consideration • Becoming Africa's preferred 'green' conference destination would require careful and thoughtful planning. • "Green meetings do not just happen.” • The key question: How have our competitors in Africa succeeded?

  11. The key question: How have our competitors succeeded?… • Case studies: • Cape Town International Convention Center (CTICC) & • 2. Durban International Conference Center (ICC) • (Both have among the most highly advanced conference facilities in the world. But that is not my focus at this juncture) • Our Focus • How their sustainability programmes have reduced environmental impacts of conferences hosted: energy, water & waste; • What lessons we can learn: Policy, Legal & Institutional

  12. CTICC Environmental Initiatives(1/3) • CTICC’s commitment to environmental excellence through its Nurture Our World (NOW) initiative: • My Tree in Africa: Reducing carbon footprint left by meetings and events by assisting conference delegates purchasing trees, which are planted in disadvantaged communities in Cape Town; • Global Green Alliance: CTICC + Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre (MCEC) + Arena and Convention Centre (Liverpool)– formed a Global Green Alliance to encourage industry best practice for hosting sustainable events globally;

  13. CTICC Environmental Initiatives (2/3) • United Nations Global Compact (UNGC) Member – CTICC is the first convention centre in Africa to become a signatory to the UN Global Compact– a strategic policy commitment for businesses to align their operations and strategies with internationally accepted principles in human rights, labour, environment and anti-corruption; • ISO 14000 (Environmental Management)– CTICC boasts  ISO 14000 certification. Many local organisations, e.g. KICC already familiar with the processes involved in establishing world class management systems—ISO 9000. • NOW Supplier Accreditation –‘Green’ criteria that suppliers can strive to meet;

  14. Environmental Initiatives of CTICC (3/3) • Green Living Training - CTICC, in conjunction with the City of Cape Town offers its staff comprehensive ‘green living’ training, aimed at encouraging environmental awareness and ‘green’ practices both in the workplace and at home; • Enhancing energy efficiency, water efficiency and waste minimisation –e.g. encouraging reducing, re-using and recycling. A significant part of CTICC’s business strategy focuses on these sustainable initiatives.

  15. ICC Environmental Initiatives(1/3) • Exceptional Environmental Management and Safety Systems: ISO14001; ISO9001, ISO22000 (food safety) & OHSAS18001 certifications; • Building on-site food production: ICC grows its own culinary herbs for use in its kitchen used in conferences; • World class high tech green building: focus on natural lighting, energy efficient light fittings and air conditioning systems, & indigenous landscaping.

  16. ICC Environmental Initiatives(2/3) • Dedicated to waste reduction and recycling: focus on minimising waste at source--reducing the supply of bottled water for events and functions, favouring tap water filled jugs and water dispensers. • Stringent Targets: Waste separation policy During the first half of 2011, 50%+ of the waste generated was recycled.) & Energy efficiency (7% of current total demand through solar powered LED street lighting.

  17. ICC Environmental Initiatives(3/3) • Showcasing Environmental and Cultural Icons: The immediate surrounds of the ICC building boast a number of cultural heritage icons: Life-size White Rhino Bronze Statue; Baobab Trees; and Human Rights Commemorations

  18. THE WAY FORWARD: Policy Issues (1/1) • We need a National Ecotourism Strategy to include guidelines for developing Business Tourism and Conferencing in Kenya. • Requires Multi-stakeholder buy-in from entire industry (EK, Min. of Tourism, KTB, Kenya Tourism Federation and other sister tourism associations including KATO, KAHC, KATA, PERAK, KAAO and MCTO); • Challenge: Agreeing on common guidelines for specific roles (e.g. waste/ energy reduction) or recycling) & specific responsibilities (e.g. Venues, conference organisers—carbon offsets)

  19. THE WAY FORWARD: Legal Issues (1/2) • Has the time come for binding legal guidelines? If so: • Should we advocate widening the scope of the existing Eco-rating guidelines (voluntary in nature)? • Should we push for compulsory ‘Green-Star’ Rating e.g. through NEMA?

  20. THE WAY FORWARD: Legal Issues (2/2) • 2. If we opt for binding legal guidelines, further issues: • Should they reward leaders, and if so how? • Should they penalize laggards, and if so how? • What is the current international best practice? E.g. is industry-led self-regulation better than Government oversight?

  21. THE WAY FORWARD: Institutional Issues (1/2) • Entails a focus on Individual Stakeholders (Venues & Service Providers). Some pertinent questions: • Do we have a credible environmental policy? If not, why? • Have we identified areas for cost savings in our operations? Energy, Recycling, Reusing, Premise Management • Do we have any evidence for the business case for green business tourism/ conferencing e.g. feedback from guests

  22. In Conclusion • For Green Conferencing/ Business Tourism to become standard practice in Kenya, we must: • RETHINK the way we presently operate as an entire industry; • REFUSE to implement practices in our office or conference environment that are harmful to the environment; • COMMIT to detailed planning and organisation.

  23. THANK YOU! • END OF PRESENTATION

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