Sustainability & Social Impact Plan

The American Water Works Association (AWWA) has developed this Sustainability and Social Impact Plan to shape a long-term vision for a more sustainable future through their conferences and events. This plan represents a commitment to furthering safe water, healthy people, and a sustainable planet. Through collaboration, strategic partnerships, and intergenerational responsibility, we aim to better shape a resilient future

It is generally noted that an attendee at a mid-sized conference will send an average of 2.6lbs (each) of waste to landfills while attending an event. This generates over a ton of landfill waste per conference. When combined with the fact that 70% of attendees travel by airplane to reach these conferences, the whole event and conference industry needs to think about how it can be more sustainable. Meetings and events leaders at the Events Industry Council (EIC) have been collaborating and publishing principles for meeting sustainability for over a decade. These published Principles for Sustainable Events address all 17 of the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals and will be a resource as AWWA moves forward with our plan for better sustainable and socially conscious conference implementation.

This plan marks an important milestone in the organization’s commitment to environmental stewardship and social impact. As the water sector confronts climate change, workforce, and other challenges, AWWA’s leadership in this area can be a catalyst for broader change across the sector. Part of who we are, and our mission, is to provide solutions to improve public health, protect the environment, strengthen the economy, and enhance quality of life. One way AWWA is undertaking these high-level and important tasks then by having an achievable action plan to provide sustainable conferences. With the goal of obtaining an EIC event organizer certification for our Annual Conference and Expo (ACE).

I. Background

What We Have Already Accomplished

AWWA has long history of water conservation, stewardship and support of local water partners when placing conferences and meetings. We strive to “promote the product” of local utilities and minimize use of one-time plastic by discouraging bottled water at our events.

In 2022 and 2023, the AWWA Conferences and Events team began in-depth discussions of steps we could take and what conscious conferences could look like. We began with a list of what are we already accomplishing and added simple modifications to current procedures that can easily further protect the environment and enhance quality of life. This journey begins with small steps and documentation, establishing our baseline.

Our current standard practices

Highlights:

Discouraging use of bottled water and requesting local tap water from all venues.
Minimizing use of one-time plastics by not providing badge holders.
Conscientious meal planning and guaranteeing accurate numbers to reduce food waste.
Decreasing dependency on printed products; dropping the size and number of pages in all our conference programs, reducing our one-time signage and banners, and moving towards digital communications and displays.
Placing more content to the mobile app, including attendance session tracking for certificate generation. We host an educational step-by-step video to help app adoption rate and ease of use for our attendees in support of this initiative.
Conscious program creation including both sustainable and socially conscious topics within our sessions.
Promoting speaker diversity and gender balanced panels.
Hosting some small meetings virtually, cutting down travel and waste generation.
Adding our sustainable requirements to Request for Proposals (RFPs), beginning with ACE.
Partnering with Freeman; they were the first event production agency to earn both the ISO 14001 and ISO 20121 certifications supporting sustainability.

Host Venues

We have historically done a decent job of selecting host venues with their own sustainability practices and certifications in place. There are many types of venue certifications but the US Green Building Council LEED certification is the most widely used green building rating system in the world.

Annual Council Summit at Westin Denver International Airport (LEED Platinum)
2019 ACE: Colorado Convention Center (LEED Gold)
2022 MTC: Caesars Forum (LEED Silver)
2022 ACE: Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center (LEED Silver)
2023 MTC: Knoxville Convention Center (LEED Silver)
2023 UMC: Sacramento at the SAFE Credit Union Convention Center (LEED Silver)
2023 ACE: Enercare Centre at Exhibition Place (LEED Platinum)
2023 ACE: Beanfield Centre at Exhibition Place (LEED Silver)
2023 NAWL: Colorado Convention Center (LEED Gold)
2024 ACE: Anaheim Convention Center (LEED Silver)
2025 ACE: Colorado Convention Center (LEED Gold)
2026 ACE: Walter E. Washington Convention Center (LEED Gold)
2027 ACE: San Diego Convention Center (LEED Gold)
2028 ACE: Georgia World Congress Center (LEED Gold)

Community Impact

Conscious community impacts:

Knoxville MTC23: Charitable Donation Drive to benefit YWCA of Knoxville
Dallas WQTC23: Charitable Donation Drive to benefit Dallas Life Homeless Recovery Center
Denver NAWL23: Charitable Donation Drive to benefit Denver Rescue Mission
MTC24: Charitable Donation Drive to benefit New Hope Charities in West Palm Beach
Anaheim ACE24: large item donation to Habitat for Humanity, local area schools, and excess catering to Food Finders, in partnership with the ACC and Aramark.

II. Outlook

Moving into the Future

Looking at implementing a sustainability strategy for all AWWA events can seem very daunting task, but we will start with the foundations we have constructed and build momentum. Our initial goals need to have a narrow focus and will expand in time. Items will be measured and evaluated. We will need to celebrate our accomplishments and have a strategy to communicate our success.

Our Sustainability plan initiatives and goals align with actions under our Water 2050 strategic priority of Sustainability and Resilience.

In 2024, AWWA also joined the United Nations (UN) Global Compact – the world’s largest voluntary corporate sustainability initiative. Press Release: American Water Works Association joins UN Global Compact, commits to global sustainability

Mission Statement

We aim to organize conferences that meet the needs of our attendees and have a positive impact on both our host communities and the environment. Aligned with AWWA’s goal of creating a better world through better water, ACE will champion event sustainability and integrate eco-conscious practices, including responsible water consumption and effective waste management. We strive to inspire and educate stakeholders about sustainability and social impact, empowering them to implement further positive change in their own lives and organizations.

Within our program mission statement and event framework, we will focus on these goals:

Evaluating and reducing our event-generated waste annually; aiming towards a Zero-Waste eventuality
Reducing our Carbon Emissions; including annual ACE Staff Travel offset purchasing as a standard
As AWWA works to define a “net zero” water community, our conference team will actively research and implement water reduction strategies at our ACE venues and HQ hotels.
Leveraging our platform as a leader in water education to promote sustainable practices in our events, webinars, publications, and communications, leaving a positive legacy and affecting the world around us.
Achieving and maintaining an EIC SES ACE accreditation, at or above gold level.

Ongoing Success

To succeed, CE will need:

A well thought out and documented process with a specific action plan.
Collaboration and strong partnerships.
AWWA participation, including robust education and clear communication plans.
Support from selected cities, venues, and facility partners
Program transparency

Action Steps

Year by Year

Year 1, 2023: History and Discovery

In 2023 we have focused on creating baseline and formalizing sustainable steps we are already taking. We have also gathered ideas from industry thought leaders and explored the published Good, Better & Best steps to sustainable events from the Events Industry Council (EIC). We will explore requirements and costs for Event Organizer Standard EIC certification for our Annual Conference.

Year 2

Formalize Our Action Plan, establish baseline and take positive steps

In 2024 we will create a formal Action Plan. Then we will begin to educate and implement our specified steps. With budget approval we would bring in a formal sustainability consultant and reporting system; two of the CE Team will gain EIC Sustainable Events Professional Certificate.

Educate Staff and Partners

CE team to initiate plan and to support goals and have accountability. We will set cadence for meetings and check-ins, bringing in key AWWA players impacted as needed.
Inform all AWWA staff, AWWA officers, and AWWA vendors to encourage everyone to assist in program success.
Conduct staff training sessions using internal and external resources to make sure everyone understands our goals and can make educated choices in planning.
Work to develop a comprehensive Communications Plan, including articles and webpage, publishing our goals, celebrating our achievements, and supporting transparency.

Bring in Professional Support

Bring in consultants to help with data, track metrics, and set realistic goals.
Engage sustainability reporting software to measure AWWA event impact.
CE Team members (2-4) to successfully achieve Sustainable Events Professional Certificate (SEPC).
Open the evaluation request with EIC to build baseline for event certification
Have AWWA executives (CEO, Deputy CEO, Director of Conferences and Events) sign on to the EIC Principles for Sustainable events.

Select Sustainable Venues

Include our sustainability expectations in all RFPs; conduct interview calls with potential partners to confirm ability to comply before contracts are signed. Require written details. Make this practice standard for all conference contracts, especially major partners.
Schedule exploratory meetings with venue and partner sustainability/environmental managers to discuss best practices and lessons learned.
Work with venue partners to understand their sustainability practices, certifications, and capabilities. Prioritize LEED certified facilities.
Refine our sustainability emphasis in RFPs when further best practices developed or learned.
Host ACE24 at LEED Silver certified Anaheim Convention Center.

Reduce Environmental Impact During Events

Print conference program on FSC paper. Reduce pages by 40% from prior year.
Implement paperless conferences where able, consistently utilizing digital options for registration forms and handouts.
Encourage attendees and exhibitors to bring their own devices for accessing conference information; provide charging stations.
Encourage attendees and exhibitors to bring their own water bottles; work with venues to identify house filling station placement if available.
Minimize signage waste by creating evergreen logos for printed signage, select recyclable substrates when necessary, and use digital displays when available for event info.
Mandate clearly labeled recycling stations to place throughout venues by 2025.

Enhance Givebacks and Social Impact Support

Collaborate with caterers on menu options from local vendors or in bulk orders with neighboring events, reducing need for shipping or storage.
Use our history to further refine F&B needs, including dietary requirements, for more accurate meal counts reducing food waste and packaging.
Select compostable / biodegradable service ware when available.
Minimize one-time-use plastic cups at water stations and head tables.
Implement portion control practices when appropriate.
Donate excess food to local charities and repurpose decor.

Communicate and Evaluate

Set cadence to update Communications Plan, webpage, and other materials.
Develop budgets that incorporate any costs and changes for 2025.

Year 3, 2025

Continuing Improvement and Professional Collaboration

In 2025 we will continue to enhance our established substantiality best practices. Launch official program for event attendees to understand and assist in our sustainable practices at ACE25 in Denver. Goal to earn the EIC Foundational Certification for Event Organization.

Adhere to Recommendations

Adhere to Recommendations of our Consultant and Implement Actionable Items

Adhere to Recommendations

Raise standards appropriately for items implemented in 2024.
Develop budgets that incorporate any costs and changes for 2026.

Continue to Collaborate

Continue to Collaborate with Vendor Partners, Including Major Hotels

Continue to Collaborate

Realize mandatory recycling stations at all host venues. Confirm waste sorting practices.
Choose eco-friendly conference materials: opt for FSC-Certified paper for all necessary printed materials and only eco-friendly promotional products and conference bags.
Look at viable options to reduce the number of printed banners. Produce event banners to be repurposed by eliminating branding and removing the year. Expand the use of digital signage.
Prioritize suppliers who offer eco-friendly products and services, practice ethical sourcing, and have a commitment to reducing their won environmental impact. Promote these suppliers to our partners and exhibitors so they have resources to make more sustainable business decisions.
Host ACE25 at LEED Gold certified Colorado Convention Center.

Create a Guide

Create a Guide for Event Attendees and Exhibitors to Actively Contribute

Create a Guide

Collaborate with Communications and Marketing Teams to launch external awareness and educational campaigns to attendees and exhibitors regarding our adopted practices and their role in minimizing environmental impact.
Launch at ACE in 2025. Introduce to other conferences beginning in 2026.

Deep dive

Deep dive into sustainable transportation options at our host locations

Deep dive

Encourage and provide information and incentives for environmentally friendly traveling methods.

Enhance Sustainability

Enhance Sustainability in Conference Programming

Enhance Sustainability

Work with ETS to encourage conference programing to address sustainability topics.
Request all presenters to promote environmentally friendly practices within their sessions.

Share our Best Practices

Share our Best Practices and Lessons Learned with the Industry

Share our Best Practices

Have CE Team participate in industry conferences, webinars, and forums to share the organization’s sustainability journey and learn from other event organizers.
Continue to educate AWWA staff, officers, attendees, presenters, and exhibitors to stay current on our activities and efforts.

Project Team

Project Action Team will include staff members of the CE department. The Director of Conferences and Events, Manager of Exhibits and Sponsorships, and Senior Manager of Technology and Engagement will lead the management and implementation along with the Sr. Manager of Technical & Research Programs and the Marketing Manager of Conference & Events.

When making decisions that impact other departments, CE will work closely with the other groups to discuss the recommendations. Including how we can move forward; the impact other groups may experience and how can we make the changes work.

We affirm the importance of creating sustainable conferences as essential for AWWA

Origination date: November 2023
Revised: July 2024