Conference Matters 141

CORPORATE GOVERNANCE

VENUE FINDER

Is it justifiable to organise an event in a city where human rights of the lhbtiq+ community are under severe pressure?

Pullman Eindhoven Cocagne is a premium con ference hotel with facilities and service of the highest quality. This hotel distinguishes itself by its true and honest hospitality. Elegance and modernity go hand in hand. The 320 stylishly decorated rooms are equipped with all modern facilities, including a smart TV. Studios and apart ments are available for long-stay guests. There are no less than 2150m 2 that are fully equipped for hosting all kinds of meetings and conferences. From meetings, board meetings, conventions, product presentations and car lau nches to conferences. Whatever the reason for your meeting or conference, we understand what it takes. Various meeting packages or tailor made proposals are available for all business meetings. Vestdijk47 restaurant and bar offer international dishes, perfect to enjoy after a busy day. Drinks with colleagues or a delicious dinner buffet at the end of your conference, it’s all possible. For total relaxation, the hotel offers the Fit and Spa lounge. Here you can spoil yourself with various relaxation options, such as a sauna or the experience shower. The hotel has a perfect location within walking distance of Eindhoven Central Station. It also has large private parking. This makes it an excellent choice for business travelers who prefer to be in the center of Eindhoven. In short, Pullman Eindhoven Cocagne offers the ideal environment for business travelers looking for a premium conference hotel with excellent facilities, culinary delights and relaxation options. The hotel is elegant, modern and offers the highest quality of service, so that bookers and the guests are completely unburdened during their stay. Pullman Eindhoven Cocagne

philosophy. Important: what you want to do entails your purpose and what you need to do implies legal requirements; 3. Prioritise and make a roadmap. Make ESG part of your strategy and place final responsibility at board level. Appoint an ESG manager, form an ESG team and involve the rest of the organisation. If your company is too small, find allies. Or concentrate on sub-aspects, e.g. the ‘E’ of ESG and enlist the help of others on the other two pillars. Competitive advantage To conclude, it seems like this is an extra bur den for businesses. That is not how we, and now many companies, see it. Rather, it is a huge opportunity and if you are a forerunner, also a competitive advantage. The challenges are certainly there, and we do not want to downplay them. But starting early pre vents a lot of stress, can unleash new energy and delivers engagement with employees, custo mers, congressmen, the neighbourhood and so on. Remember, ESG is here and is here to stay. Better act than react when it is too late.

for will have to match that. It also will be an eco nomic argument to employ Gen-Z. Customers, conference attendees, investors and banks will increasingly demand this as well. Chain liability Moreover, and this is where another not yet mentioned important aspect comes in, you will have to deal with ‘chain liability’. This means that clients who are liable for CSRD will require that you also have an ESG policy in place for them to stay ESG compliant. Not having a ESG policy is the recipe to eventually lose your client. And this can happen very soon. And lastly, to get your financial reporting approved your accountants will encourage you to be ESG compliant. If your company does not meet the CSRD requirements, an approved accountancy statement will be at stake. And that will scare off investors and banks. Start simple ESG policy and CSRD are comprehensive and quite complex. Don’t let this put you off. Start simple and keep it concrete. Our advice: 1. Map out where your company stands on ESG; 2. Formulate where you want and need to be in three years - link this to your corporate

tion to mandatory financial reporting, a non-fi nancial reporting will be imperative according to European Sustainability Reporting Standards (ESRS). ESRD consists of two general overarching standards plus ten theme-specific standards. These specific standards are again divided into environmental (5), social (4) and governance (1) standards. Without going into too much detail, a brief and incomplete account of the various com ponents. The environmental standards address climate, biodiversity and circularity. The social standards focus on employees, both own and those in the chain, but equally on consumers and society. The governance standard covers busi ness conduct. In subsequent years, smaller companies – also to those working in the conference industry – will be required to start having ESG policies and comply with the CSRD. There might be compa nies exempted from this mandatory reporting. Legally. Socially and economically, however, they will not. This needs a bit of explication. Social perspective First, the social perspective of ESG policies. This has to do with a change in mentality and behaviour. A simple comparison: ten years ago, hardly anyone drank coffee with soy milk, or ate vegetarian, let alone vegan. Today, eating meat on a daily base is becoming increasingly unusual, even unacceptable for some. It will be the same with ESG. More and more, it will become a social demand to work in a sustainably manner. Gen-Z looks for purpose: the companies they want to work

www.elan-esginhospitality.nl

ELAN-ESG IN HOSPITALITY Elan-ESG in Hospitality was founded by Elvira Wilthagen and Angelique Lombarts. The two founders bring with them knowledge and experience in business anthropology, marketing & sales and governance in hospitality industry, among others. They also collaborate with partners who further complement their knowledge and experience.

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