Conference Matters 144

'Personal well-being is often overlooked

in the event industry'

also respect guests’ preferences for meat and fish – each meat dish ordered contributes extra funds to our conservation projects.” Reflecting our commitment to sustainability, we recently introduced reusable water bottles made from sugarcane-based bioplastic. Guests can refill these bottles at seven stations throughout the venue, with one euro from each bottle supporting De Zegge – a protected Belgian nature reserve battling drought. Ambassador Matadi A Room with a ZOO’s ambassador was the impressive silverback gorilla Matadi, who lived at the zoo until his passing in October 2023. His role was far from symbolic – previous events raised 25,000 euro for Virunga National Park, Matadi’s natural habitat. “We wanted an ambas sador who would truly resonate with people and spark their imagination. Matadi did exactly that,” Stas explains. “He was a powerful presence, and he continues to inspire. His legacy lives on in our conference halls, and in the way we tell our story, often with a life-sized version of him by our side.” In short, visitors value the venue’s deep connec tion to both nature and the zoo itself. Combining a historic monument, a vibrant zoo, and a strong conservation mission – right next to Antwerp Central Station – makes this location truly excep tional,” Stas concludes.

Gorilla Matadi ©Jonas Verhulst

vultures in southern Europe. In Brazil, the founda tion supports projects for the golden-headed lion tamarin. The Antwerp ZOO Society also manages the second largest and oldest nature reserve in Belgium, De Zegge in Geel. Sustainable food Stas believes that the agricultural industry puts a lot of pressure on nature, which is why A Room with a ZOO has reconsidered its event catering. After all, you have such a direct connection with nature conservation that you also want to extend that to food. “Since we all need to eat more sus tainably, we have a no-waste strategy where we reuse waste created during food processing as much as possible.” We’ve developed an entirely new food book, featuring 80 percent vegetarian dishes and 20 percent poultry, meat and fish. “We colla borate with local suppliers and incorporate lesser-known fish and bycatch into our menu. While we encourage sustainable choices, we

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