The Green Meeting Industry Council has just begun an eight-module interactive course on sustainable event planning. Approximately 40 participants representing all segments of the meetings industry were expected, and they will receive a “Certificate in Sustainable Events” at the course’s conclusion.

The 40 hours of online instruction and field work is being delivered by sustainability event experts and course instructor and coach Johanna Walsh, CMP, president of Twirl Management. It truly is hands-on learning, as the group’s real-world project will be to create sustainable practices for GMIC’s 2014 Sustainable Meeting Conference April 14-17 in San Francisco.

“The course is about how to think about and communicate sustainability insights, and accomplish sustainability initiatives at meetings and events,” said Walsh. There will be quizzes on the material in each of the modules, and instead of an end test, the participants will work together to prepare a conference sustainability report.

The course fees of $1,200 (GMIC members) and $1,500 (non-members) include registration at the 2014 conference. The first six modules cover strategy and planning, planner and supplier responsibilities, engagement and communication, procurement and readiness. The seventh module will take place on site, covering the sustainability pre-con and walk-through, sustainability tour and implementation. The eighth module on reporting concludes the course.

The introductory first module launched on October 8th, but latecomers may still be able to sign on if space is available. Contact: Amanda Simons, director of operations/global projects specialist, GMIC, at Amanda@gmicglobal.com. GMIC plans for the course to begin again a year from now, and continue to tie in with the schedule and format of the 2015 conference. — Maxine Golding