Sustainability was a core focus area during the Business Opportunity Networking Day at Meetings Africa 2025 on Monday, February 24. Event organisers and tourism leaders explored mechanisms needed to accelerate meaningful change across the continent’s business events sector.
The Event Greening Forum (EGF) – a South African non-profit promoting sustainability within the events sector – outlined its three main organisational objectives to drive sustainable growth at its annual general meeting during the trade show.
A key initiative for EGF is the development of a standardised green event certification to eradicate and guard against greenwashing in the industry.
“Trust and transparency are key. This certification framework will ensure sustainability standards are clear, credible and free from greenwashing. It’s time to set real expectations and hold ourselves accountable,” said EGF Chairperson John Arvanitakis.
EGF will enhance its Green Database (comprising companies supplying green venues, services and products in the business events sector) with data providing actionable insights into industry challenges and advancements, he added.
Additionally, EGF will establish its Youth Chapter to empower the next generation of “sustainability champions” in the MICE industry.
Including communities
During a sustainability panel discussion, James Mwaura, CEO of the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC), highlighted the critical role of community empowerment within broader sustainability initiatives.
He explained that the KICC’s operational framework incorporates a policy requiring 30% of all events procurement is exclusively reserved for businesses owned by women and youth.
“This policy ensures that historically disadvantaged groups have access to opportunities and benefit from the economic activity generated by the MICE sector,” said Mwaura.
Bronwen Auret, Chief Quality Assurance Officer for South African Tourism, said the Tourism Grading Council of South Africa has progressed in effectively bringing the benefits of grading to communities. The Basic Quality Verification programme enables tourist accommodation, such as homestays that do not meet the core requirements of grading, to access members of the trade and secure funding opportunities to improve their basic standards.
“When people come to South Africa, they want to enjoy our business eventing spaces and engage with the community they are being brought into,” said Auret.
The trade floor at Meetings Africa includes the Sustainability Village, which showcases unique and sustainable South African products from 20 local artists and crafters.
