Cobo Center Hosts Green Event Certificate Training for Event Professionals

August 9, 2018

Detroit's Cobo Center continues to demonstrate its commitment to sustainability in the events industry by hosting the newly released Sustainable Event Professional Certificate (SEPC) training for employees and event professionals, set for Sept. 11-12. 

To be led by the Events Industry Council, this will be the first training for this certificate program to be offered in the state of Michigan. 

Combining active learning and experiential elements, the SEPC program is designed to enable participants to implement their own green events. 

Topics will include understanding the business value of sustainability for the events industry; practical solutions for improving environmental performance in areas including food and beverage; transportation; supply chain management and effective methods for achieving corporate social responsibility goals. 

Mariela Mcllwraith, EIC director of industry advancement, will conduct the SEPC training, during which participants will be asked to customize a roadmap for their own sustainable event. 

“The Events Industry Council is pleased to be offering this certificate program for the first time in Michigan,” said Karen Kotowski, CEO of EIC. “Hosting the event in Detroit’s Cobo Center, a venue that has received our third-party audited venue certification, will allow us to reinforce the sustainability curriculum with experiential elements.” 

The training program comes to Cobo as part of the facility’s Green Committee’s efforts to implement new and innovative green initiatives throughout the facility and community. 

Established in 2011, the Committee has garnered several community awards for Cobo, including the Keep Michigan Beautiful President’s Plaque in 2016. 

“The sustainable practices that the Cobo Center has implemented over the last several years, including energy management, food recovery, and intensive materials reuse and recycling, are potent examples to all institutions, businesses and residents in Detroit that we can, and indeed we must, all play a part in creating a sustainable future in Detroit for current and future generations,” said Joel Heeres, City of Detroit director, Office of Sustainability. 

He added, “I laud their leadership on these issues.” 

Cobo Center became the ninth U.S. convention center to achieve the EIC’s ASTM/APEX Sustainable Event Standard Certification in 2015. Venues are certified after implementing a set of voluntary standards to create more sustainable meetings and events. Cobo successfully re-certified in 2017 and will apply again for re-certification next year. 

“Organizing our facility operations around the EIC sustainable event standard helps us create an ecosystem for our events that supports sustainability and encourages the industry to engage in green efforts,” said Claude Molinari, general manager of SMG/Cobo Center. 

He continued, “We set audacious goals each year for the Green Committee and hosting the SECP training was one of them. Helping our employees achieve this certificate strengthens our commitment to the environment.” 

To learn more about the EIC’s SEPC training program at Cobo Center, go HERE.

 

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Overview: The award-winning Orange County Convention Center (OCCC) goes the extra mile to make every day extraordinary by offering customer service excellence and industry-leading partnerships. From their dedicated in-house Rigging team to their robust Exhibitor Services, The Center of Hospitality brings your imagination to life by helping you host unforgettable meetings and events. With more than 2 million square feet of exhibit space, world-class services and a dream destination, we are committed to making even the most ambitious conventions a reality. In October 2023, the Orange County Board of County Commissioners voted to approve allocating Tourist Development Tax funding for the $560 million Phase 5A completion of the OCCC. The Convention Way Grand Concourse project will include enhancements to the North-South Building, featuring an additional 60,000 square feet of meeting space, an 80,000- square-foot ballroom and new entry to the North-South Building along Convention Way. “We are thrilled to begin work on completing our North-South Building which will allow us to meet the growing needs of our clients,” said OCCC Executive Director Mark Tester. “As an economic driver for the community, this project will provide the Center with connectivity and meeting space to host more events and continue to infuse the local economy with new money and expanding business opportunities.” Amenities: The Center of Hospitality goes above and beyond by offering world-class customer service and industry-leading partnerships. From the largest convention center Wi-Fi network to custom LAN/WAN design, the Center takes pride in enhancing exhibitor and customer experience.  The OCCC is the exclusive provider of electricity (24-hour power at no additional cost), aerial rigging and lighting, water, natural gas and propane, compressed air, and cable TV services. Convenience The Center is at the epicenter of the destination, with an abundance of hotels, restaurants, and attractions within walking distance. Pedestrian bridges connect both buildings to more than 5,200 rooms and is within a 15-minute drive from the Orlando International Airport. The convenience of the location goes hand-in-hand with top notch service to help meet an event’s every need. Gold Key Members The OCCC’s Gold Key Members represent the best of the best when it comes to exceptional service and exclusive benefits for clients, exhibitors and guests. The Center’s Gold Key memberships with Universal Orlando Resort, SeaWorld Orlando and Walt Disney World greatly enhance meeting planner and attendee experiences offering world-renowned venues, immersive experiences and creative resources for their events. OCCC Events: This fiscal year, the OCCC is projected to host 168 events, 1.7 million attendees, and $2.9 billion in economic impact.  The Center’s top five events during their 2022-2023 fiscal year included:  AAU Jr. National Volleyball Championships 2023 200,000 Attendees $257 Million in Economic Impact MEGACON 2023 160,000 Attendees $205 Million in Economic Impact Open Championship Series 2023 69,500 Attendees $89 Million in Economic Impact Sunshine Classic 2023 42,000 Attendees $54 Million in Economic Impact Premiere Orlando 2023 42,000 Attendees $108 Million in Economic Impact