Successful Meetings - October 2009 - (Page 24)

Fortune 1000 Spotlight GREEN IN MORE WAYS THAN I Real Estate giant CB Richard Ellis, makes sure its incentive travel programs are friendly to the environment— and the company’s bottom line By Alex Palmer Photography by Nathan Sayers n these challenging times, corporate America is turning to sustainability, not just because it’s good, but because it’s smart. Over the last few years, executives and meeting and incentive planners have embraced going green in a big way. But as the global economic crisis evolves, the benefits of sustainable practices are being scrutinized more closely. In the process, going green is now as much about saving money and keeping morale up as it is about doing the right thing. “Whether it’s for ecology, or economics, or your own business environment because your neighbors or competitors are doing it … there are a whole host of reasons why people are getting into [sustainability], but they’re all doing it,” says David Pogue, the national director of sustainability for institutional and corporate services at Los Angeles–based real estate services giant CB Richard Ellis (CBRE). Pogue should know. As the world’s largest commercial real estate services firm, CBRE is not only a major company engaging in green practices, it also works closely with other companies in their energy and environmental conservation efforts. Managing 600 million square feet of property and handling facilities services for an additional 500 million square feet of space, CBRE’s leadership estimates that 2 percent of America’s workers are in offices that the company manages. Setting the Standard The winner of numerous environmental accolades including the U.S. Green Building Council Leadership Award and the Environmental Protection Agency’s Energy Star Partner of the Year Award, CBRE has distinguished itself in the arena of corporate responsibility. This green orientation extends to its corporate incentives. Working closely with the Newport, CA–based Ambassadors LLC (an industry green leader in its own right), the company has kept environmental and social responsibility front and center. Last year’s annual Recognition Conference for CBRE’s top 200-plus brokers provided an opportunity for some very clever green practices. Instead of delivering printed material to guests, Ambassadors equipped each room with a digital picture frame and a USB drive containing the information attendees needed, with details already saved and ready to read. “You just need to be creative,” says Leslie Saeta, a founding partner for Ambassadors LLC. “We need to educate people that being environmentally responsible does not mean being not luxurious … People can have a wonderful experience and not leave a footprint.” Ambassadors has been working with CBRE for a number of years, and like READER ROI • Partner with like-minded firms for a successful program • Voluntourism is a hit with attendees and communities David Pogue, national director of sustainability, institutional and corporate services, for CB Richard Ellis I SM I October 2009 I SuccessfulMeetings.com http://www.SuccessfulMeetings.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Successful Meetings - October 2009

Successful Meetings - October 2009
Contents
Editor's Letter
Tackling H1N1
Management Matters
Incentive Insights
The Big Time
Green in More Ways Than One
Not Another Whitewash
Place + Spaces
Austin
New Orleans
Reno/Lake Tahoe
San Jose
Colorado
Mexico

Successful Meetings - October 2009