Summary of the environmental approach, actions and impacts of the Danish EU Presidency in 2012. The event was certified with the ISO20121 standard and the report explains this approach. The objective is to share learning and encourage others to organise their events in a more sustainable fashion. The Presidency was organised by the Danish Foreign Ministry and sustainability consulting was provided by MCI Sustainability Services.

1. 1
SUSTAINABLE
EVENTS DENMARK
DRIVING CHANGE
THROUGH COLLABORATION
DANISH PRESIDENCY
OF THE COUNCIL OF THE
EUROPEAN UNION 2012
Danish EU Presidency 2012
Event Sustainability Report
Prepared by the
Danish Sustainable Events Initiative
March 2013

2. 2
Table of contents
Report Scope
This report was produced by the Danish Sustainable Events Initiative on behalf of the Royal Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs. This report explains the sustainability strategy and management system implemented by the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs
(MFA) to engage and collaborate with the partners, suppliers and sponsors in the logistical organisation of the meetings organised as part of the Danish Presidency of the Council of the EU. It details the performance, achievements, best practices and lessons
learned by key stakeholders in their pursuit to organise a series of sustainable meetings.
Acknowledgements ................................................................................3
Introduction .................................................................................................4
Sustainability Approach........................................................................5
Economic Performance.........................................................................9
Environmental Performance...............................................................9
Social Legacy - Commitment to Change ............................... 12
Conclusions: Better Meetings Through Sustainability....... 13
Appendix: Performance Against Objectives ........................ 15

3. 3
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Authors and Contributors
This report was written by Guy Bigwood of MCI Sustainability Services with
the input and contribution of Lene Mortensen (Bella Center Copenhagen),
Steen Jakobsen (Wonderful Copenhagen Convention Bureau), Markus Diefenbach
(VisitDenmark) and Andreas Clausen Boor (Royal Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs).
Credits
Photos were provided by MCI, Bjarke Ørsted, Andrea Viano, The Danish Ministry of
Foreign Affairs, Bella Center A/S, VisitDenmark and Wonderful Copenhagen Con-
vention Bureau.
Design by MCI Barcelona
Contact
In the interest of constant improvement, all ideas and comments about this report
are welcome. Please address comments to guy.bigwood@mci-group.com.
Disclaimer
The designations employed, the views expressed and the presentation of the mate-
rial in this publication do not necessarily represent the decision or the stated policy
of the European Union or the Danish Government.

4. 4
For the first six months of 2012, the Danish
Government held the Presidency of the Council
of the European Union. With a vision to organize
the first sustainable European Union Presidency, in
2011 the Danish Government and leaders from the
Danish meetings industry formed a consortium to
improve the environmental , social and economic
sustainability of the Presidency and the Danish
meetings industry.
Coined by press as the Tap Water Presidency,
due to the focus on environmental best practice
and money saving, in June 2012 the Danish Ministry
of Foreign Affairs became the first organisation in
the world to achieve externally verified certifica-
tion to the new ISO20121 sustainability standard.
Considering the scale and complexity of organis-
ing the EU Presidency, this pioneering project was
the most ambitious event certification project
ever attempted in the business and government
events sector. The project resulted in a saving
of over€40million Euros and left a powerful
legacy of collaboration, innovation and sustainable
development.
OVERVIEW
OF THE
EU PRESIDENCY
The Presidency of the Council of the Europe-
an Union (EU) rotates among Member States
every six months. In the first half of 2012 Den-
mark held the Presidency for the 7th time. The
responsibility of the Presidency is to plan and
chair the meetings in the Council of the EU and
underlying bodies. It is also the responsibility of
the Presidency to move the work of the Coun-
cil forward and create results, to ensure coop-
eration among Member States and formulate
compromise proposals that can gather support.
More Information.
From January 1st to June 30th the Danish Min-
istry of Foreign Affairs organised over 100
meetings attracting 15.598 participants, includ-
ing 400 ministers and 2000 press who visited
Copenhagen and the city of Horsens in central
Jutland.
The political meetings ranged from large high
level conferences to small workshops: all meet-
ings had more than 60 participants and the larg-
est was attended by 900 people. This included
ten Informal Councils (meetings of ministers of fi-
nance, foreign secretaries, justice ministers, etc.)
and two meetings between the EU-Commission
and the Danish Government. The meetings were
held in three venues: Bella Center, Copenhagen
from January to April, Forum Horsens from April
to June and Eigtveds Pakhus in Copenhagen
which was used for smaller meetings during the
Presidency.

5. 5
Strategy
Leadership
Operational
Integration
Stakeholder
Engagement
Governance
SUSTAINABILITY APPROACH
LEADERSHIP
PROJECT METHODOLOGY – CSMP
The central logistics team in the Ministry of For-
eign Affairs developed a sustainability strategy
and event management system based on the
Copenhagen Sustainable Meetings Protocol
(CSMP). Developed by the Ministry of Foreign
Affairs together with private partners for the UN
Climate Change Conference (COP15), the pro-
tocol was updated to be in accordance with the
ISO20121 Event Management standard.
The CSMP identifies five critical success factors
that became the building blocks and differentia-
tors of the approach to coordinate a more sus-
tainable conference. For more detailed informa-
tion please consult the CSMP whitepaper.
Guiding principles
• Accountability
• Transparency
• Ethical Conduct
• Respect the interests of stakeholders
• Respect for the rule of law
• Respect for international norms of behaviour
• Respect for human rights
The UN Global Compact was used as a compass and key tool in the procurement process
THE
CSMP
FRAMEWORK
CSMP approach to sustainable event leadership
From the start of planning the Danish Government committed to organising the
Danish Presidency as sustainably as possible. The Danish Foreign Ministry was given
the mandate to centralise the logistical organisation of all meetings during the Presi-
dency, with the Sustainability initiative being led by Andreas Clausen Boor, deputy
logistics chief of EU2012.
The vision was to be the first Sustainable EU Presidency, with key goals to re-
duce the cost, the direct environmental impact of the meetings, and to pro-
mote practical solutions and the business benefits of making the Presidency
more sustainable. Due to the financial crisis the Danish government had to
allocate a smaller budget to the conference than was normal with other Presidencies.
LEADERSHIP
VISION
Have a clear understanding
of what success looks like
PURPOSES
Define sustainability
philosophy to guide for proceess
COMMITMENT
Ensure long term
management support
PRINCIPLES
Align with brand
Values and shared principles

6. 6
STRATEGIC PLANNING
To strengthen structure and rigour to the organisation process, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs chose
to use the ISO20121 Specification for Sustainable Event Management.
Issue identification
Stakeholder groups were identified and regular meetings held to understand and document key sus-
tainability issues. These were then considered when making the key goals and priorities.
Scope
The sustainability management system fo-
cused on the logistics of the EU Presidency and
the work of the event management team of 22
people. The content, result and communication
of the meetings were not covered within the
management system.
Interested Party Interest
MFA Event Team Healthy working environment
Gain ISO 20121 Certification for event management system
Local Community Non-disruption to normal daily life (transport + demonstrations)
Danish Ministries Make the Presidency as cost effective as possible
Effectiveness and quality of logistics venue and catering
Efficient logistics booking experience for Ministry events
Danish Tax Payers Reduce environmental impact of the conference
Cost and effectiveness of the Danish presidency
Legal Compliance
International Delegates Accessibility for the handicapped
Initiatives to improve the safety and wellbeing of delegates
Offer varied, healthy and cultural meal choices at conference venues,
receptions and gala dinner
Danish Business Implement and promote Danish innovation and clean tech solutions
Reduce climate impact
Danish Meetings Industry Promote Danish leadership in event sustainability
Gain positive attention as a select sustainable event destination.
Be the first to gain ISO20121 Certification
Use the EU Presidency as a catalyst for sustainable change through
Denmark
Identify and
analyse key
issues and risks:
Social,
technological,
environmental
and political
Define what
areas are to
be included in
sustainability
initiative
Create clear
measurable
targets and Key
Performance
Indicators.
Use GRI and
APEX for guid-
ance
Determinate
where you will
focus your
energy and res-
sources to get
the best ROI
Integrate vision,
purpose, princi-
ples and objec-
tives into policy
document and
communicate
with value chain
ISSUES SCOPE OBJECTIVES PRIORITIES POLICY
CSMP approach to Strategic Planning
Key Goals and Priorities
The team listed over 30 goals for the logistical
organisation of the event. The top five priorities
were:
1. Effective and cost efficient meetings logistics
2. Security for ministers and attendees
3. Achieve ISO 20121 Certification for event
management system
4. Demonstrate Danish Cleantech solutions
5. Gain positive attention for Denmark as the
leading sustainable event destination.
A detailed policy was developed for use as a key
instrument in communicating the Presidency´s
sustainability commitment and goals to suppli-
ers and sponsors.

7. 7
MUNICIPALY SERVICES
STAKEHOLDER
ENGAGEMENT
Learning from the Climate Change Conference
(COP15) held in Copenhagen in 2009, the min-
istry developed an active stakeholder engage-
ment plan to make the entire community feel
involved in the success of the EU presidency.
Good stakeholder management involves taking a strategic view of the value chain to understand and
leverage benefit from the organisations’ sphere of influence. The Presidency logistics team looked
upstream and focus on suppliers and service providers, and downstream to focus on employees,
clients, sponsors and partners
As depicted in this diagram, an organisations’ sphere of influence is strongest at the center and then
weakens as the amount of administrative control becomes reduced. Hence the ministry had to de-
velop a carrot (influence) and stick (control) approach.
Downstream
Value
Chain
Control
Influence
Upstream
Weak
Weak
Strong
Strong
Interested Party Type Organization How contacted
MFA Event team Staff MFA Employment process, daily
discussions and directions
Suppliers Contractors Contracting process, on-
going performance review
and management meetings
Management MFA Employment contracts and
daily meetings and review
Local Community Public Organization Copenhagen and
Horsens Municipality
Regular meetings with vari-
ous municipality figures
Danish Ministries Public Organization All Danish Ministries Invited for regular briefings
on logistical aspects of the
Presidency throughout the
planning phase.
Danish Tax Payers Private citizens None Media, EU2012 Website
International
Delegates
Public Organizations Foreign Ministries,
Embassies
Formal Ministry channels,
Embassy communications,
registration site
Danish Business &
Industry
Clean tech
corporations
Danfoss
DHL
Danish Wind Industry
Association
SASScandinavianAirlines
Konica Minolta
Contacted regarding spon-
sorship, regular contact while
agreeing on the contract and
regular management review
Meetings Industry Danish Sustainable
Events Initiative
Monthly meetings, online
portal
Danish business as-
sociation
Confederation of Dan-
ish Industries
Contacted regarding the
involvement of Danish busi-
ness and industry in the EU
Presidency.
VENUE
EVENT AGENCY
EMPLOYES
CLIENT
SPONSORS
PARTICIPANTS
LOCAL GOVERMENT
OTHER SERVICES
EVENT
ORGANIZER
CSMP approach to engaging stakeholders

8. 8
OPERATIONAL
INTEGRATION
The team focused on integrating sustainability
into all day to day operations. The APEX-ASTM
guidelines were used as a reference throughout
the event planning with focus on all nine areas.
Tools were developed to support implemen-
tation of standard operating procedures and
teams were trained. Compliance to the event
Sustainability Policy and support of the UN
Global Compact were mandatory in all Supplier
and Sponsor contracts. Performance was man-
aged consistently.
Building
a Sustainable
Culture
Education
Tools
Communication
Standard
Operating
Procedures
GOVERNANCE
ISO Certification
The Danish Ministry for Foreign Affairs achieved
certification to ISO20121. MCI Sustainability Ser-
vices were hired to develop the management
system for the EU Presidency and to train the
team in its application. Performance and com-
pliance of the event management system to
ISO20121 was performed through a process of
internal and external review. The sustainability
team reviewed performance every month with
a management review bimonthly. Certification
company SGS were selected to provide external
verification.
The SGS auditor met with the logistics team in
October 2011 and undertook an initial gap analy-
sis. The auditor returned in early 2012 to check
the management system was in place, and then
chose the most complicated meeting – the
Financial Ministers meeting – to audit perfor-
mance. Through this process the auditor iden-
tified areas that needed improvement (such as
documentation and internal audit procedures)
that were later rectified by the Ministry. The full
ISOdocumentationisavailableforreviewinrequest.
Event Management System Audit Plan 2011 2012
Assessor Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr
Sustainability Team X X X X
Management (internal audit) X X X X
3rd Party Verifier (external audit) X X X
OPERATIONAL INTEGRATION
“The Ministry did a very good job
and achieved their success with a
very small team. They involved part-
ners and venues from the start to
deliver a very good sustainability
performance using the minimum of
resources. They proved their leader-
ship credentials by being the first
presidency to have done anything
like this, and they did this not only
by delivering a coherent, systematic
approach to sustainability but also
by verifying the system and the re-
sults.”
Ana Inacio, SGS Auditor
T
R
A
N
S
P
A
R
E
N
C
Y
A
C
C
O
U
N
T
B
I
L
I
T
Y
Stakeholder
Advisory
Internal
Management
Triple
Bottom Line
External
Verification
&
Certification
Andreas Clausen-Boor,
Deputy Head of
Logistics explaining the
ISO20121 implementation
process.

9. 9
Transportation: energy and emissions
reduction
- 100% venues selected were connected to public
transport with fast direct access to the airport via
Metro.
- Bikes were supplied for all local transportation
- 100 renewable fuelled cars were provided for VIP
transportation
- Route and schedule optimization reduced the use of
VIP cars by 75 %
- CO2-neutral freight was provided and sponsored by
DHL
- Green flights and CO2-offsetting was provided by
SAS Scandinavian Airlines for delegates
- All local carbon emissions were offset. Delegate trav-
el was not offset
ECONOMIC PERFORMANCE ENVIRONMENTAL PERFORMANCE
The sustainability focus of the EU Presidency
resulted in a saving of 300 Million Danish Kro-
ner (DKK) equivalent to €40 Million. The to-
tal cost was approximate 200 Million DKK,
which compared to approximately 500 million
DKK for the Swedish Presidency held in 2009.
The costs savings were achieved by:
-
Careful meeting design to reduce and consolidate
the number of meetings. Manpower, resources and
build costs were reduced through the organization of
back to back meetings
-
Focused procurement to consolidate meetings to
only three venues and hire exclusively to only three
venues and rent for prolonged consecutive periods
to reduce installation costs
- Reducing the consumption of resources such as cars,
merchandising, gifts, bottled water
- Engaging corporates to showcase sustainable tech-
nology as sponsored items (ie cars)
Based on the issue identification and stakehold-
er analysis, the Ministry developed a strategy to
reduce negative impacts and stimulate innova-
tion. These are summarized below using the
APEX-ASTM framework:
Venue: waste, energy and emissions reduction
- Venue certification was a key priority. The Bella
Center had already achieved Green Key Certification
for COP15, but the Forum Horsens and the Eigtveds
Pakhus in Copenhagen were not certified at project
inception. They were lobbied to get certified which
resulted in them achieving the Green Key during the
Presidency
- Energy saving thermostats were sponsored and in-
stalled by Danfoss
- Waste was diverted to sixteen streams for compost-
ing, reuse and recycling. Food waste was transported
directly to local bio-gas plant and then converted
into energy for Danish households
- Carpets used were made from corn to help reduce
CO2 emissions
Food and beverage: Conservation, water,
waste, energy and emissions reduction
“The budget restraints and com-
plexities involved with organizing
so many diverse events required a
smart, efficient and flexible event
management system. The ISO 20121
standard helped align the sustain-
ability goals with practical business
processes in a sensible and practi-
cal way. The ISO20121 standard and
our CSMP approach saved us money
while enhancing the quality for
which Danish events are known.”
Andreas Clausen-Boor,
Head of Logistics for the
Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs
- Bottled water was banned at the meetings – only tap
water was used
- Ceramic plates and real silverware were used at all
times. Optional disposable cups were sourced from
biodegradable material
- No cut flowers were used: Only reusable decorations
- Organic and local food was used in all menus with no
additional cost
- 60% of food came from local suppliers (300 kilometres)
- 100% dairy products were provided from organic
Danish farms
- To support local conservation, honey was sourced
from local beehives on the roof of the Bella Center
Accommodation: water, waste, energy and
emissions reduction
- 100% of hotel rooms selected and used were eco-
certified
Marketing and Communication: waste re-
duction and purchasing
- Delegate badges and lanyards were recyclable and
were reused
- A no conference bag and restricted gift policy was
implemented: 87,000 notepads and 77,000 pens
were sourced sustainably
- All paper used was eco-certified 100% recycled paper
Chefs at the venues were engaged to provide Fairtrade,
Local, Organic, Seasonal and Sustainable Food.
Delegates were encouraged to use the free bikes
The only gift was a sustainably sourced necktie and scarf

10. 10
“An important lesson was that demanding sustainable products and policie
from our suppliers made sustainability a competition parameter. This meant
that we got sustainable products without having to spend more money.
In fact, our focus on sustainability has reduced the overall cost of the presidency.”
Andreas Clausen-Boor,
Head of Logistics for the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs
CERTIFICATION
AS A DRIVER
OF CHANGE
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs included certi-
fication as a core element of supplier selection
and management. The Danish Meetings Industry
is a global leader in promoting eco-certification.
Under the active management of the HORESTA
(The Danish Hotel and Restaurant Association),
the number of certified business has doubled
Tap Water Presidency
Bottled water was banned throughout the Presi-
dency. No bottled water was used at any of the
meetings to reduce environmental impacts and
save money.
The caterer at the Bella Center - EUREST pro-
vided sustainable menus at no additional cost.
Their menus were based on seasonal ingredients
with 60% of food from local suppliers (300 kilo-
metres). 100% of dairy products were procured
from organic Danish farms and honey produced
from local beehives on the roof of the Bella Center.
Showcase new technology
The Presidency was used to showcase sustain-
able technology as an integral part of the logis-
tical implementation of the Presidency. Partner-
ships were created with organization focused on
Cleantech solutions:
- The wind turbine industry provided green power
- Danfoss provided the conference centres wit
energy-saving technology
- SAS Scandinavian Airlines sponsored CO2-off-
setting of international flights, and speeded up
their implementation of Green Flights
- DHL supplied CO2 neutral freight services.
Making Copenhagen Buzz with Life
A great example of transformation, is the Bella
Center. Since the UN Climate Change Conference
(COP15) in 2009, the management team and
staff have continued to improve their social and
environmental sustainability plan. Building apon
their membership of the UN Global Compact and
GreenKey Certification, one of their key objec-
tives is to reduce CO2 emissions by at least 25 per
cent by the end of 2015. In 2013 their emissions
have already been reduced by 21.1 per cent.
In addition to strict waste management, energy
efficiency and eco- responsibility initiatives, the
Bella Center has developed a strong focus on so-
cial responsibility. They were the first company to
support the social enterprise Bybi (Urban Bees),
which has seen the installation of Bee Hives that
support over one million bees at Bella Center.
Bybi trains and integrates disadvantaged mem-
bers of the community from ethnic minorities,
people with mental health problems and home-
less people to produce honey, which is now used
and sold in the adjacent Bella Sky Comwell Hotel.
since 2009. Today 6 conference centres, 63% of
Copenhagen Hotel rooms and 45% of all Danish
hotel rooms are certified with either Greenkey,
ISO14001, EU Flower or the Nordic Swan.
We are a
Green
Hotel
KEY
This two minute video provides a look
behind the scenes of the EU Presidency
and explains the key actions and results
of the Danish approach.

11. 11
CARBON
EMISSIONS
OFFSETTING
LOCAL
CARBON
EMISSIONS
BENCHMARKING
PROCESS
PERFORMANCE
The calculation includes all flights taken with
Scandinavian Airlines. Unfortunately the flights
on other airlines were not measured and are an-
ticipated to be a significant addition to the cal-
culation. The failure to accurately collect flight
information was identified as a process issue
which needs to improve for future projects.
For context, the 10268 tons of CO2 emissions
equal to the annual emissions of 1290 people in
Denmark, 7741 people in India or 630 people in
the US (Source US CDIAC).
Scandinavian Airline sponsored the offsetting
of all carbon emissions resulting from the 2562
flights taken on their airline during the Presi-
dency. 585 metric tons of carbon credits were
purchased in two certified renewable energy
projects in Turkey.
The MeetGreen® calculator was used as the sys-
tem to evaluate the performance of the event
management system. The European Union Pres-
idency logistics team achieved an average score
of 65% of a possible maximum of 100% for all the
meetings organised within the Presidency. This
score places the event within the top one third
of events in the MeetGreen® database. This is an
excellent achievement considering the number
of events.
The two charts below shows how the Presiden-
cy compares to other leading sustainable events,
and how each component of the event contrib-
uted to the overall score in the MeetGreen® cal-
culator. In the future it would be good if other Presi-
dencies could be benchmarked in the same way.
Source Metric Tons CO2e
Venue electricity 9666
Hotel rooms nights 460
Food and beverage 38
Vehicles (transfers) 104
Total 10268
Venue electricity 94%
Hotel rooms nights 5%
Vehicles (transfers) 1%
Oracle OpenWorld
2012, San Francisco
100%
100%
90%
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
2012 Danish
Presidency,
Copenhagen
2010 Global
Compact Leaders
Summit, New York
2009 UN Climate
Change Conference,
Copenhagen
2011, European Wind
Energy Conference,
Warsaw
Average Audited
Event
A
c
c
o
m
m
o
d
a
t
i
o
n
D
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s
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n
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.
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a
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s
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s
i
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e
O
f
f
i
c
e
Local GHG Emissions
Metric Tons CO2e
Audited Event
Sustainability Benchmarking
Using MeetGreen Calculator

12. 12
PROJECT
RESULTS
•ISO20121 Certification: Working together the
consortium fully supported the Presidency’s sus-
tainability initiatives and significantly helped the
Ministry to finance and achieve ISO 20121 certifica-
tion.
•Community Portal: A website was developed
in order to share Danish and global best prac-
tice and experiences about event sustainability
www.sustainableeventsdenmark.org
•Educational videos: Four short and dynamic
videos were created to profile best practice and
inspire greater sustainability action.
•European Sustainability Conference: In part-
nership with the Green Meeting Industry Council,
the DSEI partners organised the first European
Sustainable Events Conference in Copenhagen on
the 6th and 7th September 2012 at the Bella Center.
This meeting of sustainable minds attracted over
100 attendees to share best practice and learnings.
Speakers and attendees came from 19 countries.
•Danish Sustainable Events Roadshow: On
22nd Novermber 2012 seminars were held in
Aarhus and then Aalborg for the local meetings
industry. Attracting 62 business leaders the educa-
tion program raised awareness about the business
case for sustainability and the opportunities cre-
ated through collaboration.
•Production of this document: A full sustain-
ability report of the EU Presidency is being finalised
and will be launched in March 2013.
SOCIAL LEGACY-
COMMITMENT TO CHANGE
COLLABORATION
TO ACCELERATE CHANGE
From COP15, political and meetings industry
stakeholders discovered how large events can
be catalysts for sustainable development. With
the EU Presidency, the Danish Ministry of For-
eign Affairs and leaders from the Danish meet-
ings industry partners realised that they once
again had a superb opportunity to leverage a
large meeting to accelerate change and continue
to improve the sustainability of the Danish meet-
ings industry
In January 2011 the Danish Sustainable Events
Initiative (DSEI) was born. Project partners in-
cluded The Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs,
VisitDenmark, SAS – Scandinavian Airlines,
HORESTA (The Danish Hotel & Restaurant Asso-
ciation), VisitAarhus, VisitAalborg CVB, Inspiring
Denmark, State of Green (Government Clean-
tech initiative), City of Copenhagen, Bella Center
Copenhagen, Wonderful Copenhagen Convention
Bureau and MCI. MCI Sustainability Services
were the project consultant and facilitator.
The DSEI vision was to use the EU Presidency
to inspire sustainable development through cer-
tification, greater collaboration and innovation
while increasing the competitive positioning of
Denmark as a leader in sustainable events.
“Sustainability is a business impera-
tive that we all understand. It’s
about good business and creat-
ing better communities. We rec-
ognize that only through collabo-
ration, including the sharing of
best practices and expertise, will
we improve performance of our
organizations for the benefit of
our clients and our communities.
This is why the Danish Sustainable
Events Initiative project was a com-
mendable success”
Steen Jakobsen,
Convention Director, Wonderful Copenha-
gen Convention Bureau and board member
of ICCA and GMIC

13. 13
CONCLUSIONS:
BETTER MEETINGS THROUGH
SUSTAINABILITY
Leadership: The Danish Foreign Ministry
Logistics team took a bold and leadership ap-
proach to organise the first Sustainable EU
Presidency. They were the first organisation to
gain ISO20121 Certification in the world; however
what makes this a great achievement is the scale
and breadth of the project. With over 100 high
level meetings following the ISO protocols, only
the London Olympics can rival the ambition and
achievement of this project (at time of going to
press.)
Cost-savings: With savings in excess of €40
Million, this sustainability initiative demonstrated
that a large-scale high-level project, such as the
EU Presidency, can be organised sustainably and
at a lower cost. However sustainability principles
needs to be integrated from the very first mo-
ment of meeting design and planning.
Power of standards: By following the
ISO20121 process and using the APEX-ASTM
standards, the Danish Government demon-
strated that standards are a powerful tool in the
development and implementation of a sustaina-
bility strategy. They helped structure a strategic
approach, provided guidance and allowed event
organisers to demonstrate accountability, trans-
parency and professionalism.
“The EU Presidency catalysed us to work together and form the DSEI Col-
laboration. As a result we have seen an increase in awareness levels, certifi-
cation and action about sustainability in the Aarhus meetings industry.”
Kristian Rødbro, Project Manager. VisitAarhus Convention Bureau
“The meetings industry has been asking for practical examples of creat-
ing better events through sustainability. With the EU Presidency we have
worked together to show leadership and catalyse action. This time we have
demonstrated how event organisers can not only integrate sustainability
into large meetings but also into a group of smaller conferences. And most
importantly we have dispelled the myth that it does not have to costs more.”
Markus Diefenbach, International Marketing Manager, VisitDenmark
“I am very proud to have worked on this project. Its mindblowing and inspir-
ing to see such commitment and collaboration from public authorities and
private companies.”
Guy Bigwood, MCI Group Sustainability Director and DSEI Project Director
Legacy: The efforts of the Danish meetings
industry to form a collation and the Danish Sus-
tainable Events Initiative, have powerfully lever-
aged the government investment in the Danish
EU Presidency to catalyse and advance change
not only in Copenhagen but throughout Den-
mark: Businesses such as Bella Center and Fo-
rum Horsens and entire communities are now
championing certification to achieve business
benefit and competitive advantage.
Global Impact: The project partners have
passionately shared their experiences and learn-
ing to support the sustainable development of
the global meetings industry.
Watch interviews
with global leaders
in sustainability

14. 14
Economic
Responsibility
Soacial
Responsibility
Environmental
Responsibility
Legacy
Focus Area Goal KPI Result
Good governance Create an organisation to make the Danish presidency
cost effective.
Show lower total cost for EU Presidency than was incurred for Swedish EU Presidency held in 2010. A central logistics unit was established within the Ministry of
Foreign Affairs enabling economies of scale, cost synergies and an
effective utilisation of resources. Number of meetings were reduced
Reduce budget for venue and event logistics Contract space for a duration of 3 months at 2 separate venues willing to commit to sustainable supplier criteria.
Show lower total cost per accredited delegate, adjusted for inflation.
Events organised in three conference venues back to back. Costs
for rent and event build-up and dismantlement were significantly
reduced.
Reduce cost by using sponsorships Secure a minimum of 2 sponsorships for services which bring a combined savings value of 200,000dkk Sponsorship provided for limousines, flat screen TVs, photocopy
machines and representation services.
Reduce cost and waste created by the giving of gifts Spend equivalent of 100,000dkk less than was spent during 2010 EU Presidency Sweden for same line item Reduced gift policy implemented: Only the traditional presidency
tie and scarf were given to delegates and a special gift for VIPs.
Legal Act according to national law Reduction of 100,000DKK in spending compared to 2009 Swedish EU Presidency No fines incurred
Diversity and social
inclusion
Offer cultural meal choices 1 (min) vegetarian option offered each meal
Satisfy 100% of all special food requests
Vegetarian, allergy sensitive, no alcohol and no pork menus offered
at all meals
Working environment Offer a healthy working environment for the delegates 500 total runners tracked by Running Cph from Jan to Jun Achieved
100% of hotels offer bicycle options All hotels offered bikes for the delegates
Ensure a healthy working environment for staff. 50 total training hours completed by MFA logistics staff Achieved through Staff Development Talks, Massage, Fruit, Compe-
tency development, Project Management Course, Office Seminars,
Social Events
Accessibility Create a handicap friendly environment 1 (min) documented meeting with representative from Danish Handicapped organization Achieved through co-operation with Danish Handicap organisation
and conference venues. No complaints about access from delegates
Use of resources Offer fully organic meals Minimum of 1 organic menu package offered at each main venue from which Ministries may choose. Achieved. Line ministries could choose a fully organic meal option
Source catering products locally 50% of total products served will have been produced in an area not farther than 350 km from event venue Achieved
Use environmentally friendly paper 100% of all paper purchased and distributed by MFA print center during EU Presidency will be Nordic Swan certified Achieved
Environmental Impact Reduce food service waste 85% of all meals served will be with durable dishware and utensils Achieved
Reduce environmental impact in hotels 85% of all hotel rooms purchased will have certification with Green Key, Nordic Swan or ISO 14001 Achieved
Reduce environmental impact at conference venues All three venue to have 3rd party eco certification by June 2012 Achieved
Conference to be powered by 100% wind power as evidenced through Danish Wind REC program Achieved
Climate Change Use climate friendly transportation 100% of hotels to offer MFA-developed public transport info guides and maps on check in Achieved. Estimated 30% of local travel was on public transport
Use climate friendly transportation 70% of all VIP trips to be via late technology alternative fuel vehicles Achieved
Communication To set an example as a sustainable EU Presidency Achieve third party ISO2012 certification of MFA event management system Certification achieved June 2012.
Show case Danish Cleantech initiatives Find 2 sponsors and demonstrate their technology during EU Presidency Clean tech sponsorships to implement solutions at conference
venues
Create a consortium to expand sustainability legacy of
presidency within meetings industry
Minimum of 10 public and private meetings industry organisations to form a private public partnership 12 public and private organisations created the Danish Sustainability
Event Initiative
Supply Management Integration of sustainability in all contracts 100% of all contracts signed by EU Presidency event suppliers to include commitment to principles of UN Global
Compact
Global Compact principles integrated into all supplier and sponsor-
ship contracts.
a p p e n d i x : P E R F O R M A N C E A G A I N S T O B J E C T I V E S

15. DANISH PRESIDENCY
OF THE COUNCIL OF THE
EUROPEAN UNION 2012