"Every meetings organization, irrespective of size, scale or scope, is linked to the global marketplace - and that marketplace is increasingly engaged with CSR." MPI Green Power: Fuel for Change, Supplement to January 2012 CSR Report.

We believe that sustainability initiatives within the private sector can address the critical shared global issues of poverty, insecurity, social injustice and systemic barriers to inclusion.

The economic power of the private sector cannot be understated. The Meetings Industry alone in Canada drives $33.8 billion in economic activity. The little niche that ZOË focuses on represents $40 B annually in North America.

How we decide on where we will spend our money when we acquire the goods and services we need to perform our businesses wields tremendous power. It directs the focus, business practices and yes...even the values of the supplier communities that vie for that business. In fact, how we decide on where we will spend our money reflects our values.

The Meetings Industry is uniquely positioned to have significant impact on the sustainability of our society and, not surprisingly, has taken some really exciting steps toward providing leadership in this area with the 3-year research study that Meetings Professionals International has commissioned Leeds Metropolitan University to perform.

We love the framework that the MPI study has developed for categorizing the continuum of CSR activity. Must, Should and Can levels of action that range from merely meeting regulations, to honouring societal expectations, to proactively addressing societal issues that can be addressed through the business choices of a specific entity.

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SEASONAL SPOTLIGHT:  

New Items for Fun in the Sun!   

"For me this trip reinforced the truth that we have the opportunity to accelerate the impact of our social efforts by addressing the reality that our everyday buying decisions are the primary lever in causing change.  We can make an intentional commitment to find out if our next giveaway is coming from a production facility with questionable practices or one that we can trust."

The best part of our work is when we get to spend time with the amazing people we work with around the world.  It was so good to be together. Rudy, Sully, Jorge and I were able to catch up on each others lives.  I was able to practice my fledgling Spanish speaking abilities with them, Cindy and Maria.  In the evenings I especially enjoyed my broken Spanish chats with Cindy, and even though I probably speak at a 2-3 year old level, she was very gracious and helped me to learn more.

Overall the trip was fantastic, we were able to review the progress of the past two years and identify the challenges we face in growing the scope and impact of the effort.

Progress Over the Past 2 Years

PRESS RELEASE - Funding Announcement:

Women Leveraging the Power of Markets to Address Global Poverty