T&E Plus

People Don’t Want to Come to Your Country

“Debi, do you realize that many people don’t want to come to your country…that is why virtual meetings demand will increase” is the message I heard three weeks ago during a conference call with a Supplier with attendees from U.K., France, and Netherlands.  Virtual and hybrid meetings are increasingly becoming a normal delivery method and meeting planners are encouraged to learn more about digital events. 

Do you want to learn more about how to deliver digital events?  Apply for a Digital Event Institute Scholarship here… https://www.facebook.com/PCMADigitalExperience/ or here:  http://www.pcma.org/pcma-education-foundation/scholarships/student-scholarships#.WNml2qK1s2x

If the message I heard is true, and if the Travel Ban and U.S. Government Budget Cuts will affect our travel, then Virtual Meetings will be important to add to your Meeting & Event Program. 

How will the Travel Ban affect Meetings, Events and other businesses?  Listen to Kevin Iwamoto in this audio clip: 

http://www.meetings-conventions.com/News/Third-Party/Kevin-Iwamoto-How-Trump-Administration-Disrupting-Meetings-Travel/?cid=eltrMtgNews&[email protected]

In addition, the Travel Ban and Budget cuts may affect small, rural airports, rail services as well as college tuition. 

How can you affect change in our industry?  GET involved and call your senators and congress.

“The Essential Air Services program would be eliminated, which means many small or rural airports would have to close. If you rely on these rural airports to fly out of where you live, you'll be faced with a much longer drive to the airport.”  “Amtrak will also take a hit, with funding changing to focus on the most popular routes, like the Northeast Corridor. Train service may shrink to just 23 states”

http://www.lifehacker.co.in/others/how-trumps-proposed-budget-could-affect-your-air-and-train-travel/articleshow/57776777.cms

“Consider how restricting immigration of foreign students studying at American colleges will affect tuition costs. College student debt is a concern of everyone regardless of political affiliation. Recent proposed travel bans, temporarily at least blocked, has led to some chaos among non-immigrants college students from abroad.”

http://www.coshoctontribune.com/story/news/2017/03/25/travel-ban-might-affect-tuition-costs/99494534/

Debi Scholar

Love to Travel and Eat?

“Young children of mixed races play cricket…one hands me a bat and giggles at the way I hold it…”

Yummy recipes (my favorite..Spinach and Tangerine Soup from Lesotho!),  provoking pictures, sincere stories, and tough terrain … plus more in the beautiful book “FORKS” A Quest for Culture, Cuisine, and Connection by Allan Karl who rode his motorcycle across five continents in three years.  If you love adventure, food, and travel, you’ll love this book!  Buy it for your favorite traveler!

 

http://www.forksthebook.com/

Getting Work Done in Hotels

Dancing around in my head and transforming into usable content, my ideas gravitate into the ends of my finger, inside the Lenovo computer and onto the glaring screen.  Whether the carpet is worn or otherwise new, the bed so comfy or coffee brews, the large desk with visible plugs and without bedbugs, I eagerly enter the temporary sanctuary and anxiously await for the steady hum of my computer. With minimal noise and robust connectivity, a hotel room offers one of my favorite work environments.   It is true; I love working in a hotel room without any distractions.  A gorgeous window view feeds my creativity and keeps me moving because I know that as soon as the work is finished, I can enjoy the location.  Most recently, my work sanctuary was the Laguna Cliffs Marriott Resort and Spa; a perfect setting and great session for EMC Venues.

In a recent interview on “How to Write,” Maya Angelou said, “I keep a hotel room in my town, although I have a large house. And I go there at about 5:30 in the morning, and I start working. And I don't allow anybody to come in that room. I work on yellow pads and with ballpoint pens. I keep a Bible, a thesaurus, a dictionary, and a bottle of sherry. I stay there until midday. About once a month, the management slips a note under my door and they ask, 'Please, Dr. Angelou, may we change the sheets? We know they must be moldy.' But I've never slept there. I just go in and sit down and work.” http://www.oprah.com/spirit/How-to-Write-a-Poem-Maya-Angelous-Advice

Another person studying for an intense computer security test said, “One of my most productive study times was sitting in a hotel room in Frankfurt, Germany.  Although I would rather have spent my weekends touring the sites of southern Germany, instead, I read books and articles on Information System Security.”

Another blogger writes, “If I had to rate where I am the most productive, it’s in a hotel room.  Most of the time, this is because I am overseas and awake in the middle of the night.” 

Where are YOU most productive?

Contributing to my productivity, Tony Robbins subliminal music keeps me focused as I shared with Barbara Scofidio in this month’s Post Con. http://meetingsnet.com/corporatemeetingsincentives/news/post_con_scholar0223/index.html

Hope to see you at one of my upcoming speaking engagements.  I just finished two engagements this past week but added another speaking engagement (Meetings Tech Expo) and have numerous education sessions which are not on the schedule below yet.  Last week we had two winning groups in the SMM Challenge© and everyone appreciated the new SMM Idea Template and Canvas©.  In addition, I announced the pre-release of my SMM Quick Reference Guide. Stay tuned for more information on where to find it.

 
 

Visit Debi at one of her upcoming speaking engagements:
Topics vary per conference
Some sessions include components of SMM Bootcamp^© and/or SMM Challenge^© 

March 17 – MPI SCC Educational Tradeshow and Conference
March 18 – EMC Venue’s Annual Buyer Supplier Summit – SMM Bootcamp^©
March 31 – ISM’s Conference on Managing in Times of Uncertainty
April 10-12 – ACTE Global Education Conference
May 20 – MPI Orange County’s 6^th Annual Education Conference and Expo
May 25 – Meetings Technology Expo (early morning)
May 25 – Financial and Insurance Meeting Planners Conference (late morning)
June 30 – EMC Venue’s MEET
August 2 – Georgia BTA
Sept 7 – HSMAI Affordable Meetings
December 1 – EMC Venue’s MEET

Thank you for visiting the T&E Plus Blog on expense management, travel management, business meetings, events, incentives, strategic meetings management, entertainment, virtual meetings, tickets, hotels, airlines, ground transportation, T&E policy, plus more...

Debi Scholar, GLP, CMM, CMP, CTE, CTT, Six Sigma Green Belt

• Meetings Management Mover and Shaker as selected by Corporate and Incentive Travel Magazine (2010)
• Top 20 Changemaker who influenced the meetings management industry by Corporate Meetings and Incentives (2008)
• Best Meeting Practitioner as selected by Business Travel News (2007)

The Scholar Consulting Group LLC
[email protected]
908-304-4954
Benchmark your Strategic Meetings Management Program:  http://www.smmbenchmark.com

Debi has the following designations:

• Wharton Aresty Executive Education/National Business Travel Association (NBTA) Global Leadership Professional (GLP)
• Meeting Professionals International Certificate in Meetings Management (CMM)
• Convention Industry Council Certified Meeting Professional (CMP)
• NBTA Corporate Travel Expert (CTE)
• Six Sigma Green Belt
• Chauncey Certified Technical Trainer (CTT)

Travel Agencies find Benefits in Offering Meeting and Event Services

Thousands of travel agencies (leisure and business) scattered all over the world offer travel services but are reluctant to provide groups/meetings service offerings to their clients.   As such, these agencies are missing out on revenue opportunities.  Recently, I spoke with Travel Market Report on the benefits that agencies may experience by offering meeting and event services.

Travel agencies can increase revenue, expand business relationships and improve service by offering meetings, events and incentives to their travel service offerings.  Meetings forge new relationships in an organization. When an agency provides meeting services, it may lead to other prospective business such as helping the organization write a meeting policy, creating a crisis management plan, calculating carbon emissions or instituting virtual meetings.  By adding these services to their catalogue of expertise, an agency can penetrate new business from existing, loyal clients.

 

To read more, go to Travel Market Report, Meetings and Incentives.

http://www.travelmarketreport.com/meetings?articleID=3911&LP=1

 

 

Debi Scholar, CMM, CMP, CTE, CTT

 

Thank you for visiting the T&E Plus Blog on expense management, travel management, business meetings, events, incentives, strategic meetings management, entertainment, virtual meetings, tickets, hotels, airlines, ground transportation plus more...

 

Follow me on Twitter at:  http://twitter.com/debi001or at LinkedIN at http://www.linkedin.com/in/dscholar

 

Debi has the following designations:

·     Wharton Aresty Executive Education/National Business Travel Association (NBTA) Global Leadership Professional (GLP)

·     Meeting Professionals International Certificate in Meetings Management (CMM)

·     Convention Industry Council Certified Meeting Professional (CMP)

·     NBTA Corporate Travel Expert (CTE)

·     Six Sigma Green Belt

·     Chauncey Certified Technical Trainer (CTT)

 

Debi was selected as:

·     Meetings Management  Mover and Shaker by Corporate and Incentive Travel Magazine (2010)

·     Top 20 Changemaker who influenced the meetings management industry by Corporate Meetings and Incentives (2008)

·     Best Meeting Practitioner by Business Travel News (2007)

Find the lowest hotel rates for your transient and group travelers

As the meeting volume increases and we move into hotel RFP season, organizations are looking for ways to ensure that they are receiving the lowest hotel room rates.  Whether static or dynamic rates are used, many organizations want to know the lowest published hotel rate and some organizations use contracts that require the lowest rate be charged to the traveler.  Even some meetings use the lowest transient rate.  In today’s economy, organizations place a high value on knowing that they’re charged the best hotel rate. With technology advancements, gone are the days of searching through every travel website to “check” for lower rates – a task that every travel manager has done in the office, back room or at home. 

 

Recently, a client said to me, “I feel as if I’m always being “taken” on hotel rates. How do I know if I’m getting the lowest rate? Why do web rates always seem to be lower?”   To assist my client, I decided to test RateTiger’s real time technology (RTCorp) which compares the contracted rates with real time posted web rates.  My client agreed to provide a sampling of their contracted rates to RateTiger for comparison purposes. 

 

As a result, some of the client’s hotel rates were 12%-23% higher than the web rates posted.  Recognizing that my client also negotiates free high speed Internet access (“HSIA”) and that the negotiated amenities and savings should be taken into consideration during a comparison, the hotel web rates were still 6%-15% lower than the client’s contracted rates.

 

The benefit of using RTCorp by RateTiger is that the tool benchmarks your contracted hotel rates real-time against the lowest published rates on the web providing you with a tool to confront your suppliers with solid research when these published rates are lower than your contracted rates. This type of benchmarking is valuable, not only during hotel RFP season, but also ongoing for the duration of your contracts with your hotels and can be used pre-trip, or pre-meeting, so that the adjusted rates can be requested from the hotel.

 

Debi Scholar, CMM, CMP, CTE, CTT

 

Thank you for visiting the T&E Plus Blog on expense management, travel management, business meetings, events, incentives, strategic meetings management, entertainment, virtual meetings, tickets, hotels, airlines, ground transportation plus more...

 

Follow me on Twitter at:  http://twitter.com/debi001or at LinkedIN at http://www.linkedin.com/in/dscholar

 

Debi has the following designations:

·     Wharton Aresty Executive Education/National Business Travel Association (NBTA) Global Leadership Professional (GLP)

·     Meeting Professionals International Certificate in Meetings Management (CMM)

·     Convention Industry Council Certified Meeting Professional (CMP)

·     NBTA Corporate Travel Expert (CTE)

·     Six Sigma Green Belt

·     Chauncey Certified Technical Trainer (CTT)

Debi was selected as:

• Meetings Management  Mover and Shaker by Corporate and Incentive Travel Magazine (2010)
• Top 20 Changemaker who influenced the meetings management industry by Corporate Meetings and Incentives (2008)
• Best Meeting Practitioner by Business Travel News (2007)

Are Business Travel and Meetings commodity purchases?

Putting the term “commodity” in the same sentence as travel and meetings is like adding Lady Gaga as an inductee to the Rock ‘n Roll Hall of Fame; you either agree or disagree with the parallelism but there is no denying that it is the big elephant in the room.

Do you believe that business travel, meetings and events are commodities?  The term caused us to stir in our seats while participating in an NBTA/StarCite sponsored meeting yesterday.

“It is the right term…A commodity is something that we purchase. And, we purchase services from meeting suppliers” one industry leader said.

“But, the word is used in manufacturing and in commodity markets” another industry leader chimed in.  “Are travel and meeting services considered commodities?”

“We will ruffle feathers if we use the word “commodity“ and do we really want to stir up controversy?” one industry leader said with a guarded perspective.

“OK, let’s find a different word.” and it was settled.

With impeccable timing, yesterday came a report that states Air France’s boss says Travel is Not a Commodity based on the quality of product and services it provides.  Is there a rule that states commodities cannot be purchased using quality ratings? 

Another much older article about industry commoditization claims, “It [travel] is sometimes not a commodity because it will need a collaborative process across various departments to set it up."    If key stakeholders collaborate and develop criteria that will be used to purchase travel and meeting services, does this restrict us from using the word, “Commodity?”

According to Merriam-Webster, one of the meanings of Commodity is “an economic good or service.”   Call me a geek who loves business books, but in “The Procurement and Supply Manager’s Desk Reference,” on page 355, it states, “Commodity Strategies:  Categorizing purchases by their respective commodities often helps develop a uniform strategy to manage multiple products that have closely related commodity attributes.  This can enable the Procurement Department to employ an individual with specific expertise in the commodity (also known as a subject matter expert [SME]) who can focus primarily on managing a strategy for that specific group of suppliers.  The added value of this approach is that the organization’s management is given the opportunity to recognize the discipline required to establish specific commodity excellence.” 

Don’t we want uniform strategies and individuals with expertise managing travel and meeting services? 

As the job description below validates, it appears that one company is hiring a “Commodity Manager” to develop and execute the Mobility Services (Travel/Events/Meetings) commodity strategy.

What is your opinion?  May we use the word “commodity” when referring to travel and meeting procurement?

-----------------------------

http://www.comparecarrentals.co.uk/news/182827639.html

http://www.allbusiness.com/management/3497381-1.html

Commodity Management Specialist, Mobility Services (Travel/Events/Meetings) Job Details Job Description

In this position, the Commodity Management Specialist will be part of a 20 person team and report to the Director of Mobility Services.  The mission for the Commodity Management Specialist is to successfully develop/execute the Mobility Services (Travel/Events/Meetings) commodity strategy and fostering a proactive environment that promotes cross-functional support with respective business units while driving cost productivity across the company.

Responsibilities:
Commodity Management:
-Accurately communicates strategies to ensure proper implementation with the sectors, divisions and locations by collaborating with regional hubs.
-Performs the functions of international market analysis, demand analysis, global demand pooling, supplier selection, and negotiation of price, terms and conditions, to maximize contribution to operating profit and business objectives.
- Completes supplier analysis in order to acquire the best suppliers and to guarantee an optimum supply chain; assists in the coordination of the annual supplier evaluation process and executes formal supplier development plans.
- Maintains regular contact with internal/external interface partners to recognize developments and exert influence accordingly.
- Completes complex reports of defined information and figures to make results transparent and controls purchasing activities on a results-oriented basis.
- Identifies and resolves complex challenges and applies problem-solving skills in order to deal with most situations.  

Debi Scholar, GLP, CMM, CMP, CTE, CTT, Six Sigma Green Belt

Thank you for visiting the T&E Plus Blog on expense management, travel management, business meetings, events, incentives, strategic meetings management, entertainment, virtual meetings, tickets, hotels, airlines, ground transportation, T&E policy, plus more...

Debi has the following designations:

·     Wharton Aresty Executive Education/National Business Travel Association (NBTA) Global Leadership Professional (GLP)

·     Meeting Professionals International Certificate in Meetings Management (CMM)

·     Convention Industry Council Certified Meeting Professional (CMP)

·     NBTA Corporate Travel Expert (CTE)

·     Six Sigma Green Belt

·     Chauncey Certified Technical Trainer (CTT)

Debi was selected as:

·     Meetings Management  Mover and Shaker by Corporate and Incentive Travel Magazine (2010)

·     Top 20 Changemaker who influenced the meetings management industry by Corporate Meetings and Incentives (2008)

·     Best Meeting Practitioner by Business Travel News (2007)

Follow me on Twitter ...http://www.twitter.com/debischolar  and on LinkedIN at http://www.linkedin.com/in/dscholar

Optimizing the TMC-Corporate Relationship

Recently, I was interviewed by Travel Market Report on the relationship between the travel management company and its clients.

Below and in the attached link, I share my views on the key factors in optimizing this relationship.

Involve Your TMC in Policy

My advice to corporations on when to bring their travel management companies into the picture when creating corporate travel policy is “It's never too soon!”

An organization will benefit by involving a travel management company early in the process to help the organization identify opportunities to save costs, gain efficiencies and improve service. Because the travel management company (TMC) produces reports on the organization's travel behaviors, the TMC is in the best position to offer protocol and procedural support in the early stages of an organization's policy development.

Please continue reading this article at:  http://www.travelmarketreport.com/content/publiccontent.aspx?pageid=870&LP=1&articleID=3361 

Thank you for visiting the T&E Plus Blog on expense management, travel management, business meetings, events, incentives, strategic meetings management, entertainment, virtual meetings, tickets, hotels, airlines, ground transportation, T&E policy, plus more...

 

Debi has the following designations:

· Wharton Aresty Executive Education/National Business Travel Association (NBTA) Global Leadership Professional (GLP)

· Meeting Professionals International Certificate in Meetings Management (CMM)

· Convention Industry Council Certified Meeting Professional (CMP)

· NBTA Corporate Travel Expert (CTE)

· Six Sigma Green Belt

· Chauncey Certified Technical Trainer (CTT)

 

Follow me on Twitter ...http://www.twitter.com/debischolar  and on LinkedIN at http://www.linkedin.com/in/dscholar

 

The information contained in this Web site is provided for informational purposes only, and should not be construed as legal advice on any matter. This information does not represent the opinions of any other party other than the author.  The links to other publicly available Web sites are provided as a convenience; we make no claims, promises or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness or adequacy of the information provided.

Virtual meetings join thoughts while travel joins hands; integration of both embodies the best results

With millions of travel and meeting dollars at stake, and procurement principles posted on cubicle partitions, corporate clients are rapidly demanding request for proposals (“RFP”) for travel and meeting services rather than the simpler method of renegotiating current supplier contracts. As advertised through supplier claims, new travel and meeting services brings about new RFP questions and requirements.

 

After creating a new global RFP for travel and meeting services this week and enhancing it in one long 16-hour day (that felt like two 8-hour days squished together, much like my butt after sitting and typing for that many hours), I’ve added a few virtual meeting support questions to the RFP.

 

Virtual meetings join thoughts while travel joins hands; integration of both embodies the best results.  Yet, without the right support, a virtual meeting feels like you’re in a flock of mute geese stuck in a rectangular, two-dimensional sludge. 

 

In your opinion, what types of probing virtual meeting questions should go into an RFP for travel and/or meeting services?  Many of my clients are not asking for IT technical or functionality support, but rather, the virtual meeting end user support.

 

Below are the questions that I’ve developed thus far for a travel management company, meeting management company or meeting planning company to respond to in a request for proposal.  Please share your thoughts or ideas.

 

NOTE: While this particular RFP does not require the technical or functional considerations, feel free to add those types of questions too. If you would like to respond privately, please contact me at [email protected].  Thanks!

 

Recommending/Offering Virtual Meetings from the TMC, MMC, or MPC perspective

1. Provide the services and processes that you offer for virtual meetings and events.

2. Describe how your company can encourage use of virtual meetings and events to pre-empt travel or meetings. Provide examples of how you have put this process in place for other clients.

3. List your preferred virtual meeting and event technology suppliers if you are recommending those suppliers be used for this client.

4. Provide information on the process used by agents or the online booking tool to recommend/offer virtual meetings as an alternative to travel. 

5. Is there a script for the travel agent or meeting sourcer/planner to use to recommend or offer virtual meetings as a complement or replacement to travel/meetings? 

6. Describe the skillsets that are necessary to support virtual meetings*

 

*Note to my readers…I have created a virtual meeting and event role/task responsibility listing that I will be sharing with you soon; it is an excerpt from a book that I’m writing. If you need it immediately, contact me. 

 

Thank you for visiting the T&E Plus Blog on expense management, travel management, business meetings, events, incentives, strategic meetings management, entertainment, virtual meetings, tickets, hotels, airlines, ground transportation, T&E policy, plus more...

 

Debi has the following designations:

· Wharton Aresty Executive Education/National Business Travel Association (NBTA) Global Leadership Professional (GLP)

· Meeting Professionals International Certificate in Meetings Management (CMM)

· Convention Industry Council Certified Meeting Professional (CMP)

· NBTA Corporate Travel Expert (CTE)

· Six Sigma Green Belt

· Chauncey Certified Technical Trainer (CTT)

Tranquility at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International

Thousands of damp, hurried travelers undressed through security and rushed through Terminal B in the world’s busiest airport, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International, only to find that all flights were delayed at the end of this work week. With patience short and rudeness high, we were herded from gate to gate as the blue and white screen shouted “Cancelled” or “Delayed” due to the heavy rains throughout the East.  The scattered Delta Sky Clubs were filled to capacity and declined even the privileged guests while all of the airport restaurants were standing room only.  Hurdling over travelers without chairs, I bumped into young troops wearing Army fatigues who cheered when their flight was delayed as if onlookers should decipher a hidden message.   As common as this scene is to frequent travelers, it usually ruins a Friday night.

 

While trying to decide between beer or ice cream, I stumbled upon my own private cloud in Concourse B, next to Gate B15 while waiting for my flight. Like a tranquil haven, a small business called Minute Suites welcomed me into their silent sanctuary.  Minute Suites offer private, 7 ft. by 8 ft. rooms that can be used to nap, relax, or work. In less than a minute, the friendly staff sold me a one-hour timeslot. Once inside my private suite, with self-controlled temperature adjustments, I cozied into a comfortable daybed for an energizing nap with a real pillow and comforter (both freshly cleaned).  With the door closed, the chaos of Terminal B ceased.  My short powernap was enhanced by their NAP26 audio that uses binaurual beats to train the brain to relax and to awaken without the risk of grogginess.  After about 30 minutes, I gradually awoke to a gentle hush and envisioned a secluded beach and gentle waves.  I finally sat up, turned up the dimmed lights and checked my flight status using Minute Suite’s high speed Internet access and computer. Even the message stating that my flight had been delayed another two hours didn’t bother me now. With a renewed energy after a nap and some total silence, I gave the remote control a spin through the hundreds of satellite TV stations to find some news. While airline clubs offer comfortable seating, business services and snacks, they don’t provide private beds, pillows, TVs and silence that are sometimes desperately needed. 

 

Designed by physicians and healthcare professionals, Minute Suites offer a secure, dark and quite environment to encourage napping and the use of binaural beat audio technology as a sleep aid for travelers.  The Atlanta facility, opened in November 2009, is the first of its kind in the United States. Similar private spaces are available in international airports.  At $30 for the first hour, it was worth every dollar after experiencing a busy week, a long day and numerous flight delays. For those who want a private, small meeting facility, Minute Suites provides additional chairs that can be added to the suite.

 

When my hour at Minute Suites ended, I reentered the swarm of smelly, frustrated travelers with a renewed vigor as if I had changed into army fatigues and was off to conquer my path back to Newark.

 

Thank you for visiting the T&E Plus Blog on expense management, travel management, business meetings, events, incentives, strategic meetings management, entertainment, virtual meetings, tickets, hotels, airlines, ground transportation, T&E policy, plus more...

 

Debi has the following designations:

· Wharton Aresty Executive Education/National Business Travel Association (NBTA) Global Leadership Professional (GLP)

· Meeting Professionals International Certificate in Meetings Management (CMM)

· Convention Industry Council Certified Meeting Professional (CMP)

· NBTA Corporate Travel Expert (CTE)

· Six Sigma Green Belt

· Chauncey Certified Technical Trainer (CTT)

 

Follow me on Twitter ...http://www.twitter.com/debischolar  and on LinkedIN at http://www.linkedin.com/in/dscholar

The information contained in this Web site is provided for informational purposes only, and should not be construed as legal advice on any matter. This information does not represent the opinions of any other party other than the author.  The links to other publicly available Web sites are provided as a convenience; we make no claims, promises or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness or adequacy of the information provided.

Corporate Social Responsibility in Travel and Meetings

How do you measure your travel and meetings Corporate Social Responsibility ("CSR") program?   What are your CSR priorities?

CSR is a business approach to create long-term shareholder value by embracing opportunities and managing risks deriving from economic, environmental and social developments according to the Dow Jones Sustainability Index.

The three CSR dimensions, Economic, Environment and Social, include numerous criteria to manage and measure as shown below:

CSR Dimension	Criteria
Economic	· Codes of Conduct/Compliance/Corruption & Bribery · Corporate Governance · Risk & Crisis Management and other industry-specific criteria
Environment	Environmental Reporting which may include: · Greenhouse Gas Emissions ("GHG") · Energy Consumption · Water use · Waste · and other industry-specific criteria
Social	· Corporate Citizenship/Philanthropy · Labor Practice Indicators · Human Capital Development · Social Reporting · Talent Attraction and Retention · and other industry-specific criteria

Using a maturity model approach and scorecard, I help companies create a travel and meetings baseline so that organizations can measure the current status and begin improvements.  In addition to the above criteria, a strategic plan with tactical objectives provides the foundational roadmap for organizations.  

Today, three speakers will be sharing leading practices on CSR in meetings and events as part of the StarCite-sponsored webinar in Virtual Meeting World at 2:00 pm EST.  I will be sharing the maturity model and leading practices on how to best manage this important initiative in your organization.  If you are interested in participating, navigate to www.virtualmeetingworld.com. 

 

If you want more information or help with your CSR program, contact me.

Debi Scholar, GLP, CMM, CMP, CTE, CTT

Thank you for visiting the T&E Plus Blog on expense management, travel management, business meetings, events, incentives, strategic meetings management, entertainment, virtual meetings, tickets, hotels, airlines, ground transportation, T&E policy, plus more...

Debi has the following designations:

· Wharton Aresty Executive Education/National Business Travel Association (NBTA) Global Leadership Professional (GLP)

· Meeting Professionals International Certificate in Meetings Management (CMM)

· Convention Industry Council Certified Meeting Professional (CMP)

· NBTA Corporate Travel Expert (CTE)

· Six Sigma Green Belt

· Chauncey Certified Technical Trainer (CTT)

Follow me on Twitter ...http://www.twitter.com/debischolar  and on LinkedIN at http://www.linkedin.com/in/dscholar