In September 2013, Arcachon Convention Centre was awarded France Congrès “Quality and Sustainable Development Charter” certification, awarded by Bureau Veritas Certification, based on 25 commitments and requirements set out in their standard.
These commitments are based on the three pillars (economic, social-societal, environmental) of sustainable development, listed in accordance with 3 main principles:
- Accompanying the client for a successful event: from the needs analysis through to the event itself, and the selection of service providers committed to sustainable development.
- Communicating and making people eco-aware: making people aware of good practices and the means at hand for preserving the environment, developing eco-responsible services (e.g. free bicycles provided).
- Acting in favour of preserving the environment: The Convention Centre benefits from the support of the local authorities (Arcachon Town Hall, COBAS etc.) to develop high-quality facilities and act in favour of preserving the environment.
The certification was awarded subsequent to an audit which revealed some significant strengths:
– Commitment: the close involvement of Arcachon Convention Centre executives and management in the implementation of the specified requirements.
– A team on ahuman scale which ensures optimal follow-up and systematic application of Sustainable Development good practices.
– The high level of customer satisfaction based on the first results from customer satisfaction surveys.
–Strong encouragement of environmentally-friendly forms of transport in the different communication materials (internet, email).
Today, Arcachon Convention Centre is one of the first event management companies in South West France to be certified for its commitment to Quality and Sustainable Development and the 16th in the France Congrès network.
