Businesses focus on the planet with 'MeetGreen'

Portland, Oregon based “MeetGreen” provides event management, consulting and training services that embrace eco-responsibility as its core value and defining specialty with green meetings services.

Formerly Meeting Strategies Worldwide, MeetGreen is reestablishing its commitment to responsible business in every aspect.

“There is so much more to the notion of green meetings than eliminating Styrofoam coffee cups and plastic water bottles,” says Amy Spatrisanom, co-founder. “Global corporations are hungry for guidance in how to connect people in ways that are as effective as they are environmentally responsible. MeetGreen is more than a catchy name for our company; it represents a complete spectrum of methods, technologies and best practices that enterprise business organizations can use to operate sustainably.”

Spatrisano and co-owner Nancy Wilson have been instrumental in introducing sustainable business practices to the meetings industry as part of the creation of GMIC (Green Meetings Industry Council), chartered in 2003 to promote sustainable practices throughout the professional meetings, conference and hospitality sectors.

“The simple fact is,” says Wilson, “that after 15 years, we had to acknowledge that our company had outgrown its original name. It no longer captured the essence of our core business or the new directions in which we are moving.”

Refocusing on Green

While training and consulting are key growth areas for the company, face-to-face conferences and events remain at the core of MeetGreen’s business. The firm has responded to increased opportunity throughout North America by establishing offices in Vancouver, B.C., and Washington D.C.
MeetGreen stands by the idea that “environmental stewardship” should be a part of every conference and meeting, regardless of the business itself.

Environmentally responsible practices save companies money buy identifying methods to reduce costs, while establihsing a competitive advantage for participating businesses. With “green” conferences, companies can send a powerful and marketable message to attendees, as many have become more aware and sensitive to environmental concerns.

Additionally, companies are actually are making financial decisions about whether to support organizations that do not have environmentally responsible practices.
“Our original mission hasn’t changed,” says Wilson. “We’re still committed to making a difference. As MeetGreen, we’re doing that by empowering organizations to connect, sustain and thrive.”

For more information, visit MeetGreen online.