ISO 20121 IS A KEY DRIVER
IN THE THAILAND MICE MARKET
Baking Sustainability into your BUSINESS !

Based on the continuing success of its ‘Green Meetings’ initiative in Asia, Thailand aims to extend the approach, with ‘Sustainability Thailand’ as the next strategic goal for Thailand's MICE industry. Thai MICE operators are urged to focus on adoption of management methods that support sustainable development, encompassing its three dimensions - social, economic and environmental.

TCEB launched the new ISO 20121 Standard (Event Sustainability Management System), which recently made its global debut at the London 2012 Olympics. Thailand is the second in the world to implement the standard for the MICE industry after UK. The aim is to encourage the public and private sectors to move towards sustainability in their goals and daily operations. The standard is based on the British Standard BS 8901 and was applied for the very first time in the organisation and management of the Olympics London 2012. ISO 20121 applies to all types and sizes of organisation involved in the events industry – from caterers, lighting and sound engineers, security companies, stage builders and venues to independent event organisers and corporate and public sector event teams. Organisations that successfully implement the standard will be able to seek independent recognition of their achievement through a process called ‘Certification’.

As ISO 20121 is simply a business management framework, adopting it can bring a number of internal benefits to an organization. The standard requires social and environmental issues, this can help to boost employee motivation and attract best talent and improve retention. This ISO enhances reputation and strengthen relationships with key clients, suppliers, partners and other external stakeholders who hold similar values.

One of the key benefits of ISO 20121 certification is that it will enable an organisation to differentiate itself in the marketplace and hence improve their chance of winning new business. Major public sector and private sector clients are referencing ISO 20121 in their tender documents as they work to ensure that their own sustainability policies are being implemented. In time, demonstrating compliance to ISO 20121 is likely to become a minimum requirement for anyone wishing to operate in the events industry as event clients, sponsors, local authorities and other key stakeholders choose to work with organisations that have implemented the standard.

"By stimulating industry-wide adoption, the ISO 20121 standard will also provide a further boost to Thailand’s MICE industry, enhancing its image and international standing as a responsible ‘global citizen’. We therefore aim to communicate this new image in the international arena through trade shows and roadshows in key markets during the coming year. We are confident that this approach will make a strong and important contribution to differentiating Thailand’s offering as we bid to host international mega-events,"

As the world continues to face increasing social and environmental challenges and with the continued promotion and support of the TCEB, Thai MICE operators today are more aware and better equipped to adapt corporate culture and business operations to sustainability practices through a diversity of models. The companies are recognizing that more stakeholders in more places are looking for businesses to bring value to the societies. Many of them are demonstrating great success in sustainability management and meeting international standards, strengthening Thailand's MICE industry and turning it into an outstanding player in the global arena.

TCEB ENGAGED AS A TRUSTED CERTIFICATION PARTNER
AIMING HIGH FOR SUSTAINABILITY

Mr. Christian Druart, Secretary of UFI’s Sustainable Development Committee “Sustainability is very important for your company because it’s important for your stakeholders whether they are your clients, your staffs, or the governing individual of the local authorities you work with. It can be achieved by looking at what your needs are and then defining your objectives and existing tools for this.”

Ms. Choo Leng Goh, General Manager, Plaza Athenee Bangkok, A Royal Meridien Hotel “We are going to reduce the consumption of energy by 30 per cent and water by 20 per cent water by the year 2020 based on 2008 figures. However, with the recent support from TCEB, we also envisage selecting the most suitable ISO for sustainable events.”

Dr. PongvipaLohsomboon, Director - Carbon Business Office, Thailand Greenhouse Gas Management Organization (Public Organization) (TGO) "The level of consciousness on the part of international organisations in relation to environmental protection is increasing. That makes it more likely that international organisations will prefer to visit destinations or do business with organisers that are employing measures to reduce the environmental impact of meetings by adhering to international standards on the tracking of the carbon footprint of meetings and conferences.”

Mr. Aage Hansen, General Manager: Operations - Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC), UFI 2013 “Best Reporting on Sustainability” Award Winner “Sustainability creates a competitive edge but just as important is that all stakeholders are involved with sustainability.”

Mr. Sakchai Pattarapreechakul, President, N.C.C. Management & Development Co., Ltd. “Sustainability standards are today a requirement in determining organisers’ or associations’ choice of destinations for global events. It is therefore very important for everybody to properly prepare for organising international MICE events in the future".

Mr. Suraphon Israngura Na Ayuthya, Managing Director, Catering Department, Thai Airways International PCL , the first airline in the world to calculate the carbon footprint of in-flight meals “We can use the carbon footprint assessment as a measure for business success. Thai Airways International makes every effort to support the MICE industry by developing Thai food that produces a low carbon footprint. This is also in line with the mission of positioning Thai cuisine in the ‘kitchen of the world’.”

Ms. Kulwadee Jintavorn, Director, Impact Management Co., Ltd “Our aim is to compete in the international market. Sustainability is currently a global trend, so we must place emphasis on energy savings, environmentally friendly operations and the green meeting concept. These measures will ensure we are successfulour success in enhancing our corporate image and competitiveness in the world market.”

When things go wrong…

Business Continuity System can save your company !
 

Maintaining business operations in the event of disruption is of utmost importance to your business’s profitability, and critically important in today’s globally interlinked business environment. ISO 22301: Societal security – Business continuity management systems – Requirements specifies requirements for a documented management system to protect against, reduce the likelihood of occurrence, prepare for, respond to, and recover from disruptive incidents.
 

The standard can be applied by all organizations, large or small, for profit or non-profit, private or public, to determine external and internal risk factors that may affect its ability to deliver expected organizational outputs (e.g. goods and services) to supply chain partners, or that might affect relationships with interested parties, and the potential impact related to a disruptive incident.
 

Business continuity is a vital part of overall corporate risk management strategy. ISO 22301 helps you identify key areas of continuity risk, and establish an assessment and management framework defined by key parameters (e.g. maximum acceptable outage, recovery time objectives, and minimum continuity objectives), in line with your own corporate goals and risk tolerance. Compliance is increasingly a contractual requirement imposed by clients, governments and business partners.

Thailand’s MICE industry is evolving fast as it strives to anticipate political, economic and technological transformation in today’s dynamic and sometimes volatile global markets. For MICE operators and venues, a credible business continuity plan has never been more critical to building confidence among clients in destination markets.
 

What are the benefits to MICE operators?
 

     - Understand and prioritize the threats to your business

     - Identify/manage current/future threats, and take a proactive approach to minimizing the impact of incidents

     - Keep critical functions up and running during times of crisis, minimize downtime during incidents and improve recovery time

     - Improved legal and regulatory compliance, as well as cost savings and revenue protection.

     - Enhance corporate image among all stakeholders, including the public.
 
 

Implementing ISO 22301
 

ISO 22301 implementation focuses on the following key processes:

     - Understanding organizational needs and the necessity for establishing business continuity management policy and objectives;

     - Implementing and operating controls and measures for managing an organization’s overall capability to manage disruptive incidents;

     - Monitoring and reviewing the performance and effectiveness of the system; and

     - Continual improvement based on objective measurement.

Food is one of the key factors customers consideration 

Better be sure than sorry!
 

High-profile cases of contaminated food products, as well as an increasing number of recalls, have sustained an ongoing awareness of—and concern about—the foods that reach travelers. As a result, food safety has become a growing concern for business events industry. It is also a focus of reform for the MICE travelers. 
 

Apart from price, location and accessibility concern, food safety is another major issue for MICE travelers when selecting destination venues for MICE events. With a flurry of changes and new food safety regulations on the horizon, companies have the opportunity to discover more efficient and effective methods of consumer protection. Such discoveries will occur by assessing current activities, building a refocused program and establishing monitoring mechanisms to address the needs of a dynamic food safety program.
 

ISO 22000: Food Safety Management System addresses food safety standards and is recognised internationally. It involves food safety management and requires guidelines for organisations in the food supply chain. It is also a priority for Thailand’s MICE industry because it affects the image and reliability of the event venues. In addition, Thai food is a selling point for the industry, so the food safety standard will upgrade Thai food and allow it to win confidence from MICE travellers all over the world in terms of taste and safety. 
 

“Food Safety certification ISO 22000 has become more important for hotels and exhibition centers as it would certify all food products and their safety at hotels and the venue. The certification will help attract organisers to host events at the hotels and convention or exhibition centres if the operators are certified. Food is one of the key factors customers consider before choosing a place to host an event. More importantly, international organizations are concerned about food safety before choosing a place to stage huge event.”

ISO 22000 principles is still based on Codex HACCP but also mixed with food safety management system. Most importantly, certification bodies of ISO 22000 must be strictly controlled under principles of accreditation bodies of each country. This restriction will ensure the verification standard on than HACCP. The ISO 22000 can apply to all sizes of organizations in the entire food chain, small enterprises can receive standard certification more easily as the generally have a less complicated managing system. 

Energy management: 

How ISO 50001 can help your company!
 

Using energy efficiently helps companies save money as well as conserve resources and tackle climate change. In July 2011 the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) released the ISO 50001 standard: Energy management systems, as a framework for developing and operating an energy management system (EnMS).  The standard helps companies to set and monitor their own energy use goals.

All industries can benefit, particularly energy-intensive sectors such as manufacturing, IT, air travel, food processing, and chemical and pharmaceutical industries. The greater your energy use, the more you gain.  

ISO 50001 helps you set your own corporate energy use goals, monitor progress, and realize energy cost savings. Moreover, compliance is increasingly required to benefit from government support programs.
 
 

What are the benefits to MICE operators?

  - Reduced energy consumption/costs, improved O&M, and reduced environmental impact.

    - Energy monitoring yields useful performance information, and prepares the organization for future emissions tracking and reporting regimes.

      - Enhanced corporate image and workforce engagement, reducing recruitment and turnover costs. 

Companies typically take from 12-18 months to implement an EnMS, depending upon scope, energy sources, and existing ISO structures. It requires a small team of employees led by an internal 'Energy Leader'.
 

ISO 50001 requires more technical modeling and analysis than other ISO management systems. Integrated Renewable Energy’s trained engineers and AEE-Certified Energy Managers provide one-stop, specialized support for EnMS and ISO 50001 implementation, ensuring effective and robust deployment. Services include technical support, document review, energy modeling, ISO 50001 training and overall EnMS development using the EnMS Toolbox^© to organizations pursuing ISO 50001 certification. 

With energy conservation of MICE operations under increasing scrutiny in destination markets, MICE destinations and venues can significantly enhance their access to global markets and strengthen their competitive edge through certification under ISO 50001.

WIN CRISIS! with MICE Security Management System Standard 
 

Aiming at enhancing your crisis & continuity operational and business management and capabilities to mitigate loss, response and recover in face of crisis, as well as to raise the awareness amongst all interested parties and stakeholders……
 
 

TCEB proudly present and encourage you, our Thai players to be pioneer in implementing the first in the world of MICE Security Management System Standard Together, let’s play a major role in reinforcing the confidence of MICE visitors in positioning Thailand as a MICE destination! 
 

The global economic crisis and the past riot in the country has severely affected people’s lives, assets and confidence in operating a business in Thailand. This includes MICE industries and tourism services. The confidence would be restored in time. TCEB realizes the importance and will strongly support and urge all MICE operators to be prepared for any crisis situation. MICE operators should be able to manage and ease the situation back to normal as soon as possible, and also to restore their business for continual operation after the crisis. 
 

TCEB has cooperated with both government and private sectors to launch the standard of security management – regulations for meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions or TISI 22300-2551 (MICE Security Management System – MSMS) in Thailand, the first country in the world that has a security standard for MICE business. This standard has been published in the Royal Thai government gazette, General announcements Vol. 126 (special section 21D) on February 10, 2009, and emphasized on enhancing and promoting Thailand as the center of MICE business in Asia region.
 

Another objective for creating TISI 22300-2551 or the MICE Security Management System is to support MICE operators in terms of marketing. This includes convention and exhibition centers, hotels, organizers and also the supply chain of the MICE industry, such as airports, transportation, tourist attractions, restaurants, etc.  If the operator has received the Security standard, it will also be a marketing advantage and will reinforce competitiveness on the global stage. 
 

Certified venues have been assessed & found to be conforming to the requirements of Security Management System for MICE 
 

“AT BITEC, safety and security of our clients are one of the top priorities. With MSMS, It can ensure standard of practice in assessing risks. Prevent any foreseen incidents and resume our business as soon as possible” Bangkok International Trade & Exhibition Centre. 
 

IMPACT Exhibition Management, “AT IMPACT, Muang Thong Thani, we take the safety of our guests very seriously. For the reason, we were delighted to participate in the MSMS 22300 that TCEB initiate a few years ago. Throughout the process of “prevention, control, continual and revival.” Our guests can be ensured that their safety is being taken care of at IMPACT, Muang Thong Thani.” 

“MSMS 22300 enhances QSNCC security operation by its procedures, involving to prevention, relief and restoration, respectively. This guarantees our customers a successful operation with our optimized plans and well trained staffs” – NCC Management & Development Co.,Ltd. Queen Sirikit National Convention Center

 TCEB is delighted to support MICE operators and service business operators who are interested in joining the projects by budget supporting, consultancy, coordination in system development, marketing and public relations. The privilege of receiving more subsidies for organizations that pass the standard will inspire operators which will lead to readiness in the security of MICE business as a whole, and bring back the confidence for MICE events in Thailand once again. 
 

The TISI 22300-2551 or MSMS project has 2 operating procedures which are (1) Consultancy and training by advisers and (2) Requesting certification from the Management System Certification Institute (Thailand). These two procedures will take about 6-12 months.

More Organizations are on their way to obtain the MSMS Certification and many more to come…..

Thailand MICE Venue Standard
A pioneering development to raise the MICE industry standard

The primary mission of TCEB is to push forward development of the MICE industry with aim of creating continuity and sustainability. MICE industry is growing rapidly; it is becoming being increasingly focused on by business sectors at both domestic and regional levels. As such, TCEB recognises that there should be a standard tool to systematically measure the quality of venues for hosting MICE events in Thailand in order to raise standards and provide opportunities for entrepreneurs to develop their potential in terms of systematic thinking in business, management and investment, so as to ensure that operators can run MICE businesses in accordance with international standards. To this end, TCEB has developed a Thailand MICE Venue Standard (TMVS) for the first time in Thailand and the ASEAN region.

There are many advantages to adopt of TMVS. TMVS can inspire and motivate entrepreneurs and small businesses across the country and give them opportunities to develop and enhance quality of services and venues. Such tools can also expand high standard MICE events to different regions. This, in turn, can expand MICE customers into different provinces and create income distribution channels among locals.

“The venues are a crucial factor in the decisions of organisers to host their meetings. The bureau earlier created a meeting room standard and this has been further developed to become the Thailand MICE Venue Standard or TMVS. It is categorised into 3 groups: convention centres, hotels & resorts, and various organisations that have meeting rooms such as provincial halls, museums, associations and institutes. In order to be compliant with international standards, the TCEB has applied venue standard criteria from many countries in creating an assessment manual for the TMVS. This will serve as a tool for entrepreneurs in the development, monitoring, consultancy and assessment of venue quality standards.”

TMVS BENEFIT FOR MICE ENTREPRENEURS

The criteria for the venue standards contain elements with 3 indicators for physical, technological and service requirements. The focus is the development of a basic standard that will be built on in order to meet the international standard in later stages. It will be beneficial to entrepreneurs in the long run because the operators who apply for the TMVS practice will have to change their entire operating process from thinking to action in accordance the guidelines

Moreover, entrepreneurs certified by TMVS will appear on the ‘Approved List’ and will be publicised worldwide as good venues that meet international standards. TCEB will arrange seminars explaining TMVS and demonstrating its benefits. After direct discussions with operators, majority responded that scheme is very helpful. Thai’s MICE operator understood TMVS is a beneficial tool which guarantees Thailand’s MICE venues are ready for international standards.

Furthermore, TMVS applies ISO quality standards of quality assessment in four main areas, including food safety standards, security system standards, business management & administration of sustainable events, and energy management standards, as well as construction and environment laws in Thailand. As such, TMVS is considered a tool to assess quality standards that have clear indicators and methods in accordance with principles and standards that are accepted worldwide.

From Thailand MICE Venue Standard to ASEAN MICE Venue Standard

The Thailand Mice Venue Standard (TMVS) was developed by TCEB as a collaborative effort involving all key stakeholders, including industry experts, researchers, professional bodies and clients. The standard emerged from an analysis of principles and guidelines enshrined in recognized international standards, conducted with inputs from leading MICE industry professional bodies, including the International Association of Convention Center (IACC), Convention Industry Council (CIC), and the International Association Professional Congress Organizers (IAPCO)

The TVMS applies the global ISO standards to assess four main dimensions of quality, viz: Food Safety Standard, Security and Safety System Standard, Sustainable MICE Event Standard and Energy Management Standard. Additionally, the standard incorporates key legislative requirements relating to construction and environmental protection. The TVMS can therefore be considered as an important tool for assessing quality standards according to objectively verifiable indicators and globally recognized methodologies.

MICE venues may be categorized into three main groups:

   (1) Dedicated conference venues;

   (2) Conference rooms in hotels or resorts; and

   (3) Meeting rooms within the premises of government agencies or private companies. Companies wishing to participate in the TMVS programme are assessed under three broad areas:

       (1) Physical (e.g. visual amenity, convenience and facilities available in meeting rooms and vicinity, including exhibition areas;

       (2) Technology (e.g. water, electrical systems, IT and translation facilities); and

       (3) Services (including e.g. service quality and attitude of personnel, catering).

     The content and regulations of the TMVS standard have been endorsed at a meeting of ASEAN Senior Tourism Officers, which resolved to adopt the standard to establish a new ASEAN MICE Venue Standard (AVMS). The move is expected to boost numbers of events and visitors across the region, and significantly enhance the competitive potential of ASEAN’s MICE industry in the global arena. Thai MICE operators already certified under the TMVS will automatically receive certification under AMVS. The meeting anticipated that AMVS will be ready for launch during 2015.

TMVS BENEFIT FOR MICE ENTREPRENEURS 

1. help you compete on a level playing field with bigger enterprises

2. open up export markets for your products and services

3. help you discover best business practices

4. drive efficiency in your business operations

5. add credibility and confidence for your customers