Radisson and GDS-Movement Publish an Associations Guide
Radisson Hotel Group and GDS-Movement published a joint guide on 15 September 2026. The title is Accelerating Sustainable & Regenerative Events: A Guide for associations & PCOs. GDS-Movement published the release on its own site. The guide runs 12 pages on Radisson's media server.
The guide addresses associations and professional congress organisers. Its five actions cover destination partnerships, certified suppliers, social impact, low-carbon mobility and measurement.
Three Figures the Release Calls New Findings
The release opens with three figures. It states that 66% of associations consider sustainability highly important. It states that fewer than 34% have embedded it into their operations. It states that 3% report having an advanced sustainability programme.
The release names no study behind the three figures. The guide carries the third figure with a footnote, and the footnote reads The State of Sustainability in Associations: ICCA/Destination Canada 2025.
Two Counts for One Indicator Set
The release states that destinations are assessed against 74 qualitative and quantitative indicators. The guide prints 76 twice. One line reads built on 76 qualitative and quantitative indicators, and another reads 76 qualitative and quantitative criteria. Both documents tie the set to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and the Global Sustainable Tourism Council Destination Criteria.
Five Actions for Planners
The guide sets out five actions. Associations and PCOs should bring destination partners into the planning process earlier, prioritise certified supplier networks and sustainability credentials, integrate social impact and legacy initiatives into event design, incorporate low-carbon mobility strategies for delegates, and implement sustainability-linked measurement, reporting and incentive frameworks.
The Session Behind the Guide
The guide records where its material came from. The insights were first shared at a session on 5 December 2025 at the Radisson Collection Hotel, Grand Place Brussels. More than 30 representatives attended, from the hotel, association, PCO, CVB and venue sectors. The session was co-hosted with the European Society of Association Executives and Copenhagen Convention Bureau.
Radisson's Own Figures
The guide carries Radisson's own numbers. As of 2024, 58% of the group's hotel portfolio is verified under the Hotel Sustainability Basics standard or holds a third-party eco-label. Under the Think Planet pillar of its 2024 Responsible Business Report, the group reports a 33% reduction in carbon emissions per square metre and a 21% reduction in energy footprint per occupied room against a 2019 baseline.
Radisson names two programmes in the release: Verified Net Zero and Hotel Sustainability Basics. The release gives no date, target or property count for either.
The Two Executives
Inge Huijbrechts, Chief Sustainability and Security Officer at Radisson Hotel Group, said the industry's barrier is implementation. She said the guide gives planners practical tools, trusted frameworks and collaboration models.
Guy Bigwood, CEO and Chief Changemaker of GDS-Movement, said destinations hold a pivotal role in the transition toward sustainable and regenerative events. He said the GDS-Index helps destinations measure and improve their sustainability performance.
Who the Guide Addresses
The guide is written for associations and professional congress organisers. Its framework rests on destination-level assessment through the GDS-Index, and its five actions address the planners who buy meeting space. GDS-Movement describes itself in the release as a data-driven international change agency. It works on socio-economic and environmental transformation in cities and regions.