GDS-Movement picks up IMEX-EIC Innovation in Sustainability Award

“A unique and innovative approach to driving sustainability through competition – and with potential beyond the industry.” That was what the judges had to say about the winning entry to the IMEX-EIC  (Events Industry Council) Innovation in Sustainability Award 2020. The Award has gone to GDS-Index, a benchmarking and performance improvement programme for business tourism and events destinations. The judges scored the programme highly for collaboration and commitment to continuous improvement. The GDS-Index produces a performance improvement report for each destination it surveys as well as sharing best practice through White Papers. The vision of the GDS-Index is to engage, inspire and enable destinations to become more regenerative and sustainable places to visit, meet and thrive in, and it has grown – now implemented in 58 cities around the world. The IMEX-EIC Innovation in Sustainability Award is presented annually and was independently judged by a panel of industry experts. Guy Bigwood (pictured), managing director of GDS-Movement, was scheduled to receive the Award at IMEX in Frankfurt earlier this year, but he will now be honoured at the Gala dinner at next year’s show in May 2021. “The IMEX-EIC Innovation in Sustainability Awards are the Oscars of the Sustainable Event world,” Bigwood said. “It’s a real honour to receive this recognition for all the amazing work that the team, the partners and all the destinations have been doing over the last four years. Together we have catalysed change and are extremely proud of the work we are doing inspiring and enabling DMOs to create more resilient, sustainable and regenerative destinations to visit, meet in and live in.” Bigwood is leading IMEX’s current ‘NATURE’ research project and is set to discuss the findings during PlanetIMEX, 12–16 October 2020.