The events industry has a huge potential to make a difference around the world, and more and more organizations are aiming to do so as sustainability and CSR become an increased focus. For example, Moscone Center in San Francisco has implemented a donation program to divert unused items including meals, pens, and books to local nonprofits.
For its part, venue management company ASM Global launched its CSR platform, ASM Global Acts, in 2021 and recently completed its inaugural worldwide Global Month of Giving, for which it raised $750,000. Along with the announcement of the platform, the company also launched the ASM Global Acts Foundation to support community-based initiatives, as well as the ASM Global Acts Scholarship to provide educational and career-development opportunities to underserved communities.
“When we launched the foundation last year, our goal was to harness our ASM Global’s team’s experience and knowledge gained from longtime involvement in the markets where our hundreds of venues are located. We know what those communities deeply care about, and this was a chance to help,” said ASM Global president and CEO Ron Bension.
As part of the Global Month of Giving initiative, 350 children and adults were invited to the ASM-managed Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre for a Christmas lunch. Other activities around the world included blood donation drives, toy drives for the homeless, meal boxes for underprivileged communities, Ukrainian clothing drives, sending cards to send to troops and veterans, and preparing meal boxes for musicians, managers and crew workers unable to work due to health, injury, mental health or other crises.
ASM Global’s chief human resources officer Shauna Elvin added, “It was a remarkable effort by an energized workforce determined to make a difference around the world in the same places where our teams work, play and live. Everyone at ASM Global and our core partners who participated in this amazing giving-back journey knows that they not only brought more meaning to communities but they also hopefully found more meaning in life.”