UK businesses have predicted more emphasis will be placed on corporate social responsibility (CSR) when booking meetings and events over the next 10 years, according to results from this year’s UK Conference Market Survey (UKCMS) conducted by The Right Solution on behalf of the Meetings Industry Association (MIA).

Results from the meetings and events industry survey, were launched at the Natural History Museum during National Meetings Week (15-19 October) which raises awareness of the significant contribution the meetings and events industry makes to the UK economy each year.

For the first time this year, respondents to the industry’s flagship trends report were asked about the influence of CSR when booking meetings and events. All corporate event organisers surveyed suggested that CSR already greatly influenced some aspects of their event bookings, and 77% predicted that CSR will become even more of an influence over the next 10 years.

“It is encouraging to see that corporate event buyers are now considering the CSR impact of their chosen venue as a decisive factor when booking meetings, conferences or events,” commented Jane Evans, Chief Executive of the MIA.

“Green policies such as recycling of brown waste, use of recycled delegate materials and accessibility by public transport all influence corporate event bookers choice. This ‘green’ shift is bringing us in line with other CSR conscious industries,” adds Jane.