In a move set to transform how environmental and social impact is tracked across the global meetings sector, International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA) has entered into a landmark strategic partnership with the United Nations Research Institute for Social Development (UNRISD).
The agreement represents the first collaboration of its kind between the United Nations and the business events industry.
Under the new initiative, ICCA will adapt UNRISD’s Sustainable Development Performance Indicators (SDPIs) specifically for the sector, establishing a credible, UN-anchored framework to evaluate sustainability, inequality, and social progress.
By adopting these indicators, the industry gains a standardised baseline to measure performance, stronger empirical data to guide executive decision-making, and a globally recognised standard to demonstrate tangible impact to governments, clients, and local communities.
The partnership will officially launch at the upcoming ICCA World Congress in Panama, where UNRISD senior research coordinator, Ilcheong Yi, will join ICCA leadership to present the framework to global industry delegates.
