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The UFI Sustainable Development Award 2019 has been awarded to Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (Management) Limited (“HML”), for its plastic reduction initiative “Think Before Plastic”.  

HML are the professional private management company responsible for the daily operation of the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (HKCEC). Ms Monica Lee-Müller, HML’s Managing Director commented: “Sustainability is one of HML’s guiding principles. HML strives to be at the forefront of a greener event industry.  We are proud to have taken this bold step forward and are delighted for the achievements that we have accomplished together with staff members and stakeholders. 

“Receiving the UFI Sustainable Development Award from the world’s leading industry association is a strong endorsement of our commitment to environmental protection, and recognition of our effective communication campaign on disposable plastic reduction. This encourages us to continue our efforts. I’d like to call upon all in the exhibition industry to play an active role and make a greater impact together,” she added.  

The UFI Sustainable Development Award 2019 is organised by UFI – The Global Association of the Exhibition Industry, recognising effective and innovative communications approach which successfully engaged the target audience and led to provable changes in behaviour towards environmental protection.  

Under the “Think Before Plastic” initiative, HML has successfully eliminated the use of 883,000 pieces of disposable plastic cutleries, 176,500 disposable plastic straws and 67,100 disposable plastic meal boxes within the first 6 months after the campaign launch in July 2018. 

An extensive communication campaign was conducted to engage event organisers, exhibitors, contractors, visitors and restaurant guests, including an animation video that has reached over 220,000 Facebook users.  A creative competition for neighbouring school students was organised to further promote a plastic-less lifestyle. 

HML’s “Think Before Plastic” initiative has also been recognised in the new report and online database launched by UFI to track initiatives and projects in the exhibitions business globally that pay into the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations (UNSDGs). 

For more information on HML’s sustainability commitment go to https://www.hkcec.com/en/sustainability-commitment  

To view HML’s award entry go to https://www.ufi.org/award/the-2019-ufi-sustainable-development-award/

Images: HML Managing Director, Monica Lee-Müller, and ExhiBit, the HKCEC Buddy, promote 'Think Before Plastic' at one of the HKCEC’s restaurant outlets (top); and HML’s ‘Think Before Plastic’ logo (below).

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