Eco-friendly activities

Paris is a city with a big heart and plenty of vitality. Wonderful discoveries, green surprises and human experiences abound in Paris. Incentive, team building, bleisure and post-seminar activities are becoming eco-friendly.

Parc Rives de Seine, Paris © Jean-Baptise Gurliat / Mairie de Paris

Simple guidelines to follow

In Paris, you can visit many parks and gardens by bicycle, stroll around authentic districts on foot, meet passionate associations and craftsmen, talk to people who are active in the social and solidarity economy, take part in the clean-up of a wood, enjoy marvellous museums or theatres, visit alternative places, develop your creativity around local dishes and flavours, and experience Paris like a Parisian.

Approaching activities in an environmentally, socially and economically responsible way means taking into account the form as well as the content of these activities. Therefore, the means employed and the messages conveyed are both important. The two main questions to address - or to put to your potential partners – are:

What are the positive or negative impacts of the activity on the environment, on heritage, on the district or city, on inhabitants? What can be done to improve them?
Does the activity give me new information, an original perspective, a new sensation, or contribute to sustainable development?

The incentive or team building activities offered by suppliers are considered eco-friendly if they minimize their impact on the environment and/or if they are meaningful.

Particular attention should be paid to:

the means of transport (non-motorized vehicles or public transport is to be preferred);
locating the activity nearby and with a backup solution in case of bad weather for outdoor activities;
mobilizing partners and suppliers, preferably local and with a commitment to sustainable development (possibly labelled);
giving gifts that are useful, from fair trade and/or sustainably-designed;
management of waste generated by the activity (reduced during the planning stages, reused, then sorted and recovered);
providing information about the activity that is positive and paper-free if not reusable or recyclable;
accessibility for all, adapted for people who are visually impaired, hearing impaired or with reduced mobility;
local benefits (promotion of local products, solidarity donation to an association, technical or human support, etc.).

Charters, standards, labels		Subject	Evaluation
ISO 20121	International standard for event management. It requires the putting in place of an event sustainability management system in the company.	Environment Social Economic	In-depth audit
Green Globe	International certification. The structure must fulfil more than 50% of the 380 concrete and sector-specific criteria.	Environment Social Economic	In-depth audit
Prestadd	French label created by Synpase for entertainment and events companies.	Environment Social Economic	Dossier studied by a judging panel
Biorismo	Private label. The only measure 100% dedicated to biodiversity in the tourism and leisure sector, with around one hundred criteria.	Biodiversity	Dossier and online audit
Other measures	Not specific to the events sector, so applicable to all: ISO 14001 (environment), ISO 9001 (quality), OHSAS 18001 (Health and Security), Diversity Label (non-discrimination), Global Compact (Social and Market), Label LUCIE (RSE (Corporate social responsibility) initiative), Tourisme Green Impulse (reporting RSE), Tourisme & Handicap (accessibility of buildings, sites and facilities), Imprim’vert (printers), HQE / LEED / BREEAM (efficient buildings)…