Shaw Centre was honoured to receive prestigious recognition at the recent Global Meetings Industry (GMID) Awards ceremony. The Meeting Professionals International (MPI) award program is designed to recognize people or organizations outside the direct industry which have supported the development of meetings and conventions or the development of policy and programs impacting the industry. Each Canadian chapter recognizes annually one person or organization in their community who has made a difference to the meetings industry.
Greg Plazek, President of MPI Ottawa, explained that Ottawa’s MPI Chapter selected Shaw Centre to receive the GMID Influencer Award thanks to its leadership role in implementing policies and programs that set the bar for the meeting industry and have a direct impact on the community. These include sustainability initiatives such as the Centre’s ORCA system with transforms food waste into environmentally-safe water which flows back into the municipal system. In addition, in support of the Centre’s LEED Gold certification which involved design and construction choices that help the facility use 39% less energy than a conventional building, Shaw Centre is also green powered, purchasing 1,263,000 kilowatt hours from certified renewable energy sources. The Centre also saves almost 1 million gallons of water each year thanks to an onsite rainwater harvesting and storage system.
Shaw Centre’s commitment to social responsibility and charitable leadership was also lauded at the awards ceremony. As a facility that ‘cares and shares’, the Centre gives back to Ottawa’s community and encourages facility guests to participate through Mealshare, La Tablée des Chefs and their Leave a Legacy program. Shaw Centre actively invites clients to share surplus food with organizations in the community such as the Ottawa Mission and Shepherds of Good Hope.
Accepting the award on behalf of Shaw Centre were Karen Wiersma, Account Manager – Convention Sales, and Executive Sous Chef Jennifer Sands. “We are honoured to receive the 2019 ‘GMID’s Influencer Award’ for Shaw Centre’s continuous work and leadership in the area of sustainability,” said Karen, noting that she and Jennifer were delighted to accept the award on behalf of the Centre’s President and CEO Nina Kressler, Executive Chef Patrick Turcot and all the inspired and extraordinary Shaw Centre staff. “We are humbled and so grateful for this recognition,” she added.
“April 2019 marks eight years since we opened the doors to our redeveloped convention centre, immediately changing the meetings and conventions landscape in Canada’s capital,” noted Jennifer. “Through our corporate social responsibility programs, our food and beverage innovations and our day to day operations, sustainability, environmental responsibility and social good continue to be at the heart of our initiatives throughout the Centre.”
She explained that the Shaw Centre’s kitchen operates with a ‘locally-sourced, globally inspired’ philosophy; this is exemplified through valued partnerships with local farmers, suppliers and food producers. “We believe in giving back to the community through our CSR programs, and we encourage those who gather at our facility to join us in doing so.”
“Becoming a source of local pride as a landmark facility that is recognized for its sustainability efforts with awards like this makes the entire Shaw Centre team feel so proud,” explained Karen. “We are confident that we will continue to rise to the ongoing challenge of driving sustainability within all areas of our business. On behalf of our entire team, thank you.”
