Category: blog

Sustainable events and meetings

A huge opportunity to reduce your carbon footprint

The Earth’s climate has changed throughout history, but in the last century, it has become more than obvious that global warming will eventually have irreparable consequences for the environment.

According to experts, there is enough scientific evidence to ensure that climate change is happening. One of the most unequivocal is the increase in temperature of the planet: around 1.62 degrees Fahrenheit. This change has been largely driven by the increase in carbon dioxide (CO2) and other man-made emissions into the atmosphere.

This phenomenon, as we better know it, is called the “greenhouse effect”, and according to scientists, its main cause is the expulsion of these gases. In fact, according to a NASA report, the industrial activities that we completely depend on nowadays have raised atmospheric carbon dioxide levels from 280 parts per million to 400 parts per million over the past 150 years.

With this proven data, the need to minimize our impact on the environment should be a priority, and this action is irremediably driven by one objective: to reduce CO2 emissions into the atmosphere.

We can do it individually on a small scale, and it’s no lie that every great change starts with several small ones, but if we want to go further and begin to apply a real and tangible sustainable lifestyle in all aspects of our lives, it is time to ask ourselves what we can do to take this philosophy to other areas.

It’s important to see the advances that are taking place within the events sector. More and more people are responsible for these types of meetings that are committed to applying sustainable practices, initiatives and resources to the environment.

A change of mentality: the axis of sustainable events

Sustainable events are designed, organised and carried out with the main goal being to minimize negative environmental impacts. Those responsible for planning a sustainable event must take into account severla aspects, such as controlling waste management, regulating the sustainable consumption of materials, optimising water and light consumption and reducing the carbon footprint.

This concept is mostly used when talking about eco-friendly events, but first, let’s look at what we mean when we talk about carbon footprint.

Carbon footprint is the indicator used to describe the total impact that an event has on the climate in relation to the emissions of greenhouse gases that are released into the atmosphere. In other words, it is the amount of CO2 generated by the event.

Carbon footprint analysis covers all stages of the organization of events (design, preparation, assembly and development) and makes it possible, for example, to calculate the climate cost of conferences.

In order for companies to reduce their carbon footprint, it is essential that they bet on sustainable events that imply a radical change in the mentality of their organizers and, of course, of the attendees.

These are some of the ways to reduce CO2 emissions during the preparation and holding of a professional meeting:

Reduce travel: According to several studies focused on the impact of the carbon footprint during a major event, 145 kg are emitted if long journeys are made. This data shows that the biggest culprit of carbon dioxide emissions in a conference is undoubtedly transport, not only to reach the destination from different geographical points, but to move within the city.
Therefore, it is essential to limit the number of trips participants are making to the event, applying measures such as collective means of transport or choosing hotels depending on their location.
Use of sustainable spaces: Investing in a certified ‘green’ place to carry out eco-friendly events is a very useful measure. In order to be recognised as sustainable, this type of space must make a series of investments in key aspects such as energy efficiency, water conservation or recycling facilities.
Around the world, there are already numerous places like this, from ecological accommodation to spaces for conferences or large meetings. Thanks to their contribution, the reduction of an event’s carbon footprint is significant.
Eco-friendly catering: Food has a huge impact on the environment, and does so in a variety of ways, from the energy and methodology used to produce it, to the amount that is wasted. It has been proven that on average more than a third of the catering for an event is thrown away.

The type of food also influences the climate footprint. Meat has a much greater impact than fruits or vegetables, so many companies try to have at least 50% of the catering to be vegetarian.
Goodbye plastic: Scientists estimate that by 2050 there will be more plastic in the sea than fish. The problem, according to various associations, is that about 90% of plastic packaging worldwide is not recycled.
According to a study carried out in the United Kingdom, the event industry is largely responsible for contributing to the problem, as 13% of the plastic in landfills across the country comes from this sector.

Virtual events, unity is strength

Although a priority, it can seem difficult to organize an event that brings together all the keys to reducing the carbon footprint, but in reality it’s not that complicated. Virtual technology has managed to join forces so that all these factors come together.

These benefits are responsible for the fact that more and more companies are asking themselves whether they should eliminate large traditional assemblies and, instead, organize a virtual event as opposed to a traditional one… or at least use them as a complement to the face-to-face events.

In fact, it is currently the best tech advancement in the market in order to make an event more sustainable, since, unlike physical encounters, virtual meetings and conferences have the great advantage of connecting several people at the same time no matter where they are in the world.

This eliminates travel, reduces the tons of waste generated in large meetings and limits energy consumption.

These advantages, together with the economic savings involved in the organizational and developmental stages, is making companies more liekly to hold conferences, workshops, webinars or any type of meeting in a virtual environment.

This has been clearly demonstrated by the increase of platforms that are responsible for the design and development of virtual events adapted to each company. Among them, Virtway Events stands out, a company that offers advanced 3D technology and innovative ways for all types of meetings to take place.

This platform allows attendees to meet in a virtual space with life-like interactions between them. Although they are separated by thousands of kilometers, they can have real-time conversations, send messages or even be represented by realistic 3D avatars.

We all have a big role to play in protecting the planet from the dangers of climate change. Reducing the carbon footprint is in the hands of companies, and it is not an impossible challenge. It’s important to know how to use the necessary tools and rely on opportunities that tech developments are making available.

Virtual Speed Networking

The new dating for entrepreneurs

The incredible power of networking as a business communication tool is unarguable. It’s been like this for years, and it’s certainly not going anywhere, as it allows for company recognition, the creation of contacts and access to new potential customers. And, in the long run it allows organizations to increase their sales and improve business processes.

Traditionally, a networking event is divided into three types:

Personal networking: This is usually done through groups of acquaintances, people outside our work environment with which we connect through friends or activities that we carry out.
Operational networking: This occurs within our professional area, usually between people from the same company who start working together on a new project.
Strategic networking: The protagonists here are entrepreneurs. Its objective is to contact the heads of other organizations, to create new ties and find potential clients.

This last type is essential for companies to market their services and thus enhance the growth of the business. However, on many occasions it is difficult to fit in meetings with the executives’ busy schedules not to mention ensure that they have the necessary time to attend these events.

Time is money, and today more than ever. And for that very reason Speed Networking was created. Emphasis on ‘speed’, it’s a quick business meeting that allows entrepreneurs to hold a series of flash meetings in order to meet potential customers and partners.

This type of initiative has been really successful since its implementation, the meetings are fast, take up little of the executives’ time (each interview usually doesn’t last more than 4 minutes) and is a reliable way to quickly obtain key information. This helps to swiftly detect which contacts are productive and which aren’t.

But let’s go back to the business doctrine that sets the pace of current business: time is still gold. And although it’s true that it’s a speedy method of connection, the trip to the place where it a speed networking event is being held is irremediable and implies extra time… extra valuable time that many executives simply don’t have.

So, in order to make these meetings even more effective, Virtual Speed Networking entered the scene. This new way of online communication has raised networking events to another level, making them more accessible, effective and unique to support valuable relationships.

Keys to Virtual Speed Networking: The “here” and “now” business

We live in a digital era, and its greatest exponent is found in the evolution of virtual 3D technology. These fictional worlds are so close to the real world and are increasingly present in all kinds of online events, from a webinar to a virtual fair, providing them with features that make them immersive and innovative experiences.

This 3D environment has led to the emergence of Virtual Speed Networking: a concept that brings together all the advantages of the face-to-face format but in a remote environment, eliminating the need for travel, geographical barriers and also allowing for significant cost savings.

This type of networking allows its participants to attend short business meetings without having to leave the office, given that it’s possible to connect from any device with an Internet connection. The process of these virtual events is simple: each participant talks for about 2 minutes with the other and then they switch. During this time, the company presents itself and and its products or services, essential is exchanged and in many cases this quick business date marks the birth of a future contract or agreement.

The main advantage of Speed Networking Virtual speaks for itself: it’s speedy and results are generally immediate. The face-to-face version of these requires in many cases a lot a travel time that the virtual option totally eliminates. Thus, the optimization of time is real: the minutes available for each interview are fulfilled, taking full advantage of the experience.

3D Technology: the engine of Virtual Speed Networking

These online events are very practical for executives and entrepreneurs with full agendas that have very little free time. But for the experience to be effective and offer the benefits of the face-to-face version, you need to have the support of a technological partner that offers the necessary infrastructure to make the connection and communication a success.

Virtway Events is the the perfect company for the job. They creates their very own in-house, advanced 3D technology to create immersive environments in all kinds of corporate virtual events.

Their contribution has made them a top reference for the realization of Virtual Speed Networking meetings. They recreate realistic virtual worlds which can be adapted to the needs of each organization. In fact, their technology allows events to be developed in 3D platforms, where participants can create a personalized representation of their meeting zone which is more dynamic and interactive than the 2D online activities.

For the experience to be truly immersive, each participant can configure their virtual avatar. These avatars can interact during the event exchanging information, sharing virtual business cards and even communicating live through an advanced voice over IP applications.

Other essential elements for the effective development of Virtual Speed Networking are:

Filtering of entrepreneurs: Through lists of connected users it’s quite simple to identify those most relevant to the business and request an encounter with them.

Multimedia applications: The presentation of each organization can be supported with videos or brief presentations, to dynamically and interactively convey the message and cause a greater impact.

Cutting-edge technology: 3D platforms allow diversity of formats and guarantee a fluid communication, without delays or cuts.

In conclusion, the possibilities that virtual worlds offer to Speed Networking events are endless. This trend is here to stay and is already filling up timeslots in business folks busy agendas. It’s changing their way of doing business, from anywhere in the world and without added time constraints.

Virtual Classrooms for Businesses

The latest [virtual] revolution in corporate training

Online training nowadays is the most widely used educational model in the corporate sector, regardless of the type of business or market niche of the company. The advantages offered by this system are infinite. The time and cost savings are untouchable. The flexibility and accessibility for everyone couldn’t be more convenient. These pros, amongst many others, make it an essential tool for the employee training and formation process.

But this online training should not be limited exclusively to employees taking online courses. It’s crucial that it goes one step further to become a type of ‘business school’ that offers its attendees the possibility of receiving a virtual education with the maximum amount of interactivity and engagement as possible.

That said, virtual classrooms in businesses is especially important. By using tools that allow the creation of immersive and real experiences for employee training, these platforms can be recreated as a virtual campus. They are adapted to the learning and training of company employees, which offer more resources and fewer limitations than traditional methods.

Advantages of virtual classrooms for companies

This type of virtual platform adapted to company formation encourages teamwork through social and cooperative learning. Business training is one of the fields that is undergoing the most changes, and currently virtual teaching is acquiring a major role within the department of Human Resources.

Its benefits are innumerable, not only in terms of travel and material cost savings, but also cover a lot of essential aspects. These are the main advantages of the Virtual classroom:

· Broad accessibility and interaction

Thanks to the rapid advancements of technology, today we can ‘attend’ virtual classes from any device and even our mobile devices when, where and how we want. This type of teaching removes spatial and temporal barriers by giving employees access to any content in real time.

The scenarios they recreate also allow the total interaction of all their assistants, who can ask questions, debate and connect with the rest of the members, sharing learning experiences and strengthening teamwork.

· High level of customization

With the aim of responding to specific needs, these virtual platforms allow maximum customization of the training sessions, as they give companies the ability to install specific designs and create each of the elements that make up the virtual classroom.

In fact, it is not only possible to adapt the teaching materials or functionalities, but also the appearance. This is one of the most striking advantages, since it is possible to create 100% immersive environments thanks to the use of avatars in the 3D world. Each employee will have their own personalized avatar, who is able to communicate in real time thanks to voice over IP.

· Very easy to use

One of the main characteristics that define virtual classrooms is that they’re extremely simple to use. Through intuitive interfaces, they allow quick access not only to the online training platform, but to each of the materials that are shared in all types of formats.

In this digitalized society, we have a wide variety of devices with connection to the internet and we are accostomed to using tech apps. Accessing these virtual training sessions isn’t a problem for any participant with basic user knowledge.

· Greater resources

Its functionalities have evolved into platforms that include all the necessary resources for a 360º virtual class. Not only do they allow communication with images, but two-way, spatial sounds and 3D audio has been added, among many other options. Because of these extra features, employees can access any material from their device and interact in real time with other students or with the platform itself.

At the end of the virtual training, companies can carry out activities within the virtual world, where the metrics of the platform itself will give certain data to the event organizer which they can use to generate reports or statistics of the event.

Another function that can be performed in virtual classrooms is access to chats (either individually or to everyone) and forums. These options are profiled as key tools to encourage participation and facilitate more complete learning.

4 reasons to use 3D virtual worlds in training

Training actions enriched with digital experiences are already a reality within many companies. There are many reasons that lead HR managers opt for these alternatives. Among the most important, we can highlight the following:

1. 3D virtual environments are designed to provide collaborative digital learning experiences.

Therefore, their application in business training activities is essential. The possibilities that the virtual platform open up are huge, and all of them assure those who participate a totally different experience to what is achieved with traditional learning.

In this sense, technological advances have provided extremely innovative elements that enrich them to the maximum and give them an important added value. One of the most successful innovations in virtual classrooms is the use of interactive 3D avatars, a proposal by Virtway Events that allows the creation of real and immersive environments in virtual worlds. Each avatar can be customized with multiple options and creates the sensation of being present… without really being there in person.

2. 3D virtual worlds are collaborative spaces that adapt perfectly to the activities that characterize informal learning.

Participants have the opportunity to observe and participate in different training activities where they can apply the saying of “learn by doing”.

3. Virtual classrooms also favor authentic learning, represented by those training techniques focused on creating a connection between what is taught and real-world situations.

Virtual worlds are designed to create simulated environments where people can discuss and assimilate concepts and realities that occur every day at the workplace.

4. The new virtual platforms for company formation not only allow the development of specific competencies for each subject they deal with, but also stimulate another series of transversal competencies as essential as teamwork and communication.

The use of virtual classrooms to train employees is, without a doubt, a guarantee of success, both at the infrastructure level – since they allow flexible training to be offered regardless of place or time – and at the workers’ level, since they offer them alternatives to improve their skills in immersive and out of the ordinary environments.