Sustainability: business, life, environment

A report last month by Market Research Media said the virtual conference marketplace will grow over the next five years. Why?  Because, sustainable businesses looking to reduce cost, increase productivity while simultaneously reduce environmental impacts are looking to virtual conferencing and webinar technology to do the trick.
 
The usual discussion around environmental benefits of virtual meetings centers on carbon output from commercial air travel.  However viewed from the cumulative perspective of a conference, the cost savings and environmental attributes add up.  As noted by Ken Molay, President of Webinar Success, traditional conferences require "presenters and attendees to travel to a central location for a physical meeting, it’s not just the air travel that impacts the environment. A meeting room that had been sitting dark now needs lighting, air conditioning, electricity for sound systems, vacuuming, possibly washed and dried tablecloths, and so on. Attendees use hotel rooms with yet more resources devoted to lighting, temperature control, washing sheets and towels, vacuuming, etc. If you serve meals or snacks to your attendees, you are responsible for additional transportation of the ingredients, along with the impact associated with cooking, serving, and clean up." 
 
Business sustainability programs integrating virtual conferencing, webinar technology and remote working policies are saving money and reducing environmental impacts while maintaining and improving prospects, customers, vendor relationships. 
 
•    Conserving Energy
•    Preserving the Environment
•    Increased productivity: flexible scheduling, increased attendee participation
•    Reduced travel cost: airfare, hotels, meals
•    Reduced carbon emissions
•    Improved work/ life balance
 
Small businesses looking to capture these gains have multiple small business resources from which to choose.  Highlighted by SmallBusinessTrends are 26 webinar services for you to consider.