We are proud to share that Italian Special Occasions DMC & Events has been selected as one of 80 winning projects across Europe for the BEFuture Acceleration Programme, an ambitious EU-funded initiative that aims to innovate and future-proof the business events sector.
What is BEFuture?
BEFuture (Business Events for Future) is a European project funded by the European Commission through the Single Market Programme (SMP). Its mission is to promote sustainability, inclusion, and resilience in the events industry by supporting bold ideas, digital solutions, and cross-border collaboration.
BEFuture is dedicated to transforming the business events (BE) sector into a space of regenerative, responsible innovation, aligning with the European Tourism Transition Pathways and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Specifically, BEFuture focuses on:
- Supporting the creation of new sustainable business models;
- Encouraging collaboration between professionals and organisations;
- Testing and scaling technological solutions through pilot projects like ours.
The BEFuture Acceleration Programme launched a transnational call for projects across Belgium (Flanders), France, Germany, Italy, Spain (Catalonia), and the Netherlands. From almost 200 inspiring proposals, 80 were selected to receive funding and mentorship—including our very own project.
Our Winning Project: Making Sustainability Accessible for Event SMEs
We’re thrilled that our initiative was selected in the Event Experience category, which focuses on hybrid and digital integration, immersive technologies, interaction, personalisation and community building.
Our project tackles a pressing issue in the global $439 billion event sector: many small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) lack the time and resources to implement strategic sustainability actions, even though the pressure to align with ESG standards and planetary boundaries is mounting.
Our goal is to test whether a digital platform can make sustainability easier and more strategic for SMEs. The central element of our approach is the concept of materiality—a method to identify and prioritise the environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues that matter most to a business and its stakeholders.
We believe that if SMEs had a simple way to perform a materiality assessment, it would unlock their ability to take targeted, high-impact sustainability actions.
What the Pilot Will Look Like
Our pilot project—part of the BEFuture acceleration programme—will involve:
- A small-scale test with four SME suppliers in the Italian event supply chain.
- Two 2-hour workshops during which participants will test a prototype of the materiality assessment tool, called EventSustainability.
- The goal: to determine whether this tool can help build sustainability capacity in SMEs and enable more strategic decisions.
Participating Suppliers
We are excited to collaborate with four professionals representing different parts of the Italian event supply chain:
- Giulia Poliero – Museo Poldi Pezzoli
- Laura Soriente – Must Events & Tourism
- Officine Bellotti – Palermo
- Cristina Raso – Grand Hotel Portovenere
I chose to take part in the BEFuture initiative because now more than ever, I feel the need to rethink how events are organized, focusing not only on environmental sustainability but also on cultural accessibility.
As the event manager of the Poldi Pezzoli Museum, I believe it’s essential to create opportunities that are truly inclusive, open, and in tune with their surroundings.
I was struck by the project’s approach, which values the perspective of small and medium enterprises in the sector—organizations like ours that face real challenges every day and can become drivers of change.
For me, taking part in BEFuture means actively contributing to building a future where culture is more accessible, conscious, and sustainable.— Giulia Poliero, Museo Poldi Pezzoli
Being part of moments of exchange and growth like those offered by BEFuture is a great chance for me to reflect on how our work can truly support sustainable change.
At the Grand Hotel Portovenere, where I’m in charge of local marketing and community relations, we focus on creating real connections with the territory and celebrating what makes our area unique. The real challenge is taking a holistic approach, with concrete actions that align with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Initiatives like BEFuture are key to sharing good practices, opening up dialogue between different players, and reinforcing our commitment to a more responsible, inclusive, and conscious future.
— Cristina Raso, Grand Hotel Portovenere
Looking Ahead: Driving Real Change in the Events Industry
There’s still much work to be done between now and November, when we will share the outcomes of our pilot.
But what truly makes us proud to be part of this project is that we’re not just discussing change—we’re actively driving it, taking tangible steps toward a more sustainable future for the events industry!
