How green is your conference, how ethically sound is your corporate event? In a recent survey carried out for the Meetings Industry Association (MIA) in the UK, event organisers were asked about the growing influence of corporate social responsibility (CSR) on their event planning. Here is what they said:

64 per cent of associations and 77 per cent of corporates think CSR will be extremely or somewhat influential in their event organisation over the next ten years. All corporate respondents said that it is already influencing some aspects of event organisation and only 34 per cent of associations said it was not influencing event organisation.

That is really significant. As you know, Activate Events is committed to promoting environmentally friendly corporate events in Scotland but the idea of doing good in a wider sense, where an event can fit in with an organisation’s CSR programme is very appealing.

Last month we reported on an event we are organising with a company based in Edinburgh helping a local charity as part of a team building event in Scotland. This surely offers many others a template for future corporate events.

The Digital Blue Global blog spotted the MIA survey and delivered their US take on these trends:

CSR is gaining a lot of momentum within US corporations - who set measurable and manageable goals that every part of the organization must work toward achieving. And concludes: Even if you have no demands for “green meetings”, it’s my feeling that it will become important on some level to be aware of and able to measure the impact of your events in terms of sustainability.

We could not agree more.

How often do you tell your team they can do anything if they just set their minds to it? Now is the chance to prove it with our new fire walking event.

We think it makes sense to hold a corporate event in Scotland in winter designed to keep you warm. But don’t worry, nobody who tries out an Activate Events firewalking event ever ends up toast. This is a fantastic exercise for corporate conferences and team building days. After all, few things will knock the confidence of a team which has just strolled across a bed of burning coals together.

People who have tried it report a great sense of well-being, increased confidence and a more positive approach to the challenges they face back at corporate HQ. And just to feel really good, some brave souls have secured sponsorship for their fire walk with all money raised going to charity. So come on, this isn’t the time for cold feet.

Running a conference in Scotland? Then it’s time to consider a conference buster. This is one of our specialities here at Activate Events and Pamela is currently putting together some conference buster ideas for a major oil company in Aberdeen.

The idea is to take the attendees away from the passive conference situation for one hour of positive, active team building so they can return at the end of the session, mentally and physically more alert and able to derive the maximum benefit from your event.

We have several favourite conference busters, including miniature bridge building, rocket building (they get fired outdoors) and Jurassic japes. They all work well for any size of corporate event here in Scotland and they are particularly effective just after lunch - you know, that dreaded time when eyes droop and heads begin to nod in the warmth of the conference centre.

Not all of our corporate events in Scotland are for 150 people. Many are for much smaller groups - like the fourteen or so employees of a Scottish utility company which we propose turning into a cohesive and efficient team this coming January.

Wait a minute, you say, January? In Scotland? Yes, the weather can be a bit rough at that time of year. Fortunately this particular team building exercise takes place mostly inside the famous Crieff Hydro in Perthshire, one of Scotland’s best known hotels. We think that piece of news will probably raise team morale before our guests even arrive.

Even the opening ice-breakers will be held indoors - as will one of our favourite event elements, the trebuchet, where participants compete to construct the most efficient machine capable of launching a given weight as close to a target as possible. Another log on the fire?

In the end the idea is to create increase the effectiveness of communication between the employees, raise morale and promote a really close team feeling through a shared experience. The fact it all happens in the cosy, dry and plush surroundings of a first class hotel in Perthshire rather than outside braving the ravages of a Scottish winter is just incidental. Or a bonus, depending on your point of view.

Want a wedding with a difference? Everybody has heard of VisitScotland via Scotland’s national tourist web site but did you know they have several niche web sites for specialist holidays in Scotland? We were really pleased to see that Scottish Wedding, the specialist wedding site for Scotland has included our Leap of Faith event. This is a Scottish wedding ceremony with a difference. A really big difference. As Scottish Weddings says Activate Events’ “Leap of Faith is Scotland’s first four-pole structure where couples can tie the knot mid-air.” We like to manage the event at St Andrews, in partnership with the Fairmont St Andrews, which means friends and family can watch you take the plunge from your 40 foot pole with a backdrop (no pun intended) of some of the nicest scenery on Scotland’s east coast. Scottish Wedding is also right on the money when it says “Activate Events offers a titanium guarantee that a Leap of Faith wedding will be spectacular”.

Although we manage events throughout the UK, we are based in Scotland and specialise in corporate events which make the most of the culture and landscape and, yes, sometimes the weather, here in Scotland.

That is why we were delighted when a well–known French company sought us out to create a specifically Scottish team building event for them in St Andrews. They were keen to incorporate the Fife countryside along with a sea-swept theme so Andrea has been working on a land, sea and air challenge which will have their team bonding in no time.

First, they will get to know St Andrews with a treasure hunt taking them from one historic landmark to another - hopefully not losing too many of them to the delights of Fisher and Donaldson’s fudge donuts along the way.

The sea element of their team challenge will include a treasure hunt using rigid inflatable boats (RIB) and radios directing them to a variety of locations in a fun-packed hour.

They can also expect a bit of climbing and abseiling during the day - with due regard to safety of all concerned. And do you remember our It’s a Knockout corporate event we mentioned last week? This time, there will be a Fife farmer version involving quad bikes, muddy fields and lots of buckets of water.

Happily, the Old Course Hotel, St Andrews and the Fairmont St Andrews will provide everything they need to dry out and warm up again as they debrief following their distinctly Scottish team building experience.

Remember It’s a Knockout? The classic TV show where we laughed ourselves silly as regional teams attempted daft games involving giant costumes, buckets of water and inflatable dragons? We have our own version here at Activate Events in Scotland. We pay homage to the original 1960’s concept but also introduce our own highly effective and creative team building ideas to help your corporate group or office team return to work refreshed and newly-bonded and with their sides still sore from laughing.
Earlier this year we ran one of these special It’s a knock out corporate days for Cairn Energy, one of Scotland’s best known and most successful companies. You can see one of the pictures above with more on our Flickr pages.
They certainly enjoyed it (so did we). According to Murdo Mackay, the HR director at Cairn Energy “The day was a terrific success and feedback from our staff has been very positive .. the sense of fun and achievement left everyone feeling very satisfied. ” All that and no need for a cheesy It’s a Knockout commentary from Stuart Hall! Hang on - we could probably arrange that as well.

Dunblane has one of the three great hydro hotels of Scotland, beloved by generations of Scottish families. However that doesn’t mean it can’t move with the times. Today we’re working on a some ideas for new fun theme events at Dunblane Hydro in partnership with our friends at Tapestry Audio Visual in Falkirk. One idea we have been planning is a fantastic Narnia themed event with a magic wardrobe leading through to a snowy forest and various adventures beyond.

Stopping short of supplying a real lion - particularly one with a strong religious agenda - we shall still do our best to conjure up the atmosphere of Narnia. Defeating the white witch will involve all sort of elements within the team building exercise.

We always take the weather into account at Activate Events when organising corporate events in Scotland but if we don’t get what we want we can always create it - even if that takes us into another world. Hence our second vision for an amazing celestial wonderland where guests arrive through fluffy white clouds to be served champagne by angels - accompanied by harps of course. Heavenly fun.

Andrea is busy swotting for her first aid exam next week. We have Health and Safety Executive first aid cover at all our corporate events in Scotland and this week Andrea was studying bones. Lots of bandaging was involved - funeral directors in Ancient Egypt could have done with her services - as well as learning to deal with fractures and suspected neck injuries. The course is at the Dundee and Angus centre of the St Andrew’s Ambulance Association in Dundee. Good luck with the exam next week, Andrea. Break a leg.

Tony and Sean just presented our plans for the next three years of the Arbroath Sea Fest to the Sea Fest committee. This is one of the most enjoyable summer events on Scotland’s east coast reeling in something like 30,000 visitors over two days in August. Gourmets won’t be surprised to learn the event is something of a homage to the Arbroath Smokie - and if you have never had a smokie you have missed a treat - but there plenty of other edible goodies on offer along with family entertainment, displays, stalls and assorted bands and musical groups. Here are some of our photographs of last year’s SeaFest. To say, Activate is delighted to be involved in the Arbroath Sea Fest is putting it mildly. We’ll keep you abreast of our plans as they unfold. Next year’s Arbroath Sea Fest will be held on August 16 and 17 2008.