PCMA’s annual flagship event advances from Silver Certification, setting a new benchmark for sustainable business events
WASHINGTON, D.C. (9 September 2025) – The Events Industry Council (EIC) announced today that Convening Leaders 2025 (CL25), the premier education and networking event hosted by PCMA, has earned Platinum Level Certification to EIC’s Sustainable Event Standards—the program’s highest distinction. This achievement marks a leap from CL24’s Silver Certification and signals PCMA’s accelerating leadership in sustainable event design.
“Achieving Platinum Certification is more than a recognition—it’s proof of our belief that sustainability must be embedded in every decision we make,” said Sherrif Karamat, CAE, President and CEO, PCMA and CEMA. “This milestone builds on our earlier progress and affirms that business events can be both transformative experiences and responsible drivers of global change.”
The EIC Sustainable Event Standards were created through a global collaborative process with participation from subject matter experts in all sectors. They provide a framework for collaboration and a strong focus on guidance and metrics so that event professionals at all stages of their sustainability journey have the support needed to implement and measure sustainable practices.
The standards specify performance criteria in the areas of organizational management, marketing, communications and engagement, climate action, water management, materials and circularity, supply chain management, diversity, equity and inclusion, accessibility and social impact. To date, more than 300 professionals have participated in the review of the standards. The venue standard is one of several comprehensive standards for environmentally sustainable events.
EIC President and CEO Amy Calvert applauded PCMA’s achievement: “This is a defining example of what it means to lead by action. PCMA’s Platinum Certification demonstrates that true industry progress comes when sustainability is not a side initiative but a core principle.”
CL25 welcomed 3,800 participants in Houston and an additional 700 online, all benefiting from sustainability strategies shaped by PCMA’s collaboration with Honeycomb Strategies, sustainability consultants for the events industry, and that which ensure alignment with EIC standards. Independent verification was conducted by the Alliance for Audited Media (AAM).
“PCMA’s practices demonstrate a deep and measurable commitment to environmental stewardship and accountability,” said Richard Murphy, AAM’s CEO, president and managing director. “We applaud their continuous progress and congratulate them on their achievement.”
