Legacy - effects on the destination

The question of accountability, inclusion, and sustainability is becoming increasingly important in the event industry. In light of global crises like climate change or the COVID-19 pandemic, the potentially positive effects of events must be strategically promoted and strengthened. Legacy planning is becoming an ever more crucial tool for event organisers.

We are happy to support Legacy projects in Berlin! With Legacy, you create added value in various directions through your event: You achieve the qualitative goals of your organization and your event in an even more structured way and leave a footprint in the destination that also shows the urban society the direct and sustainable benefits of events.

Marco Oelschlegel, Director Conventions, Berlin Convention Office

What is legacy?

The priority is creating long-term added value of the event for all involved stakeholders.

The success of an event, such as a conference or trade show, is thus not only measured by hotel occupancy and turnover. Instead, it comes down to the recognition and effectiveness of any sustainability potential in favour of the event destination, partners, and society as a whole.

Why is legacy important?

Legacy planning means making more effective use of the sustainable effects of available resources and ideas by consolidating and coordinating the involved stakeholders. Legacy planning improves the exchange of knowledge and competitiveness, and facilitates new partnerships between stakeholders. The implementation of the legacy strategies thus results in a short- and long-term growth in value for all parties involved, such as

Added value for organisers

Emphasising events’ right to exist
Outward communication of successes and their positive effects
Acquisition of new members and a new audience through inter-industry partnerships
Procurement of new funds, establishment of new strategic partnership

Added value for event destinations:

Promotion of a positive effect of the event on the hosting community
Strengthening location attractiveness for international companies and talents
Impetuses for foreign direct investments

Added value for society as a whole:

Tapping potential to solve urgent global problems

Berlin MICE Summit 2020 - vereint.innovativ.zukunftssicher.

How do I plan legacy?

Step 1. Legacy objective

First, the organisers think about possible long-term added values (= legacy) for the event. The legacy objectives can be divided into 5 key areas: technically specific, political, economic, social, and ecological goals.

What positive effects (e.g., research results, expansion of networks, development of projects or partnerships, etc.) can be achieved with the event? Which indicators can be used to determine success?

Step 2. Identification of local stakeholders

Potential local stakeholders are identified in a second step. This could be tourism and conference offices, politics and city administration, universities, economic institutions, research institutions, companies, and others.

Step 3. Joint planning of legacy

All stakeholders convene at a workshop in order to speak about tenable ideas for legacy projects. The participants then draft strategies for achieving the desired results and objectives. Best practices from past events can serve as inspiration.

First a financial plan is devised: What funds are available to finance the legacy project? What additional funds are required? How can public institutions or companies be enabled to support the project?

Step 4. Implementation and monitoring

The results of the entire process are viewed and evaluated with the developed indicators (see Step 1). The Berlin Convention Office is happy to provide information.

Legacy with Social Projects in Berlin

Legacy building works best in collaboration with social project initiatives.

We are happy to support you in building cooperations with local social organisations that are active in and for Berlin. In our Event Kit you can download a list of Berlin-based NGOs we would like to recommend to you as socially committed partners for your Berlin Event.

Here come more initiatives and inspiring pilot projects on the topic of legacy you should also not miss.

Inspiration for your social legacy event in Berlin:

Finding a suitable social project and doing something good together with Vostel.
The donation platform betterplace also has a search engine with which the right project can be found by searching for key words.
The initiative Leave no one Behind provides a database in which involved parties can enter their resources and skills so that they can find the right project.
A full overview of legacy is provided by our colleagues at the Wonderful Copenhagen Convention Bureau, the Copenhagen Legacy Lab, and by the Best Cities Global Alliance, that we are members of: Advancing Event Legacies through Impact Measurement.