While many event-related companies and organizations remain laser-focused on getting back to business as usual, that hasn’t stopped a leading trade show and a venue management company from going the extra mile to make a difference for the environment and those in need. Check out who has been walking the walk when it comes to corporate social responsibility lately! 

ASM Global

Leading venue management and event strategy partner, ASM Global, has been delivering on its almost year-old corporate social responsibility initiative, ASM Global Acts, which focuses on protecting the environment, investing in people and strengthening the communities in which it operates.

KFC Yum! Center

On Aug. 15, ASM Global, KFC Yum! Center and Pepsi teamed up to host a “Fill the Truck” supply drive to collect and deliver essential items to help Eastern Kentucky residents recover from catastrophic flooding that devastated the region and claimed the lives of 39 residents.  

According to ASM Global officials, support from Louisville-area residents, businesses and government office workers exceeded all expectations, with the ASM Global team filling two large semi-trailer trucks with food and supplies for flood victims. ASM Global Acts also made a financial contribution to the recovery effort. 

“While we cannot imagine the devastating loss that has impacted Eastern Kentucky residents, we knew we had to find a way to provide support,” said Eric Granger, general manager of ASM Global KFC Yum! Center. “Our ASM Global staff approached me wanting to help with Eastern Kentucky flood relief, and we knew we could make a bigger impact with the support of our partners and the local community.”

He continued, “Pepsi is such a willing and supportive partner and eagerly jumped in to help by providing transportation to deliver items directly to residents in Eastern Kentucky. Seeing our community come together to help our neighbors during this incredibly difficult time has been extremely rewarding for our entire ASM Global team, and we could not be more pleased with the response.” 

Granger added that local businesses and residents were encouraged to collect supplies and drop them off at the arena’s outdoor Pepsi Plaza on Aug. 11. Not only did KFC Yum! Center partners step in and deliver supplies, but the entire city also embraced the collection drive by organizing smaller collection events at local businesses throughout the city and donating the resulting items to the effort. 

The donated items, which included blankets, towels, cleaning supplies, mops, brooms, buckets, shovels and non-perishable food items, were delivered to the Knott County Sportsplex and offered directly to residents throughout the areas affected by the recent flood.  

Meanwhile, Louisville Arena Authority Chair Leslie Geoghegan partnered with the ASM Global team at the arena to organize and participate in many community events and worked closely on-site with ASM in this collection drive. 

“I was so grateful for the opportunity to spend the day working with our enthusiastic KFC Yum! Center staff and Pepsi representatives to fill the truck with essential items for flood victims,” Geoghegan said. “It was incredible to see the Louisville community come together to support this meaningful initiative.” 

She continued, “As a part of this community, it is our responsibility to find ways to make a difference and give back. Like the tornadoes in Western Kentucky several months ago, this natural disaster’s impact has been felt throughout our state, and we wanted to assist the many families in Eastern Kentucky affected by flooding.” 

Pennsylvania Convention Center

The next day, ASM Global’s CSR initiative was also set into action in Philadelphia at the Pennsylvania Convention Center Authority, which hosted a backpack drive on Aug. 16 to provide 200 backpacks full of age-appropriate school supplies to students in foster care through Methodist Family Support Services.

The effort was a collaboration between ASM Globalthe Pennsylvania Convention Center’s venue management partner and Methodist Services and Foster Angels on Earth. 

“The Pennsylvania Convention Center Authority, as a steward of the public good, is committed to working with our partners to lead initiatives that foster community development and drive economic prosperity for the greater Philadelphia region,” said John J. McNichol, president and CEO of the Pennsylvania Convention Center Authority. “The mission of the authority is strongly aligned with the objectives of ASM Global ACTS, and we are proud to collaborate on efforts, such as the backpack drive, that have a meaningful impact on the communities that we serve.”

At the event, 25 volunteers, including members from the Girl Scouts of Eastern Pennsylvania, packed the backpacks with much-needed school supplies donated by the Center’s staff, vendor partners and labor union partners.

“Our parents want what we all want for our children: to begin a new school year prepared with the very best supplies, to navigate a pandemic-influenced year which may include virtual, hybrid and in-person classes, and to remain as safe and ready as possible!” said Anne Rice-Burgess, president and CEO and Methodist Services/Methodist Home for Children, which has provided services to children and families for more than 140 years.

She added, “On behalf of the 200 families who will happily receive these generous donations, we send our gratitude to all involved!”

According to Kelvin D. Moore, ASM Global regional vice president and Pennsylvania Convention Center general manager, the heartwarming CSR activity was another example of how the venue, through ASM Global Acts, encourages and promotes staff volunteerism.

“Through our strong community partnerships, the Pennsylvania Convention Center Authority and ASM Global are creating more opportunities for our team to meaningfully engage our communities and provide the support that so many in the greater Philadelphia region need,” he said. 

CONEXPO-CON/AGG and IFPE

CONEXPO-CON/AGG, the largest construction trade show in North America, and International Fluid Power Exposition (IFPE), the leading North American exhibition for the fluid power, power transmission and motion control industries, have formed a partnership with the Arbor Day Foundation to support vital forest ecosystems through tree planting. 

Announced on Aug. 17, the collaboration will enable the planting of more than 130,000 trees— one for every show registrant— in U.S. forests of greatest need. 

As one of the world’s largest operating conservation foundations, the Arbor Day Foundation has planted nearly 500 million trees in neighborhoods, communities, cities and forests throughout the world for the past 50 years. Through a vast network of partnerships, the Foundation facilitates projects that empower organizations of all sizes to reach their ESG, CSR and sustainability goals via measurable, impactful work. 

“The opportunity to plant trees in conjunction with one of the largest trade shows in North America will have an incredible impact on our reforestation efforts,” said Dan Lambe, chief executive of the Arbor Day Foundation. “We know that trees are a key part of the solution to some of the biggest issues facing our planet, and partners like CONEXPO-CON/AGG and IFPE can help us achieve the scale necessary to drive meaningful impact in the places that need it most.” 

Held triennially, the collocated CONEXPO-CON/AGG and IFPE attracts attendees from all sectors of the construction industry. The partnership with The Arbor Day Foundation is the first of many steps the show is taking to reduce its industry’s carbon footprint and increase on-site sustainability efforts. In addition, CONEXPO-CON/AGG’s conference portion will feature 13 education sessions focusing on sustainability, including tracking emissions, recycling and carbon neutrality.  

“Our show is about finding solutions to challenges,” said Dana Wuesthoff, show director of CONEXPO-CON/AGG. “More and more, our attendees and exhibitors are challenged to think of the greater good in their business practices. Teaming with an organization like The Arbor Day Foundation provides an opportunity to not only impact the CONEXPO-CON/AGG & IFPE led reforestation project, but it also provides another connection for our exhibitors and attendees to work with to help navigate and align their business strategy and sustainability efforts in their communities.” 

Attendees and exhibitors at the show can choose to make an additional contribution to the tree planting effort to increase the impact of the partnership. More information on planting locations and specific project details will be announced in the months leading up to the 2023 show, set for March 14-18 at the Las Vegas Convention Center

Have a recent giving back activity to share? Reach out to lpsavas@tsnn.com.

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