Major CSR event is revived

An ambitious corporate responsibility conference postponed because of the financial crisis has been rescheduled for next March.

The international Business and a Sustainable Environment (Base) event was to be held in 2008 at London’s 10,000-capacity ExCel centre, but was put back one year and then for six more months (EP10, issue 6, p6). The organizers, Meetings of Minds, blamed the credit crunch for poor bookings.

The combined conference, exhibition and trade show will now take place from 16 to 18 March on a more modest scale, with delegates paying £150 ($245). Nevertheless, high-profile speakers have been booked, including environmentalist turned Conservative Party candidate Zac Goldsmith and TV impressionist Rory Bremner.

Base’s original postponement presaged a tougher environment for CSR events during the past year or so. A number of conferences were cancelled and those that survived had generally reduced attendances.

Most recently the fifth annual European Ethical Sourcing Forum in Paris was called off, and will instead be merged with its sister gathering in New York in March 2010.