Sustainability Solutions for the Hospitality Sector: Tourism and Event Management Case Studies

50 Shades of Hospitality

In this podcast, Clémence Gillier and Neil Beecroft from the sustainability consultancy agency, The SHIFT, now called bloomUP, talk about how businesses can develop and improve their sustainability practices. Clémence and Neil describe what sparked their interest in this important field and how their careers have evolved into creating and running this sustainability agency. They also speak about pragmatic and real-life sustainable practices that any business can adopt and how to engage key stakeholders starting with upper management. Neil and Clémence also touch on the challenges and road blocks that can make tackling the subject of sustainability difficult. They encourage organizations and businesses to define their commitment to sustainability, to develop strategies and to engage stakeholders, all the phases that the agencyis poised to accomplish as consultants.

Clémence Gillier is a sustainability and business development expert with 10 years’ experience across diverse sectors and a strong academic background in business. In 2020, Clémence had a wakeup call recognizing the critical urgency of this decade for future generations. She devoted her expertise to growing The SHIFT, a sustainability consulting agency, from its early stage, and driving projects that advance progress on the Sustainable Development Goals. Clémence focuses on the development and implementation of strategic initiatives that empower businesses, organizations, and cities to adopt responsible practices while generating shared value. As a B Corp Leader, she also guides firms toward B Corp Certification and Swiss Triple Impact recognition. Among her achievements, Clémence co-authored the online course "Sport & Sustainability" for FC Barcelona's initiative “Barca Innovation Hub” in 2022 and served as the Deputy Head of Sustainability for the Tour de France stage in Lausanne this same year. Additionally, in 2023, she managed the Omega European Masters' sustainability strategy and operational implementation with her colleague Neil.

Neil Beecroft is an expert in sustainability and business innovation. He’s a Partner of The SHIFT Agency, now called bloomUp, working for international organisations and mega-events such as the Olympics. He was formerly responsible for sustainable development at UEFA EURO 2016 in France. In 2020, he was the Head of Sustainability for the Lausanne Winter Youth Olympics, and in 2022 the Sustainability Director for the Tour de France stage in Lausanne. As B Corp Leader, he encourages the way in which innovation and sustainability can positively influence the organisational model of sports and the industry. Neil is also Sustainability Director for the Omega European Masters and CoFounder of the Start Up PuraWorka and of the NGO Sport and Sustainability International (SandSI). He has achieved a certificate in disruptive innovation at IMD Business School and is blending this field with sustainability.