MIAMI BEACH, Fla.—The Events Industry Council (EIC) has awarded Miami Beach Convention Center (MBCC) Gold Level Certification under its Sustainable Event Standards, recognizing the venue’s leadership in advancing environmentally responsible practices across the meetings and events industry.
MBCC, owned by the City of Miami Beach and managed by Oak View Group (OVG), is OVG’s first property to achieve Gold Level certification. The milestone is part of a partnership between OVG and EIC to certify 60 venues through a phased approach.
The EIC Sustainable Event Standards provide a globally recognized framework for collaboration, guidance, and measurement to assist venues and event professionals in implementing and tracking sustainability goals. Developed with input from hundreds of experts worldwide, the standards create clear, measurable pathways for facilities to reduce environmental impact while supporting community and industry needs.
“We are truly honored to receive Gold certification from the Events Industry Council—just one year after achieving Silver,” says Freddie Peterson, OVG’s general manager of MBCC. “This rapid progress is a true reflection of our team’s sense of pride, dedication, and strong collaboration with the City of Miami Beach, the Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau, and our clients and venue partners. Together, we’ve proven what’s possible when sustainability is embedded and championed across every part of our operation. We remain committed to raising the bar even higher for the future of our industry.”
The Gold certification reflects years of investment in green building, waste reduction, energy efficiency, and responsible sourcing. MBCC worked closely with venue partners to meet the rigorous benchmarks set by EIC. Key pillars of the MBCC’s sustainability program include energy efficiency, recycling and waste reduction, food-waste reduction, donation and composting, an onsite herb and vegetable garden, and community involvement and volunteering.
“This achievement highlights the Miami Beach Convention Center’s exemplary commitment to sustainability and environmental stewardship,” says Amy Calvert, president and CEO of the Events Industry Council. “By implementing these standards, the Miami Beach Convention Center is paving the way for the global hospitality industry, demonstrating how venues can create meaningful impact through sustainable operations while delivering exceptional experiences for their guests and event planners.”
The EIC standard specifies performance criteria in organizational management, marketing, communications and engagement, climate action, water management, materials and circularity, supply chain management, diversity, equity and inclusion, accessibility, and social impact. The Alliance for Audited Media, a nonprofit auditing organization, performed the independent third-party certification of MBCC’s compliance. MBCC also engaged sustainability consultant Astrapto to guide onsite sustainability process improvements.
Following a $640 million renovation in 2020, MBCC features 1.4 million square feet of event space, making it Florida’s second-largest convention center. MBCC also holds a 4 Green Keys rating through the Green Key Meetings program and the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED Silver certification.
