Global adversities such as Covid-19 and the war in Ukraine raise many questions on how organisations can proceed with their annual events while being mindful of their impact. After thorough consideration, Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), an international IT and consulting services company, decided to move forward with their annual summit with a mission to be as Covid-19 compliant and as charitable as possible. While past events were given a planning timeframe of 6-9 months, this time, we only had 90 days to execute the 3-day summit.
How did it turn out?
The TCS Summit Europe is a renowned, invite-only conference for senior business leaders. This year, attendees arrived in Lisbon, Portugal, to learn from global leaders in politics, sports and business, with a mix of networking activities such as gala dinners, city tours, and fitness runs. For 2022, the theme was The Dawn of the Sustainable Enterprise, featuring leading industry and celebrity speakers sharing their beliefs on how innovation, resilience and lived-experienced can forge a path towards a better future for people and the planet.
The magic is in the details
Everything imaginable was fully customised with the TCS Summit branding. From the Covid-friendly check-in kiosks, the assigned table seats, to the decor, every element was designed to immerse guests into the world of the TCS Summit while getting a taste of local Portuguese culture. All guests received a sustainable gift bag which included a bracelet or cufflinks from a local Portuguese brand, reusable water bottles, sustainable stationery and travel & Covid -19 necessities.
The different city, boat and culture/art networking activities had customised itineraries which included bites, drinks and guides to share their knowledge with guests while they enjoyed a breath-taking view of Lisbon from the water or one of the many viewing points. A morning fitness run included a personalised training session and a good warming-up session accompanied by Sam Bird, one of the drivers of the Jaguar TCS Racing team.
The TCS Summit also featured a Partner Program, where family members of the attendees could make use of the offered partner tours/activity to enjoy the city by going to a spa, attending cooking classes, or doing a shopping tour. Attendees had many opportunities to meet with speakers and fellow attendees during breaks, meals and networking activities throughout the day.
The evening ended with a Gala Dinner held at Estufa Fria in a spectacularly decorated green area, celebrating nature, and tie in history, culture, and sustainability. Chefs presented a four-course menu that delighted guests with interesting pairings of traditional Portuguese food and Indian dishes.
Giving back
TCS strives to make their events as sustainable as possible by consistently minimising the waste involved in activities before, during and after the summit. The remaining bottles of water, umbrellas, and Covid tests were donated to organisations in Ukraine. The flowers used in the decorations were donated to a project called “A Avó Veio Trabalhar” (Grandma comes to work), which included a small workshop to teach participants how to create beautiful flower arrangements to take home. For the first time in 2022, TCS took the initiative to offset the carbon footprints of the delegates. After a post-event estimation of the TCS Summit Europe delegates’ flights, TCS offset 160 tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e). The funds were proceeded towards Inner Mongolia KeyiheIFM (Conversion of Logged to Protected Forest) Project.
MCI The Netherlands handled everything from registration to departure. All disciplines of the event were covered by the team and their preferred and local partners. The short turnaround time stressed the importance of trust, communication, and being proactive with our partners and suppliers. We not only managed to execute TCS’s comeback into in-person events, but we strived to perfect every detail to make the TCS Summit the most striking one yet.
