Inn at Loretto, Santa Fe, NMInn at Loretto, Santa Fe, NM
The Green Spa Network (GSN) recently announced the preliminary agenda and speakers for its Annual Congress, the only spa event in the industry devoted to sustainability education and inspiration. With a theme of “Living in Spirit: Leadership Without Limits,” this year’s event will be held at the award-winning Inn at Loretto in Santa Fe, New Mexico on September 21-24, 2014.
With keynotes by author and alternative medicine pioneer, Larry Dossey MD, and VP of Global Sustainability for Nike, Sarah Severn, the three-day event is designed to be solution driven, creative and interactive. Attendees will take up where last year’s session left off – creating the building blocks for reaching the goals set for the spa of the future or “Eco Spa 2020,” where spas become community education centers for wellness and green living.
The overarching goal of the event is to inspire attendees to explore sustainable and profitable ways to approach and lead their businesses. Peppered throughout the program will be a variety of breakout sessions on: Leadership, Marketing and practical use of the Green Spa Network Sustainability Assessment Tool.
Agenda Highlights:
Keynote Dr. Larry Dossey – a distinguished physician, deeply rooted in the scientific world, and an internationally influential advocate of the role of the mind in health and the role of spirituality in healthcare.
Keynote Sarah Severn – 21 years at Nike, most recently as VP of Global Sustainability. Presently a Reiki master with extensive training in shamanic healing, she will share insights from working on both ends of the sustainability spectrum.
Sponsor Showcase – Interact with resource partners in a casual, fun setting.
Outdoor Movie Screening of James and Robert Redford’s documentary – Watershed: Exploring a New Water Ethic for the New West
Group Exercise with Donald VanHowten – An author, Ayurvedic practitioner, Feldenkrais teacher and certified massage therapist.
Green Carpet & Sustainability Awards Dinner – Seven categories will be honored, including:
- Healthy Spa Cuisine Award
- Innovative Green Product of Year
- Corporate Brand Dedicated to Sustainability
- Green Building Award
- Green Product Company or Service Provider of the Year
- Sustainable Spa of the Year
- Green Spa Network Visionary Award
“In a recent United Nations Study, 73 percent of consumers feel businesses are failing to take care of the planet and society,” says GSN Executive Director, Paul Schmidt. “This year’s Congress is a chance for spa industry professionals to learn how to lead the way in tangibly impacting their customer’s lives by providing them with truly sustainable options. And how fitting that we come together in breathtaking Santa Fe, which has inspired visionaries for centuries.”
Started 7 years ago by eco-savvy spa professionals and now recognized as the leading educational forum for promoting health and wellness sustainability, GSN is sponsored by a range of entities from Fortune 500 companies to sustainable textile companies to green personal care products. Congress attendees will include day, resort and destination spas, product companies, as well as greening and wellness experts.
Congress registration is $750. Full speaker bios, draft agenda and registration at greenspanetwork.org.
