I’ve just visited the Malaysia Commercialisation Year (MCY) Summit 2023 event organized by the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation last Friday to check out the lineup of researched projects funded. There have been quite a number of interesting products showcased and I’m very proud that MOSTI has been playing a key role behind the success of these solutions, which emphasized the critical role that STEM and social innovation play in translating Malaysia into a skilled workforce and a high-income nation.

With that said, I believe the event experience can be improved in the following areas that I observed:

1.     Lanyards and laminated entry passes – These single use items serve no functional value other than distinguishing visitors from exhibitors and lending the event some kind of perceived “branding”. If need be, I believe one can use bamboo/banana/pineapple fibre or repurposed fabric.

2.     Mineral water bottles are still served despite the existence of glass water dispensers – How about having bamboo cups as an innovative door gift? Engraved with the names of visitors at registration, I’m sure no visitors would find it cumbersome carrying one around.

3.     Sustainability Marketing & Communication – I would love to see some information on the event’s projected carbon footprint/emissions. Perhaps some infographic on power usage would be great. That lends transparency and accountability. It may appear frivolous but I believe people can be made to draw their own visualisations and conclusions. E.g. “The power used by this event in a day can help power x”. These are conversation pieces to trigger discussion and thinking.

4.     Family-friendly element – Speaking of conversation pieces, I’m sure the event would have been made more unique by having #3 broken down into a series of quizzes/games to engage children. Encourage 3 exhibitors to volunteer an hour session each day (at a designated corner) to communicate their novel solution/product to children. Yes, it’s “selling” but selling more often than not involves education and awareness first especially when it comes to impressionable minds.

5.     5P not 3P please! – A large number of the solutions funded are based on the 3P mentality: Product, Process and Profits. That means producing X in the most efficient Y manner to yield Z profits (if successfully commercialized). There’s no concrete sharing of how the solutions can impact the remaining Ps: People (internal/external) and Planet in the most resilient and regenerative manner. With that said, there’s a need to move away from the “Profit” mindset to the “Prosperity” perspective as per the GPM Global (Green Project Management®) P5 framework.

The above points are just a few simple ideas worth exploring when it comes to implementing sustainability in events or just about any projects. They may be small steps but definitely pack a punch in producing that little nudge of realisation to doing the right thing and leaving behind lasting positive impacts.

In short, a product or outcome is only as innovative as it is sustainable.