This month, our events community lost two champions for sustainability and social impact: Miek Arnolda Egberts, CMP, CMM, Founder at InspireMe, Monaco, and member of the international board of directors of the Society for Incentive Travel Excellence (SITE), and Elizabeth Glau, CMP, CEO of Event Integrity.

I had the privilege and honour of collaborating with both of these extraordinary women and will miss their inspiration, dedication and strength of character.

When I first met Miek, we were preparing to host our Sustainable Event Professional Certificate course for the first time in Europe. As co-host of the programme, she helped create an environment for learning in Monte Carlo that embodied the idea that "green is the new glam." She expertly guided us through the remarkable destination with this rare combination of both genuine warmth and elegance. Her dedication to family, service to the community, and focus on strengthening our industry's commitment to sustainable action were inspiring.

Elizabeth and I first collaborated on the EIC Manual, 9th Edition, where she authored our marketing chapters. She was smart, forward-thinking and always kept in focus what was the right thing to do. She later helped us to develop our online platform for EIC's Sustainable Event Standards, combining her tech expertise with her sustainability focus. I will greatly miss spending quiet moments with her at conferences, and reading her thought-provoking posts.

As I think about how to honour the memory of these two exceptional leaders, I am left with the thought that we can all extend their legacy and impact through a renewed commitment to advancing sustainability and social impact in our industry.

Read more about Miek's contributions to our industry on the SITE blog, and Elizabeth's contributions via MeetingsNet.

Mariela McIlwraith, CMP, CMM, MBA
VP Sustainability and Industry Advancement, Events Industry Council