Key Highlights
- The exhibition industry is embracing sustainability, driven by a growing focus on environmental responsibility.
- UFI, the Global Association of the Exhibition Industry, has reported a global trend towards eco-conscious tradeshows. More and more event participants view consolidated meetings at exhibitions as a means to reduce travel emissions and environmental impact.
- Event organisers are implementing various strategies, including selecting sustainability-certified venues, adopting circular economy practices, and encouraging reduced transportation emissions.
Major sectors such as manufacturing, energy, and fashion are steering towards sustainability, and the exhibition industry is following suit. Driven by a growing focus on environmental consciousness, tradeshow organisers nowadays are embracing innovative solutions to minimise their ecological footprint.
A Global Movement
Many factors drive the exhibition industry's shift towards greener practices. For one, eco-consciousness is at an all-time high the world over, and in the tradeshow sector, attendees and exhibitors alike are increasingly leaning towards more eco-friendly experiences, as highlighted by UFI, the Global Association of the Exhibition Industry. Their 2021 report found that the majority of tradeshow attendees consider their environmental impact important to them. Survey participants highlighted that consolidating meetings under one roof helps them save time and money, and ultimately reduce their travel emissions and ecological footprint.
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Change in Action: Initiatives from Big-Name Exhibition Organisers
From eco-friendly venues to sustainable waste management strategies, the exhibition sector continues to embrace its shift towards greener practices. Here's a closer look at key sustainability strategies being implemented by tradeshow companies:
Eco-Friendly Venues
Exhibitions are increasingly leaning towards venues with globally recognised sustainability certifications such as BREEAM, LEED, DGNB, and more. Venues certified by such schemes are those committed to reducing their environmental impact through energy efficiency, renewable energy sources, water conservation, and sustainable waste management strategies.
The RAI Amsterdam, a BREEAM-certified exhibition centre in the Netherlands, exemplifies this trend. The establishment implements eco-friendly measures such as 1) waste heat recovery, reusing heat generated from on-site operations, and 2) rainwater harvesting to reduce reliance on municipal water supplies.
Circular Economy
The concept of a circular economy, where materials are reused and repurposed instead of ending up in landfills, is gaining traction in the exhibition industry.
RX Global, a prominent leader in the exhibition industry, has dedicated a Sustainability Council and set ambitious targets to cut greenhouse gas emissions by half by 2030 and achieve net zero by 2040. Apart from selecting sustainable venues (such as the Austrian Ecolabel-certified Messe Wien and the carbon-neutral ExCel London), the company has also partnered up with certain suppliers to achieve their circular economy targets:
• Freeman, a global event solutions company, offers sustainable products like recyclable carpets and eco-friendly materials. They collaborate with RX to reduce waste and measure environmental impact.
• STANDout, an RX-owned company, builds exhibition stands and wall elements from sustainable materials and promotes reusable, modular designs.
Reduced Transportation Emissions
Traditionally, tradeshows generate a significant environmental footprint due to attendees travelling en masse. In response to this, event organisers are encouraging attendees to utilise public transportation or sustainable options such as cycling or carpooling. An example of this is Carpoolchella, a programme offered by the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in the United States where festivalgoers can be rewarded for carpooling.
The Road Ahead
The journey towards sustainability in the exhibition industry is an ongoing commitment that requires a collective effort—organisers, exhibitors, and visitors each play a significant role in driving this transformation. By embracing environmental responsibility, we can ensure that exhibitions continue to serve as catalysts for progress and innovation while preserving the planet for future generations.