BRIGHTON, UK — IMEX has announced a new strategy to achieve net zero by 2030, ahead of the 2050 target set by the industry-wide Net Zero Carbon Events initiative.
IMEX, a sustainability leader in business events and winner of Trade Show Executive’s Most Valuable Green Initiative Grand Award, is an early signatory to the industry-wide net-zero initiative. In fact, for the past decade, IMEX has worked with MeetGreen to measure and report on the sustainability achievements of its two shows, held annually in Frankfurt and Las Vegas. Its Sustainable Events Report for IMEX America 2022 details last year’s efforts.
Among the many steps IMEX will take, a focus is on working with suppliers to collect data on its carbon footprint, creating a baseline to guide future reduction decisions. Data reporting will include many indirect greenhouse gas impacts, including emissions from food production, as well as travel by attendees, exhibitors and staff. IMEX will work with its exhibitors and booth builders to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by gradually increasing the percentage of reusable and sustainable materials they use. IMEX will measure and report on travel-related emissions for all IMEX attendees; provide opportunities to offset unavoidable emissions, such as those from air travel; and continue to encourage and promote sustainable travel options.
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“Our journey to carbon neutrality is a step-by-step process,” said Carina Bauer, CEO of IMEX Group. “First, we are focusing on areas we can fully control, such as the type of energy we use. Then, we will expand our efforts to areas where we can have a significant impact, such as waste management.”
For many organizations, undertaking sustainability initiatives on the scale of those introduced by IMEX can seem daunting. Eric Wallinger, MeetGreen’s Director of Sustainability, urges trade show organizers in the early stages of their sustainability journey to take this same incremental approach, focusing on early wins. “Something as practical as a plant-based meal can save a surprising amount of emissions at an event. Our food systems require a lot of ‘upstream’ emissions for growing, producing, manufacturing, and transporting. Animal proteins, and beef in particular, can often generate the most emissions, given grazing and land use.”
“Looking back at IMEX America 2022,” he said, “if every attendee chose just one low-carbon, plant-based main course during the event, it could save the equivalent of emissions from driving a standard fossil fuel car from the IMEX office in Brighton, UK, to Las Vegas – 18 times.”
Other actionable steps, he added, include reducing and reusing standard event materials, from tableware to signage to giveaways and even promotional gifts. Finally, partner with venues that produce or source renewable energy.
Contact Carina Bauer at carina.bauer@imexexhibitions.com and Eric Wallinger at eric@meetgreen.com