Sustainable meeting arrangements

Use this checklist to ensure that your meeting arrangements adhere to sustainable development principles as much as possible, minimizing the environmental impact of your meeting. Sustainable choices help reduce the carbon footprint of the event and can lead to economic savings.
 

Your organization

  • Check:
    • Whether an environmental strategy is available on the website.
    • Whether your organization has an environmental label, eco-certification, etc., with details available on the website.
    • Whether staff are trained and committed to the topic.
  • Remember:
    • To consider sustainability when making decisions.
    • To provide accurate participant and dining numbers to service providers to minimize food waste.
    • If food waste is expected, find a suitable charity for surplus food.

Venues, evening program locations, and hotels

  • Prefer:
    • Venues located close to each other so that distances can be covered on foot.
  • Check:
    • That the facilities are accessible for persons with disabilities.
    • Whether the venue is equipped for persons with disabilities and has induction loops.
    • Whether the organization providing the venue has its own sustainability program, available on the website.
    • Whether sustainable practices are communicated to exhibitors.
    • Whether the organization has eco-friendly lighting and ventilation systems (e.g., daylight lighting for meeting rooms, LED lights).
    • Whether water usage is minimized.
    • Whether the venue uses electricity produced from renewable energy sources.
    • Whether room temperature settings are monitored.
    • Whether energy-saving technology is used in displays.
    • What kind of recycling systems the organization has (e.g., recycling bins available for guests).
    • Whether environmentally friendly cleaning products are used.
    • Whether interior materials are recyclable and environmentally friendly, avoiding disposable materials.

Dining at conference venues, evening program locations, and hotels

  • Use:
    • Local catering services to avoid long transport distances.
  • Prefer:
    • Vegetarian and vegan meal options.
    • Organic products.
    • Local products.
    • Fair trade products (coffee, tea).
    • Fresh, seasonal ingredients.
    • Sustainably caught local fish.
    • Tap water.
  • Read more
    WWF's guidelines on reducing the environmental and climate impact of diets.
  • Ensure:
    • The minimization and recycling of food waste.
    • The traceability of food.
    • The ecological and transparent production chain of food.
    • The consideration of animal welfare and antibiotic-free meat.
    • Clear communication of food ingredients, e.g., in buffet service, or making them easily accessible.
    • The labeling of organic and local products, e.g., on menu cards.
    • The printing of menu cards on recycled material.
  • Avoid:
    • Individually packaged items.
    • Plastic packaging or dishes, and plastic straws.
    • Disposable dishes.
    • Plastic water bottles.
    • Paper napkins.
    • Disposable tablecloths.
    • Aluminum and plastic wraps.

Raising awareness

  • Inform:
    • About sustainable choices (on the website, during the meeting, in meeting materials, in apps, on social media).
    • Ensure that websites and mobile applications comply with EU accessibility directives.
    • Provide participants with the opportunity to calculate their carbon footprint during the meeting, e.g., on the website.
    • Offer the possibility to participate in the meeting remotely.
    • Organize a public lecture on the topic of the conference or congress for locals.

Transport

  • Inform:
    • About ecological travel options to the conference city (boat, train).
    • Provide walking maps on the website or app, highlighting routes between venues and hotels.
    • Ensure the possibility of accessing event locations by public transport.
    • Inform about electric buses if available.
    • Inform about city bike usage.

Materials

  • Organize:
    • A paperless conference/congress.
  • Adopt:
    • Electronic systems: registration, abstract management, maps, and general information on the website and mobile app.
    • Use electronic signage if available at the venue.
    • Use pens and notebooks made from recycled materials (based on necessity).
    • If giving gifts, opt for intangible, local gifts, such as:
      • Admission tickets to local museums.
      • Public transport tickets for the duration of the conference.
      • Offset participants' emissions on their behalf.
    • If giving material gifts, choose:
      • Locally made products from recycled materials.
      • Edible and drinkable products (local, organic).
      • Products with a prolonged use.
      • Bags and folders made from recycled materials (based on necessity).
  • Plan:
    • A recycling plan for surplus materials, lifecycle planning.
    • Can name tag holders be reused?
    • Can surplus materials be donated to a recycling organization?