Environmental IMEX

IMEX, in partnership with the Green Meeting Industry Council (GMIC), is committed to educating the industry on the best environmental and CSR (corporate social responsibility) practices available and to doing all we can to “green” our exhibition, wherever possible.

 

"IMEX's green initiatives mark it as a kind of environmental conscience for the industry" Hanna Grey, THA Group, UK

The IMEX Corporate Responsibility Project has been developed to give both exhibitors and visitors an opportunity to increase their awareness and knowledge of environmental and social responsibility within the meetings industry.
IMEX runs the only Green Awards for the meetings industry.

Download the IMEX Green Case Study here

Environmental Aims
 

• To educate the industry on responsible travel through our partners
• To reduce paper consumption in the office and on site during the exhibition
• To use recyclable, recycled or sustainable source paper, whenever possible when producing IMEX materials
• To recycle materials produced by IMEX, wherever possible
• Ensure venue food and beverage providers use china and washable cutlery where ever possible
• To arrange collection of flowers to be given to homes and hospitals in Frankfurt
• Using energy efficient exhibition halls
• Ensuring the halls can be reached by public transport
• Using halls that have a recycling policy
• Promoting awards that both enhance and encourage better practice in the industry: Green Meetings Award, Green Exhibitor Award and the Commitment to the Community Award.
   

Environmental Partners
IMEX works very closely with the following organisations to ensure that the meetings industry is kept up to date with environmental practices - GMIC, Green Global Village, Give Instead of Take, Louise Hall Reider and Co, Positive Impact and the Wuppertal Institute.

Environmental Research
IMEX carries out regular research on green issues in the meetings industry.

Environmental Initiatives at IMEX
Each year IMEX introduces new green initiatives to strengthen its green credentials. To date initiatives include:

• The badge lanyards will be supplied by if Solutions and will be made from plant silk, an organic material manufactured from the waste stems of grain crops. No chemicals are used in the process and the fabric is biodegradable.
• The use of hydroelectricity for all power during the exhibition including build-up and breakdown. In 2009 IMEX will be the first trade show in the meetings industry to offer green energy - hydroelectric power - to its exhibitors.Recycled and recyclable paper badges coated in corn-starch laminate.
• Recycled and recyclable luggage tags coated in corn-starch laminate.
• An anti-idling policy for IMEX buses.
• The use of bio-diesel buses for 20% of the hosted buyer transfers.
• Reusable recyclable polypropylene visitor bags and jute bags for Association Day.
• Encouraging hosted buyers to travel by train where possible.
• The IMEX Green Awards – including the Green Supplier Award – presented at the IMEX Gala Dinner.
• A waste reduction programme, which resulted in a saving of 34 tons during the 2008 show, a reduction of 20% on the output in 2007. Even more waste is expected to be saved in 2009.
• 95% polypropylene carpets are used in the exhibition hall. Polypropylene is a derivative of oil and is recyclable. The IMEX carpets are recycled following the show and made into either carpet again or other polypropylene products.
• All coffee and tea provided in seminar rooms will be fair trade and sugar will be provided in sugar bowls instead of in individual packaging.
  

Visitors, exhibitors and hosted buyers can contribute to making IMEX even more environmentally friendly by:

• Using the Frankfurt walking map published in the IMEX Show Guide and Floorplan.
• Visiting the Corporate Responsibility Centre to pick up advice on how to make meetings and events greener.
• Using the recycling bins placed throughout the hall.
• Carbon offsetting their flights to Frankfurt.
• Posting their brochures back to the office rather than throwing them away.
  

Recycling at IMEX
86.77% of waste at IMEX 2008 was recycled. The remainder was incinerated, with the energy created by the incineration being used to generate free power for the local community. Waste at IMEX 2008 was reduced by 34 tonnes (20%) from 2007.
 
Most recyclable waste at IMEX derives from paper (brochures, newsletters and other promotional material distributed on stands) and cardboard (from packaging). For 2008, 40 tonnes of paper and 32 tonnes of cardboard waste were recycled.
Cardboard waste is usually made into cardboard boxes. In the Frankfurt region a high percentage is made into shoe boxes so should you purchase a pair of shoes in the city some part of the shoebox may for example come from your very own stand packaging material that you left behind at IMEX.
Paper waste on the other hand is recycled into newspapers. Used locally, our 40 tonnes of recycled paper waste are enough to produce an estimate of 91,000 issues or about a quarter of the daily newspaper supply for the national daily Frankfurter Allgemeinen Zeitung (FAZ).
 
Our aim is to continue to produce as little waste as possible, whether recyclable or not. Help us meet this challenge by:

• Using the recycling bins placed throughout the hall.
• Posting your brochures back to the office rather than throwing them away.

Tips for Green Exhibiting

• Use recycled or consumable products as giveaways
• Do not have gift items made from endangered or threatened species
• Use soy-based ink and recycled paper to produce the materials
• Avoid bringing large quantities of collateral materials - send them on request
• Purchase supplies that have minimal packaging
• Use stands made from sustainable or reusable materials or designed in an environmentally friendly way
• Recycle cardboard, freight boxes, plastic wrappings
• Incorporate indoor air quality principles into displays
• Find out if the organisers have a collection system for leftover food or flowers for the homeless or hospitals
• Ensure you use recycling bins when they are provided
• Use electronic scanners to obtain attendee profiles
• Encourage your stand builder to incorporate their own responsible policies when building stands
• Apply for the IMEX Green Exhibitor Award.