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.

Exhibitors and hosted buyers are encouraged to participate and get involved through our initiatives.

• Giving Back Programme.

Supporting local charities in the cities and regions where IMEX takes place.In Frankfurt this is done through our Badge Back Programme.

• Badge Back

As participants leave the exhibition we encourage them to recycle their show badge in a designated badge box, each box will represent a legacy project in the local Frankfurt area. For every badge recycled donations will be made to support the project. The supported Frankfurt legacy projects are:

•   Maisha's Sewing Project - Integration for African Women Through Sewing -

a non-profit NGO (non government organisation) which supports African women living in Germany with issues such as health, integration, intercultural communication, language, education, career, dealing with the German authorities, and crisis situations. They encourage African women to become active in their local community whilst still maintaining their culture and background.

The project provides training and earning opportunities to groups of women, teaching them how to sew, with the goal of selling their products to guest houses and small hotels.

For more information please contact: maisha-african-women@gmx.de 

• Lichtblick aktiv Schwester Sigrid e.V.-

a non-profit organisation run by Sister Sigrid Ehrlich, who for over 25 years has devoted her life to helping the poorest and most helpless people in society. Sister Sigrid assisted by the Lichtblick aktiv Schwester Sigrid e.V. succeeded in purchasing a house to provide shelter to the homeless and those in need of accommodation, no matter what their religious beliefs.

The property has since been extended to provide longer term shelter to over 50 people. She has succeeded in helping more than 300 people to move onto an independent life by providing assistance in the search for their own housing as well as their reintegration back into their own families.

Thanks to Poland for sponsoring this programme.

• The IMEX Challenge

A bi-annual CSR initiative designed to give meetings industry professionals the chance to work side by side in a physical challenge that will benefit a host community. The next IMEX Challenge is in 2014.

• 'Share your Spares'

Bring your spare (pre-cleaned) USB sticks to the show and we'lll donate them to schools in India through our NGO partner there.

• Join The Green Team

The aim is to reduce waste, increase awareness through environmental educational sessions and to encourage exhibitors to switch to hydroelectricity for their stands at the exhibition.Exhibitors, hosted buyers and visitor can join IMEX's Green Team

• Responsible travel

• Encouraging attendees to travel by train where possible and offering carbon free train travel to Frankfurt with Deutsche Bahn to all European hosted buyers.
• Using bio-diesel buses for 20% of hosted buyer transfers and operating an anti-idling policy for all buses..

• Recycle

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• Reduce

• Reducing paper consumption in the office and on site.
• Introduce initiatives to try and reduce the waste at IMEX.

• Green Energy

IMEX was the first trade show in the meetings industry to offer hydroelectricity to exhibitors including for the build-up and breakdown. The use of hydroelectricity in 2012 made savings of 36.5 tonnes of CO2 emissions.

• Green Awards

IMEX runs the only Green Awards for the meetings industry: Green Meetings Award, Green Exhibitor Award, Green Supplier Award and the Commitment to the Community Award, are all presented at the IMEX Gala Dinner.