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IMEX Sustainability                      

Help make IMEX even more Environmentally Friendly, IMEX's Green Suppliers, IMEX Sustainability Hub, Environmental Research

 

 

 

 

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.

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.

 

Our Sustainable Aims and Initiatives

  • IMEX has a Green Team for exhibitors, hosted buyers and visitors.
    • The aim is to reduce waste, to increase awareness through environmental educational sessions and to encourage exhibitors to switch to hydroelectricity for their stands at the exhibition.
  • 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.
  • Badge-Back Legacy Programme.
    • New for IMEX 2012 we will run a 'badge back' legacy programme. 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 is a non-profit NGO (non government organisation) who 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 will provide 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. is 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.

'Share your Spares' USB recycling.

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

Encouraging 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. This made carbon savings of 21 tonnes in 2011.
  • Using bio-diesel buses for 20% of hosted buyer transfers and operating an anti-idling policy for all buses.
  • Ensuring the exhibition can be reached by public transport.

Recycling materials produced by IMEX, wherever possible.

  • Using halls that have a recycling policy - 88.5% of waste at IMEX was recycled in 2011. The remainder was incinerated, with the energy created being used to generate free power for the local community.
  • 95% recyclable polypropylene carpets are used in the hall.
  • Badge lanyards are made from plant silk, a biodegradable, sustainable, organic material manufactured from the waste stems of grain crops.
  • We use recycled and recyclable paper badges and luggage tags coated in corn-starch laminate.
  • We provide reusable, recyclable polypropylene visitor bags and jute bags for Association Day.
  • Using recyclable, recycled or sustainable source paper, whenever possible when producing IMEX materials.
  • Collecting flowers after the show for homes and hospitals.

Reducing paper consumption in the office and on site.

Using energy efficient exhibition halls and using hydroelectricity for all power during the exhibition including build-up and breakdown.

  • IMEX was the first trade show in the meetings industry to offer hydroelectricity to exhibitors.
  • The use of hydroelectricity in 2011 made savings of 36 tonnes of CO2 emissions.

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, presented at the IMEX Gala Dinner.

Ensuring venue food and beverage providers use china and washable cutlery wherever possible.

  • All coffee and tea provided in seminar rooms is fair trade and sugar is provided in bowls instead of in individual packaging.

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Help make IMEX even more Environmentally Friendly

Whether you are exhibiting at or visiting the show you can help us make IMEX more environmentally friendly by:

  • Taking part in 'Badge-Back' and voting with your badge when leaving the show for one our legacy charities.
  • Donating your spare USB sticks at the show, which we will send to schools in India for re-use.
  • Using the Frankfurt walking map published in the IMEX Show Guide and Floorplan.
  • Join the IMEX Green Team
  • Visiting the Sustainability Hub at the show to pick up advice on how to make meetings and events greener.
  • Using the recycling bins placed throughout the hall.
  • Carbon offsetting your flights to Frankfurt or travelling by train.

Exhibitors can also:

  • Apply for the IMEX Green Exhibitor Award.
  • Use recycled or consumable products as giveaways and avoid giveaways made from endangered or threatened species.
  • Use hydroelectricity.
  • Use soy-based ink and recycled paper to produce any promotional material and reduce the amount of material brought to the show.
  • Purchase supplies that have minimal packaging and recycle any cardboard, freight boxes or plastic wrappings.
  • Use stands made from sustainable or reusable materials or designed in an environmentally friendly way.
  • Incorporate indoor air quality principles into displays.
  • Use the collection system for leftover flowers for homes and hospitals.
  • Use the badge scanners to obtain visitor profiles.
  • Look out for this symbol when ordering supplies from the IMEX online exhibitor manual, which indicates eco-friendly products.

 

 

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IMEX's Green Suppliers

IMEX works with several green suppliers:

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The IMEX Sustainability Hub

IMEX Sustainability Hub

Environmental and Sustainability Hub Partners

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Environmental Research

IMEX carries out regular research on green issues in the meetings industry. View the latest research on the Global Data Exchange.

 

"IMEX's green initiatives mark it as a kind of environmental conscience for the industry"

Hanna Grey

THA Group, UK

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