Wednesday, August 14, 2024 IMEX has released a new sustainability report ahead of IMEX America 2023, highlighting both the successes and challenges faced during last year’s event. The report, developed with MeetGreen, offers valuable insights into the environmental strategies implemented at IMEX America 2023, including the event’s classification as a zero-waste event for the fifth consecutive year, with 93% of waste diverted from landfills. Additionally, the report emphasizes the importance of reusing event materials, such as signage, and the successful use of 132,000 kWh of renewable solar energy, which reduced event emissions by approximately 95.
5 metric tons. While celebrating these achievements, the report also addresses areas for improvement, providing actionable tips for event organizers aiming for sustainability in their own events. This transparency is key as the meetings industry increasingly commits to net zero goals by 2024.
As the global meetings industry increasingly aligns with sustainability goals, IMEX America 2023 has set a benchmark by demonstrating practical approaches to achieving net zero emissions. With 78% of global event planners aiming to set net zero goals by the end of 2024, according to the AMEX 2024 Global Meetings and Events Forecast, the drive towards more environmentally responsible events is gaining momentum. Ahead of this year’s IMEX America, scheduled for October 8-10, the IMEX team has released a comprehensive Sustainability Report, produced in collaboration with sustainability consultants MeetGreen®.
The report offers an in-depth look into the environmental strategies implemented during IMEX America 2023, detailing both successes and areas for improvement. The report’s findings are crucial for event organizers who are navigating the often complex journey toward net zero. One of the standout achievements from IMEX America 2023 is the classification of the event as a zero-waste event for the fifth consecutive year.
Remarkably, 93% of event waste was diverted from landfills through composting, material recycling, and donation channels. This includes 4,535 kg of recovered event materials, office supplies, and furniture donated to local charities in Clark County. The report emphasizes the importance of collaboration with host locations to identify and support local organizations that can benefit from surplus materials, whether it’s food, furniture, or plants.
Another significant accomplishment highlighted in the report is the reuse of approximately 90% of all signage and banners, with plans to use them for the next three years. This initiative not only reduces waste but also cuts down on the costs associated with producing new materials for each event. A top tip from the report advises event organizers to remove dates from signage to make them evergreen and reusable year after year.
Energy efficiency was also a major focus, with the event powered by an estimated 132,000 kWh of renewable solar energy. This effort resulted in a reduction of approximately 95.5 metric tons of event emissions, showcasing how renewable energy sources can play a pivotal role in lowering the carbon footprint of large-scale events.
The report encourages organizers to opt for LED lights, solar energy, and energy-efficient equipment wherever possible, and to inquire with venues about the availability of renewable energy options. While the report celebrates numerous successes, it also candidly addresses areas where improvements can be made. The IMEX team acknowledges that the journey to net zero is ongoing and that each event presents new challenges and opportunities for learning.
By sharing these insights, the IMEX Sustainability Report aims to provide valuable guidance for other event organizers, helping them to avoid common pitfalls and adopt best practices that have been proven effective. For example, the report suggests that while waste diversion efforts were successful, there is always room for better tracking and optimization. It also emphasizes the importance of continuous engagement with suppliers to ensure that sustainability goals are met consistently across all aspects of event planning and execution.
The IMEX America Sustainability Report underscores the vital role of collaboration between event organizers, venues, suppliers, and local communities in achieving sustainability goals. By working together, these stakeholders can drive innovation and create more sustainable event models that can be replicated across the industry. Eileen O’Neill, GTR’s Customer Excellence Director, commented on the importance of sustainability in the meetings industry: “We’re always aiming to make travel information clearer, more convenient, and more usable for our customers.
This new calendar function makes it easier to get the big picture of where we know services will be affected by engineering work, well in advance. We’ll keep improving the information this provides and add more useful features to the maps as we develop them.” As the meetings industry continues to embrace sustainability, the lessons learned from IMEX America 2023 serve as a valuable resource for event planners worldwide.
The IMEX team’s commitment to transparency and continuous improvement is a model for how the industry can move closer to net zero while maintaining high standards of service and attendee satisfaction..
