S.Voegele
According to the trade fair organizer Easyfairs, there is no getting around the central role that sustainability, environmental, social, and corporate governance play for society – and, of course, for the industry platform. Stefan Voegele, head of Easyfairs Switzerland, sees this not as a passing trend, but as an obligation.
In his view, "Generation Z," which strives for sustainability, diversity, work-life balance, and social responsibility, needs to be offered more comprehensive "soft" options beyond the visible product offerings at trade fairs. A kind of "game-changer" for attracting talent.
At least the Europe-wide trade fair organizer, known to the logistics scene primarily through "Logistics & Automation" and "Empack", has, according to its own statements, reduced its ecological footprint by a third since 2019.
What is being measured...
In June 2024, Easyfairs published its first annual sustainability report, covering the topics of "act for the future," "act for the planet," "act for society," "act for our people," "tracking our progress," and "governance." The report demonstrates Easyfairs' commitment to transparency, ethical business practices, and responsible social engagement.
Easyfairs signed the "Net Zero Carbon Events" commitment back in October 2021. Voegele: "We have committed to achieving carbon neutrality by 2050 and halving greenhouse gas emissions by 2030. This is the most comprehensive and ambitious measure to combat climate change in the events industry.".
Tree planting campaign
Easyfairs is part of the environmentally and socially conscious companies that support the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Voegele: "We are working to reduce the environmental impact of our events, venues, and offices, and we are helping our communities transition to net-zero consumption." This also includes being a responsible employer.
Following the principle "What isn't measured can't be reduced," accurate benchmarks are established. "Our modular stands," explains Voegele, "are reused from one trade fair to the next and delivered by a stand construction partner, which significantly reduces logistics emissions compared to traditional formats." Easyfairs events are deliberately designed for compactness and typically last no longer than two days. These short durations guarantee a lower carbon footprint than other industry platforms.
Most Easyfairs events are geared towards regional markets and are located close to them. Exhibitors, visitors, and press all benefit from short distances. For Voegele and his team, this isn't just a slogan. "Through digitalization and the use of new technologies like the smart badge, we can significantly reduce paper waste while simultaneously ensuring efficient data exchange.".
Reducing carbon emissions begins with measuring group emissions. In 2023, our assessment showed a 33 percent reduction in the carbon footprint compared to our base year of 2018-2019. In 2023, Easyfairs published its Net Zero Roadmap, outlining five key areas: energy, travel and accommodation, freight and logistics, production and waste, and food and food waste.
One of the strategies in the DA-CH region is to do away with carpets at events. This eliminates the largest source of waste from single-use or one-time-use materials.
Furthermore, a very special environmental incentive was introduced. Instead of the usual repeat booking gift, exhibitors at the Maintenance Switzerland, Pumps & Valves Zurich, Aqua Suisse, Empack, and Logistics & Automation trade fairs in Zurich and Bern received a tree planting certificate from MyBluePlanet. To date, Easyfairs has planted over 200 new trees in Zurich and Bern. Event manager Voegele commented: "Experiencing the enthusiasm and commitment of our exhibitors was remarkable and encouraging. The team was highly motivated to tackle the tree planting initiatives and put their promises into action." This is not something to be taken for granted and gives us further reason to be optimistic.
In promoting community growth, supporting decarbonization, fostering innovation, start-ups and entrepreneurship, and promoting solidarity, long-term partnerships are also being established with selected charities.
In terms of diversity, equality, and inclusion, Easyfairs fosters a culture that highly values diversity and inclusivity. With the slogan "Boost your future," the Easyfairs Academy promotes a culture of lifelong learning and accelerates professional development. "We offer a wide range of blended learning methods. Easyfairs continuously invests in the Academy and encourages its employees to learn from day one. Learning opportunities are available for every position and every topic.".
Easyfairs organizes events in 11 countries with 820 employees of diverse nationalities. This diversity fosters a global perspective, which significantly enhances the group's innovative capacity and generates creative brilliance. Voegele: "Diversity, equality, and integration play a major role for us." Incidentally, Easyfairs is a women-oriented company, with women comprising 62 percent of its workforce in 2023 and achieving near gender parity in its management team, which is 46% female.
All images: Easyfairs
A KPI tracker helps monitor progress using twelve ESG performance indicators (KPIs). The tracker not only provides an overview of the status and achievement level of each KPI, but also shows Easyfairs' contribution to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
In 2021, Easyfairs appointed its first Chief Sustainability Officer. "We believe in working with integrity, fostering trust, and ensuring accountability in our business practices." For its efforts, Easyfairs consistently wins awards such as the Digital Innovation Award 2024 from the Global Association of the Exhibition Industry (UFI), the "Great Place to Work" award for Germany & Switzerland in 2024/2023, and the Best Managed Companies Award from Deloitte, Econopolis, and KU Leuven.
The Easyfairs Sustainability Report - Download here
