”The German trade show industry will be climate neutral by 2040,” claimed a press release from AUMA (German Association of the Exhibition and Trade Show Industry) this week. According to the statement, by 2025 at the latest, German trade shows will be powered by 100 percent green electricity. As early as next year, the German trade show industry will make sustainability a requirement in tenders with its industry partners. These three and six other goals were set by the 69 organizers, associations and hosts of trade shows in Germany organized in the umbrella organization, AUMA, at their recent annual conference in Berlin.
Even in the past two years without trade shows, the organizers invested around €150 million, including in the modernization of hall illumination and the expansion of e-mobility. German trade show companies alone plan to invest more than €450 million in refurbishment and modernization over the next three years. Further investments are expected from exhibitors, stand builders and service partners.
Another part of the industry agreement: A portfolio for sustainable booths will be available in the respective area in the future. An incentive system is also to be developed for exhibitors to opt for reusable booths. The economical use of water, the further revegetation of trade show venues, the reduction of CO2 emissions through the bundling of trade show logistics and improved travel options to and from trade shows by public transport are additional topics, as are a greater range of organic products in catering and the avoidance of food waste.
The target agreement has been developed under the leadership of AUMA since fall 2021 with more than 30 experts from trade show companies and associations. The industry paper also builds on the results of several workshops and member surveys. AUMA’s executive board has unanimously approved the paper.
