IMEX sets sustainability sights high

image courtesy of IMEX | eTurboNews | eTN
image courtesy of IMEX

As environmental factors take their place for events, IMEX America is due to shine a stronger light than usual on sustainable event practices.

IMEX America 2021 sustainability report released ahead of October show

Record high temperatures, wildfires and flooding – recent weeks have delivered a stark reminder of the increasing impact of climate change. As environmental factors take their place alongside budget and resource restrictions for event professionals, IMEX America is due to shine a stronger light than usual on sustainable event practices.

Each year IMEX America, which takes place next October 10 – 13 2022, is improved by the findings and recommendations of an independently verified annual sustainability impact report. The report makes public the show’s energy use, F&B, materials consumption and reuse, community impact and more.

Prepared by sustainability partners, MeetGreen, the report also benchmarks each edition of IMEX America against industry best practice such as EIC’s Sustainable Event Standards. Following Earth Overshoot Day on 28th July, the sustainability report for IMEX America 2021 has been released.

Achievements detailed in the report include:

• The show achieved its highest landfill diversion rate to-date of 95%. This along with recycling, composting and donation efforts meant the show achieved the industry threshold for a ‘zero-waste event’

• 100% of carbon emissions from host venue MGM convention center were offset 

• Waterwise, carbon emissions menu coding and expanded plant-based options helped reduce carbon impact and water usage

• Efficiencies gained in carpet management meant only 1% of carpet was sent to landfill; the rest was either returned to inventory or recycled

• The IMEX team experimented with new materials in some areas of the show such as Neenah conVerd paperboard and 100% polypropylene carpets

These achievements have been recognized by the industry – IMEX America has been awarded MeetGreen’s Visionary award for sustainability. The award recognizes organizations that “lead within their own industry, prioritize measurement and work to move the sustainability dial. Research and develop new initiatives to improve environmental performance and use their buying power to drive change with venues and vendors.”

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Carina Bauer, CEO of the IMEX Group, explains: “At IMEX, we’ve always set our sustainability sights high – for everything we do, we look at ways we could do it more sustainably and more regeneratively. This can only be achieved by robust measurement, and we’ve partnered with MeetGreen since the launch of IMEX America to evaluate our efforts and challenge ourselves to do better each year. We’re also proudly committed to the Net Zero Carbon Events initiative and will publish our pathway to net zero by the end of 2023.

“Our show is designed to recognize and champion all areas of sustainability – we know that event professionals are keen to learn more about how they can implement planet-friendly practices into their own events. They’re also mindful of their own carbon ‘spend’ both personally and professionally. IMEX America this October has been designed to address those needs head-on as well as providing a high-level, high-value business experience.”

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• The IMEX America 2021 Sustainability Report is free to download and available here.

• More information on how the IMEX Group approaches sustainability can be found here.

IMEX America 2022 takes place at the Mandalay Bay, Las Vegas, and opens with Smart Monday, powered by MPI on Monday, October 10, followed by the three-day trade show October 11-13.

eTurboNews is a media partner for IMEX.

About the author

Avatar of Linda Hohnholz, eTN editor

Linda Hohnholz, eTN editor

Linda Hohnholz has been writing and editing articles since the start of her working career. She has applied this innate passion to such places as Hawaii Pacific University, Chaminade University, the Hawaii Children's Discovery Center, and now TravelNewsGroup.

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