Best Practices for Conducting Sustainable Meetings
Whether it is the European Congress of Radiology (ECR), the European Respiratory Society (ERS) Congress, the corporate meeting of Hewlett Packard Enterprise or the United European Gastroenterology Week (UEG Week), these and numerous other events all share the common goal of reducing the carbon footprint of their event. Social aspects are also playing an increasingly prominent role when it comes to organizing meetings and conferences.
A number of sustainability initiatives can already be found at many of these events. These include, for example, choosing a congress center or other venue that is certified with the Austrian Ecolabel. When it comes to selecting cooperation partners, preference is given to certified companies. Efforts are also directed towards reducing the consumption of print products and using recyclable materials. Participants are also often encouraged to use public transport to travel to and from the event and within Vienna. Information on hotels and other accommodation with environmental certification in the immediate vicinity of the venue is also provided to participants.
Additional specific sustainability measures may also be adopted, depending on the event, examples of which are outlined below.
European Congress of Radiology
The European Congress of Radiology (ECR) was first awarded the Austrian Ecolabel in 2014. As one of the largest annual congresses at Meeting Destination Vienna - and the largest officially certified green congress - ECR has continually implemented further sustainability measures over the years. The focus on green energy at the Austria Center Vienna significantly reduces the congress's carbon footprint. This is complemented by enhanced waste management and partnerships with environmentally certified caterers. The annual congress of the European Society of Radiology also focuses on sustainability in terms of mobility and encourages participants to use public transport.
In 2025, ECR will set new sustainability standards under the motto "Planet Radiology," with even greater focus on eco-friendly practices. For the first time, there will be a cooperation with the Austrian Federal Railways. Numerous additional initiatives will be announced up to the start of the congress.
Congress of the European Respiratory Society
The annual congress of the European Respiratory Society (ERS) took place in Vienna in early September 2024. Around 18,000 of the world’s leading experts in respiratory diseases gathered at this event to discuss the latest medical findings.
The European Respiratory Society and the European Lung Foundation (ELF) launched projects with a socially sustainable impact, referred to as "legacy projects", to raise awareness of lung health among the population and promote early detection and prevention. One of the initiatives of the joint "Healthy Lungs for Life" public awarness campaign involved offering two days of free lung function tests in Vienna. The other was for representatives of the two organizations to visit three schools in Vienna. During these visits, pupils were taught about the topic of lung health. A charity run was also organized, with the money raised benefiting the “Healthy Lungs for Life” campaign.
If you would like to organize a legacy project at your event, the Vienna Convention Bureau will be happy to support and advise you.
Hewlett Packard Enterprise Employee Event
Information technology company Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) held its first employee event in the form of a Green Meeting at the beginning of October 2024. The event was certified by the Vienna Convention Bureau. Environmental sustainability is an important priority for HPE. A major step in this direction was taken by obtaining Austrian Ecolabel certification for the event. The Hilton Vienna Park was chosen as the venue, which, as an environmentally certified hotel, implements many initiatives to promote greater sustainability. No additional venues were chosen for the evening program, as this would have made the planning unnecessarily complex.
In order to make the meeting sustainable, the 600 participants were given information about the green event and the most important key points before the start of the meeting. Free tickets for the City Airport Train (CAT) were provided for the environmentally friendly journey by public transport from the airport to the venue. During the event, attention was paid to efficient technology, accessibility and regional food, among other things, and print products were deliberately avoided. Furthermore, the Matusya project in Vienna, a humanitarian aid center for refugee women and children from Ukraine, was supported with donations in kind.
HPE can give the following tip to other companies who also want to hold a Green Meeting in Vienna: "Start planning early and appoint a person from the event team who can devote their full attention to it."
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Video of Hewlett Packard Enterprise Distribution Partner Conference 2024
United European Gastroenterology Week (UEG Week)
UEG Week took place from 12 to 15 October 2024, bringing together around 12,000 participants from the field of gastroenterology at the environmentally certified Messe Wien Exhibition & Congress Center. Although the conference itself was not certified as a Green Meeting, the organizers were mindful of sustainability and took various measures to make the meeting more environmentally friendly.
UEG Week initiatives included reducing the amount of printed material, disposable items and plastic used in catering and packaging. Recycled materials were favored when it came to selecting conference bags and lanyards. The organizers also encouraged participants to travel by train if possible and to use public transport in the city.
Other focus points included digital displays of scientific posters and a virtual platform where interested parties could view live sessions after the event. Subtitles were provided in 11 languages to make the conference as inclusive as possible.
