25 cases from 14 countries around the world; Five leading areas of best practices identified.
PARIS – UFI – The Global Association of the Exhibition Industry – has updated its database of initiatives and projects from the exhibition industry that support the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations.
This resource showcases work done by organisers, venues, and service providers alike. It was initiated by the UFI Working Group on Sustainability and put together in collaboration with Greenview, a member of this working group. The whole concept was also shared for use by the Joint Meetings Industry Council, to expand the compilation to other segments of the event industry.
The report “The Exhibition Industry and the UN SDGs: Connecting People, Multiplying Impact” is available at ufi.org/unsdg where details of the 25 submissions are also available. These submissions cover the following 14 countries: Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Mexico, Singapore, South Africa, Sweden, the Netherlands, the UK and the US. Each contribution falls in one of the three following categories:
- Type I: Exhibition Theme: How the theme of the exhibition contributes to the SDGs
- Type II: Exhibition Operation: How the operator of the exhibition contributes to the SDGs
- Type III: Company’s Operations: How a company’s operations contribute to the SDGs.
In this collection of 25 case studies, five leading areas of best practices for the exhibition industry were identified:
- Spreading awareness about SDGs and advancing sustainable industries
- Taking consumption seriously and prioritising local suppliers
- Combating waste with collaborative efforts
- Putting it down in ink – stipulating environmental terms in contracts
- Unveiling the secret to affordable and clean energy
Sixty-eight per cent of submissions cited a contribution to SDG 12 on Responsible Consumption and Production. Actions taken include purchasing from local suppliers where possible, reducing the usage of single-use plastic, reducing food wastage through composting or redistribution.
"Making our industry more sustainable in all aspects of the word is vital not only for our future but is also a moral obligation to the survival of our planet. The United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals provide a framework where all businesses can show their respective contributions, and UFI is very happy to position the exhibition industry in this exercise,” says UFI President Mary Larkin.
The programme of the UFI 9th Forum on Sustainability, a special UFI event on the issue scheduled in Paris (France) on 13-15 May 2020 will include discussions with experts on UNSDGs.
Vicky is the co-founder of TravelDailyNews Media Network where she is the Editor-in Chief. She is also responsible for the daily operation and the financial policy. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Tourism Business Administration from the Technical University of Athens and a Master in Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Wales.
She has many years of both academic and industrial experience within the travel industry. She has written/edited numerous articles in various tourism magazines.
