Slowly but steadily, the trade show and events industry is taking tangible steps towards a more sustainable future, and making it easier for brands to meet their sustainability goals, or just be more responsible exhibitors, because it’s the right thing to do. Suppliers are putting systems in place that are becoming industry standards. Environmentally friendly choices don’t immediately mean higher prices. The tide is shifting.
Here’s what’s happening on the sustainability front right now, and how it can help your exhibit program.
1. Ask better questions in RFPs.
The Exhibitor Advocate has recently launched the Sustainability Sourcing Compass, an open-source, free tool that equips exhibit and event professionals with the foundational knowledge and ready-to-use, customizable language to make sustainability part of the procurement process.
Developed and written in partnership with Reduce 2, it’s built to align with best practices from key industry leaders, including The Guidance for Sustainable Exhibition Stand Construction by industry organizations, like the Exhibit Designers and Producers Association (EDPA). Exhibitors can look up a project, such as sourcing a new exhibit build or a hotel room block, and see suggestions to articulate the sustainability needs and hold suppliers accountable with legally sound contract language.
“The more we start asking these questions and including them in RFPs and RFIs, the better it will make our industry, and make it easier for all of us to move forward with our sustainability efforts,” says Glenda Brungardt, Exhibitor Advocate board member and a former global event manager at HP.
2. Rethink booth construction.
For CES 2025, HERE chose a fully modular aluminum system with thin, rigged wall structures to reduce the amount of steel and structural material, and analyzed the carbon footprint impact for every booth element. The new thought process is paying off.
“We’ve done a lot of work analyzing the reduction of impact versus cost increase. You start reducing your impact and the costs start going up. But there’s a big chunk of this process where you start to make smarter decisions. You become more efficient,” says Julien Le Bas, global head of sustainability and executive creative director at HERE’s agency partner, Jack Morton Worldwide. “There’s a bit of a problem in the industry where everyone thinks, ‘Oh, if we make that sustainable, it will cost more,’ but the data shows that’s not the case. Maybe, the first question should be, ‘Do you need to make it?’ And then if you do, what about looking at it in a different way.”
This year, HERE’s cost per square foot was significantly lower than in previous years, as was the carbon footprint.
3. Roll out the sustainable carpet.
Flooring has traditionally been a major contributor to trade show and event waste. Some 85.5 million pounds of carpet are sent to landfills every year. Flooring supplier Brumark set out to change that—and help exhibitors exhibit greener without any additional efforts—by rolling out a recovery and recycling program that retrieves carpet, padding and flooring waste and converts it into fuel, padding and landscape products. So far, it has diverted more than 303,300 pounds of flooring from landfills. Participants receive a Certificate of Responsible Diversion, stating how much volume was diverted and what method of diversion was utilized for each project.
4. Choose local.
Sourcing locally doesn’t have to be more expensive and complicated, as the common belief goes. Platforms such as Cureate Connect bring together local vendors with businesses and organizations that want to support small businesses that align with their values, and deliver a better experience for their attendees. “Ask yourself, who and what do we empower with every purchase?” says Kim Bryden, ceo and founder of Cureate. Oftentimes, locally sourced options can be price-comparable—and certainly more delicious—than frozen muffins from a megastore.
5. Recycle and upcycle for unique swag.
All those banners and billboards can live new lives as custom swag and gifts that will make a sticky impression and be good for the planet.
Numo, a promotional products supplier, is seeing an increasing demand for its upcycling program where assets such as banners, billboards and tablecloths left over from trade shows are transformed into totes, pouches and hats—creating truly unique and responsible pieces that put companies’ values straight into the hands of their customers or employees. Case in point: A software company Commonsku asked to turn vinyl tablecloths from its SkuCon event into “Busy Bee” pouches and made them into memorable gifts for event attendees, while Louisville Urban Music Festival banners gave an encore performance as laptop sleeves and “tech tacos” that keep cords organized.
For more info on activating with environmental responsibility in mind, check out EM’s ongoing sustainability coverage.
