Sustainability

From 2026, many AUMA members will have to report on their sustainability activities for the first time and provide evidence of their commitment in accordance with the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive in their annual report for 2025. In addition to this obligation, the European Green Deal brings with it further regulations, including due diligence obligations in the supply chain and energy efficiency requirements, which pose major challenges for the industry.

The trade fair industry already set itself the goal of becoming climate-neutral by 2040 - five years ahead of Germany's national climate target. A joint sustainability position was formulated based on the experience of many pioneers among the members. Continuous adjustments are necessary to achieve this goal. The next milestone is the widespread use of green electricity, which over 80 per cent of AUMA members are striving for and many have already achieved.

Another important topic is the avoidance of food waste in trade fair catering. Demand-orientated food offerings and reusable crockery reduce the amount of waste. However, only around half of trade fair organisers had a comprehensive sustainability concept for catering at the start of 2024, which is mainly due to the lack of catering services since the coronavirus pandemic.

Sustainability is also becoming a focus in stand construction: less waste, higher recycling rates and reusable materials are key objectives. Multifunctional stands and reusable exhibition furniture not only reduce resource consumption, but also costs. Individuality in stand construction, which characterises the German trade fair industry, remains an important element. Many stand construction companies are already demonstrating how creative and sustainable stand construction can be harmoniously combined.

A guideline for the standardised calculation of emissions when organising trade fairs is now available. The 60-page guideline was developed by the AUMA Sustainability Working Group, in which experts from the German trade fair industry are represented. The aim is to ensure the reliability, comparability and transparency of emissions accounting at trade fairs in Germany.

The German trade fair industry is committed to the sustainability goals of the United Nations as guidelines for its own corporate practice and undertakes to implement the following criteria

Sustainability often starts with simple planning: transport volumes and packaging waste can be reduced through early organisation. It is crucial that everyone involved - from organisers and exhibition construction companies to visitors - plays their part in avoiding waste.

One of the biggest challenges remains the sustainable mobility of participants. Public transport and rail travel must be integrated into the transport concept, and airlines and hotels are also working on sustainable solutions. The first step is to offer participants sustainable travel options and make planning easier.

Trade fairs also offer a unique opportunity to avoid other forms of travel. As industry meetings, they bring together numerous business partners in one place, which means that many other appointments can be held by telephone or virtually. In this way, trade fairs contribute to an overall reduction in travelling and emissions.