Our position. Sustainable and innovative. By conviction.
Sustainability – our path to the future
Being part of our society, we, Messe München, are dedicated to our social and ecological responsibilities. Therefore, sustainability is an integral part of our corporate strategy.
For this purpose, we have developed a sustainability strategy tailored to the exhibition industry. As part of our holistic sustainability program, we continuously initiate projects, which aim to reduce greenhouse gas emissions for Messe München.
Sustainability is not a trend. It is our future.
No major event can be one hundred percent sustainable. Nevertheless, the aim must be to act as sustainably as possible and to make as many adjustments as possible. We are aware of this responsibility and hope to motivate others through our commitment and our measures. Let's tackle the issue of sustainability together. Consistently. Continuously. Constructively.
As the largest international platform for the environmental technology industry, resource awareness, sustainability and climate protection are in the DNA of IFAT Munich. Of course, we are also aware that an event of this magnitude entails unavoidable greenhouse gas emissions. That is why it is all the more important to us to gradually make IFAT Munich more sustainable with our measures.
- Exhibition Director IFAT Munich
- IFAT Munich
Sustainability. The measures of IFAT Munich.
As the largest international platform for the environmental technology industry, we see it as our responsibility not only to promote sustainable change, but also to actively shape it. To live up to this claim, we have defined four key areas of action in which we are continuously working to make IFAT Munich more sustainable and thus generate even more positive impact. They form the basis for our commitment to sustainability—strategic, measurable, and impact-oriented.
We promote alternatives to individual travel and are switching to 100% vegetarian catering on our own premises and at some of our own events associated with the trade fair.
- Sustainable catering on our own premises
We deliberately design the food on offer on our own premises to be vegetarian, seasonal, and regional. - Responsible catering at our own events
We are also increasingly focusing on meat-free and organic options at some of our own events related to IFAT Munich, following the recommendations of the German Nutrition Society (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Ernährung e.V.). - Partnership with Käfer & Able: “Avoid rather than compensate”
Together with our catering service providers Able and Käfer, we pursue the principle of avoiding emissions as much as possible—through local supply chains, seasonal products, and measures against food waste. - Promotion of public transport
With offers such as the DB event ticket and free use of the MVV public transport system via the trade fair ticket, we are creating incentives for visitors to travel by public transport. - Camping site near the trade fair
With our IFAT Munich Camper Base located directly at the exhibition grounds, we offer camping pitches that allow visitors to walk to the trade fair.
We are implementing resource-saving measures for all IFAT stand construction and strengthening our digital information offerings.
- No aisle carpeting
By completely eliminating aisle carpeting, we save over 40,000 m² of carpet material per event. - Sustainable stand construction on our own areas
At our stages, the Startup Area, and other IFAT Munich areas, we are working with our partners meplan and Arno Design to ensure resource-efficient stand construction—for example, through the use of modular, reusable construction elements and the targeted reduction of materials. - Second life for materials
In cooperation with initiatives such as Trash Galore and Reciclage, we promote the reuse and upcycling of trade fair materials. After IFAT Munich 2024, for example, 153 kg of recyclable materials were passed on and 57 m² of banners were processed into advertising materials. - Reduction of print materials
We are continuously reducing our print runs and strengthening digital formats such as the IFAT Munich app, digital info points, and our website. This will enable us to print 20,000 fewer visitor planners for the next IFAT Munich compared to the last event. - Promotion of reusable items
Free water stations are available at our event forums to facilitate the use of reusable beverage containers brought along by visitors.
This area of action aims to promote a holistic understanding of inclusion, diversity, and well-being in the context of IFAT Munich. Even though we are currently still in the development phase, we are working intensively to create and continuously develop an inclusive event environment through targeted analyses and internal training formats.
- Our long-term goal:
Our long-term goal is to develop a comprehensive awareness concept for inclusion, diversity, and well-being that takes all areas of the event into account. - Internal training courses to raise awareness
With a view to the upcoming event, we are planning training courses and workshops to specifically strengthen awareness within our team. - Diversity in the trade fair program
We are reviewing the diversity of our program and would like to expand it in the future in order to better integrate different perspectives and target groups.
By financially supporting climate protection projects through the purchase of GoGreen tickets and highlighting sustainable trade fair concepts through GoGreen Exhibitors, we want to promote incentives for active sustainability commitment. In the future, further impact-oriented measures will be integrated and partnership-based responsibility will be strengthened and anchored in our trade fair operations.
- GoGreen tickets for visitors
By purchasing a GoGreen ticket, we offer trade fair visitors the opportunity to financially support selected climate protection projects, both locally and internationally. - GoGreen Exhibitors as best practice examples
We designate exhibitors who implement a holistic sustainable trade fair concept that takes into account stand construction, stand equipment, and catering as GoGreen Exhibitors. We will highlight them before and during IFAT Munich and emphasize their commitment in our communications to showcase them as role models.
Offers and recommendations for exhibitors and visitors
Sustainability is a mission that we can only achieve together. With various offers and recommendations, IFAT Munich supports all participants in making their participation in the trade fair more environmentally conscious.
Below you will find an overview.
- Talk to your stand builder about modular, reusable construction elements or the targeted reduction of materials in your stand construction. Our partners meplan and EECS.greens® will be happy to provide you with appropriate stand construction solutions.
- Use our waste prevention guide with valuable tips on how to avoid waste through careful planning and design of your trade fair presence.
- Try to avoid give-aways as far as possible.
- Use the GoGreen visitor vouchers to invite your customers to the trade fair and support high-quality climate protection projects with a financial contribution.
- Catering: Reduce meat dishes and rely on regional and seasonal ingredients. Also talk to your caterer about how food waste can be reduced. You can find an overview of the caterers on the exhibition grounds and their measures here.
- Check whether the number of printed advertising materials can be reduced and focus more on digitalization.
- “One trade fair visit avoids five business trips on average!” - according to a recently published study by the Association of the German Trade Fair Industry (AUMA). You should therefore plan your trade fair visit as precisely as possible in advance in order to make the most efficient use of your time on site. The IFAT Munich app is available to you as a practical planning tool.
- You do not need to bring a printed ticket with you! It is sufficient to scan the ticket on your cell phone at the entrance.
- Have you received a lanyard? Feel free to use it for your next visit to the fair. The more often they are reused, the fewer lanyards need to be produced.
- Use the free water stations on the grounds to refill reusable cups and bottles
- Your IFAT Munich ticket is valid as a ticket for public transport throughout the city.
- You can also travel in a more environmentally friendly way with Deutsche Bahn and the IFAT Munich Bahn-Special event ticket.
- If possible, carpool—this reduces traffic and promotes networking even before the trade fair begins.
- Use our airport shuttle for a direct and efficient connection from the airport to the exhibition grounds.