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 the CO₂ emissions of 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. 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 CO₂ emissions. That is why it is all the more important for us to set as many levers in motion as possible to make IFAT Munich successively more sustainable.
- Exhibition Director IFAT Munich
- IFAT Munich
Sustainability. The measures of IFAT Munich.
As the largest international platform for the environmental technology industry, we support our trade visitors in dealing sustainably with the environment, climate and resources. We also take action ourselves - and translate our sustainability claim into concrete measures. Whether mobility, catering, use of materials, waste avoidance, disposal or emission reduction - we are already taking action here:
- We dispense with aisle carpets and thus save over 40,000 m² of carpet material.
- For our stages, the Start-Up Area and all other IFAT Munich areas, we pay attention to the most sustainable, resource-conserving stand construction possible through various measures by our stand builders. Further information can be found at meplan and Arno Design.
- We try to give reusable materials a second life by reusing and upcycling them in cooperation with initiatives such as Trash Galore and Reciclage.
After IFAT Munich 2024, for example, 153kg of material (textiles and plastic) was passed on to a local initiative and 57m² of banner material was reprocessed into advertising material. We want to continuously increase these figures in the future. - To save paper, we are constantly trying to reduce our print circulation and increase the use of digital formats, for example through our IFAT Munich app, digital info points and our website.
- In order to be able to use reusable cups and bottles, we offer free water stations on the exhibition grounds.
- In order to return recyclable materials to the economic cycle, we recycle the waste resulting from construction and dismantling as commercial waste. By revising its waste management strategy, Messe München also aims to ensure that even more of the waste generated is returned to material flows and recycled and disposed of in a professional and resource-conserving manner in the future.
- At IFAT Munich 2024, the total amount of waste generated during the set-up and dismantling phases as well as during the trade fair were analyzed and measured. The sorting analysis shows that the recycling rate is already at 70%. This rate is to be further increased through the further development of the disposal concept.
- A central maxim that guides the actions of our catering partners Able and Käfer is sustainability with the principle of “avoid instead of compensate”. By working with local suppliers and focusing on seasonal products as well as measures against food waste, they help to reduce environmental impact and promote sustainable business management.
You can find more information on the specific measures here.
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.
- Talk to your stand constructor about resource-saving stand construction options. 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.
- Climate-conscious 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 sustainability 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
- Did you know that your IFAT Munich ticket includes free use of public transportation? We promote low-emission travel by integrating the use of public transport in all exhibitor passes and visitor tickets.
- You can also use the IFAT Munich Rail Special event ticket for more environmentally friendly travel by rail.
- To reduce the number of individual cab journeys, we offer an airport shuttle service during the trade fair that takes you directly from the airport to the exhibition grounds.
- Networking on arrival - carpooling is not only more entertaining, but also reduces the volume of traffic.