(Pictured: A group of UFI members met in Paris in September to discuss the European Union’s Waste Framework Directive.)
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 organizers, 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 www.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 prioritizing 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 percent 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,” says UFI President Mary Larkin. “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.”
The program of the UFI 9th Forum on Sustainability, a special UFI event on the issue scheduled in Paris on 13-15 May 2020 will include discussions with experts on UNSDGs.
The Global Association of the Exhibition Industry: UFI is the leading global trade association of the world’s tradeshow organizers and exhibition center operators, as well as the major national and international exhibition associations, and selected partners of the exhibition industry. UFI’s main goal is to represent, promote and support the business interests of its members and the exhibition industry. UFI directly represents around 50,000 exhibition industry employees globally, and also works closely with its 54 national and regional association members. Over 800 member organisations in 87 countries around the world are presently signed up as members. More than 900 international trade fairs proudly bear the UFI approved label, a quality guarantee for visitors and exhibitors alike. UFI members continue to provide the international business community with a unique marketing media aimed at developing outstanding face-to-face business opportunities. For more info, visit www.ufi.org.
