In line with carbon neutrality standards
Because our carbon neutrality is founded on standards, we also have a duty to report on the action we have taken to reduce our carbon footprint. That’s something we’re only too happy to do because we want to be transparent and to highlight how important this issue is.
Messeforum’s carbon neutral stand is based on international standards that define carbon neutrality. The emissions from our business are accurately surveyed and calculated reliably using OpenCO2net Oy’s carbon footprint calculator. This is based on the ISO 14067 standard on the carbon footprint of products.
In line with the standards, we have committed to achieving and maintaining carbon neutrality. We have drawn up a carbon footprint management plan which we update each year in line with current standards. Based on PAS 2060 in the beginning, and now on ISO 14068 standards, we also report every year on the action we have taken to reduce our carbon footprint. You can find the latest report on our website.
All our carbon footprint calculations are verified by OpenCO2net Oy. Thanks to our verified calculations, the stands we produce have been awarded the OpenCO2net Carbon Neutral label. The label is validated by DNV, one of the world’s leading certification bodies. Our customers can use the label and the certificate linked to it to communicate the sustainability of their trade fair participation.
OpenCO2net also checks that the emissions remaining after our own emission mitigation measures are reliably offset with additionality. For offsetting to be considered reliable and effective, it must be based on reliable carbon footprint calculations and must be additive, i.e. it must result in real verifiable emission reductions. Messeforum’s offsetting activities are based on purchasing of emission allowances off from the EU emissions trading market with the help of our partner CO2esto. As a result of our offset purchases, the total number of allowances available on the emissions trading market will decrease. As a result, large European industrial players will be forced to reduce their own emissions because they will no longer have as many allowances available as before. This will inevitably reduce overall emissions in Europe. We have identified this as the only form of compensation that is genuinely and surely effective.
Sustainable development goals
All in all, Messeforum’s values are rooted in social and environmental responsibility and honest and ethical business. The shared wellbeing of humanity as a whole is important to us and we want to shoulder our responsibility for tackling climate change. This is why our product is carbon neutral.
Our operations are guided by the UN’s sustainable development goals. Many of the goals are self-evident for us, and we have always acted in accordance with them. These include the goals of human well-being, equality, employment and economic growth. Our specific priority goal is goal 13 (Climate action), which aims to take active steps to prevent climate change and its impacts. With our activity we want to affect the future wellbeing of our planet by preventing global warming and we believe we can bring a lot to this goal in the field of exhibition business by developing carbon neutrality in the exhibition construction.
We have also signed up to the ten principles of the UN Global Compact on human rights, labour, the environment and anti-corruption, which include the environment, and we report as required by the UN Global Compact. Our next UN Global Compact report will be published this summer. You can find the latest report on our website.
More than 200 carbon neutral exhibition stands
In autumn 2020, we launched the carbon neutral exhibition stand and were the first stand builder in the world to pay attention to carbon footprint of exhibition and trade fair stands in such an active extent. Since then all our exhibition stands are carbon neutral. By the end of 2023, we had built a total of 233 carbon neutral exhibition stands. At the time of writing this blog, the number is approaching 250.
In 2023, the average emissions per sqm built, including travel and accommodation for our stand construction staff and electricity use on the stand, was 48 kg CO2e. This was about 7.7% less than the previous year.
For more information on our carbon neutral exhibition stand and sustainable development, please visit our theme page at carbonneutralstand.eu
