Imex Group has revealed a new volunteer CSR initiative set to take place in Las Vegas the day before IMEX America 2016 opens.
The MeetGreen Sustainability Report for IMEX America 2015 shows that concerted sustainability actions by hosted buyers, visitors, exhibitors and the organizing team continue to make a difference, reducing both waste and the environmental footprint of the show.
This latest CSR Imex initiative was released just before the United Nations World Environment Day, on June 5. World Environment Day is marked by the UN to continue to bring global awareness to green interests like sustainable cities, the importance of bees in our world, wildlife preservation and much more. It also continues to drive forward the historic 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development adopted by world leaders in September 2015 at an historic UN Summit.
In the spirit of this global movement, Garbage Grabbers – Clean Up in Las Vegas is a new project in which IMEX America is working with the Outside Las Vegas Foundation, the premier volunteer coordination group for nature and the outdoors in southern Nevada.
On October 17 , volunteers attending the Imex week will be invited to join Imex America staff and Las Vegas residents in an organized clean-up of walking trails and parks. Everyone who would like to join the Garbage Grabbers should email milda.salciute@imexexhibitions.com
Carina Bauer, CEO of the Imex Group, said: “We’re thrilled to be launching this new project, which gives a fresh dimension to our legacy work in Las Vegas. It naturally complements our existing partnerships with The Shade Tree and Opportunity Village and gives industry volunteers a brand new way to show their love of the environment while, hopefully, making lifelong friends and new business connections.”
MeetGreen Sustainability Report Highlights
Driving Imex’s interest in helping to reduce waste and build cleaner spaces were results from the MeetGreen Sustainability Report from Imex America 2015 where waste per participant was reduced by a substantial 13 per cent year-over-year. Energy use was also cut by 5 per cent, while paper use was down 12 per cent.
According to the MeetGreen Calculator of Overall Event Sustainability, Imex America’s current score of 76.5 per cent [2011: 49.8 per cent] puts the trade show in the top six of 33 comparable events monitored by MeetGreen.
The main results of the report are summarised in this infographic.
Environmental sustainability commitments covering both Imex in Frankfurt and Imex America include:
- Badge Back – at the end of the show, buyers and exhibitors can place their badge in one of two boxes. Each box represents a local charity – The Shade Tree, a shelter for homeless and abused women and children; and Opportunity Village, Nevada’s largest not-for-profit organization providing vocational training, employment and arts-based programmes for people with intellectual disabilities. Every recycled badge triggers a financial donation. In addition, 1,407 badges were collected last year and donated to the Teacher’s Exchange.
- Clean the World – show participants are invited to recycle toiletries gathered from participating hotels. At the booth, attendees gather to build hygiene kits to be donated to The Shade Tree shelter.
- Inspiration Hub – education on the show floor’s Inspiration Hub will again feature a variety of sessions addressing sustainability practices in the meetings and events industry.
To read further details about sustainable activities at Imex America and to download the 2015 Sustainability Report
Hosted buyer applications for IMEX America are now open.
