The SCIB was awarded the IMEX Green Exhibitor Award 2010 in recognition of its widespread use of Swiss wood in its stand construction. The wood is a renewable resource and net remover of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. All promotional material used at IMEX was printed carbon-neutral. In addition, all Switzerland Tourism staff, including the stand builders, travelled to Frankfurt by train to reduce carbon emissions. For the transport of materials, SCIB also used trucks booked via the “truck market” to avoid empty runs between Switzerland and Germany. All stand material and printed material was organised to require just one transport run. The stand also made the most of low energy lighting, minimal electricity and locally sourced organic food and beverages.
The IMEX Green Exhibitor Award is designed to highlight the ease with which exhibitors can make their stands, marketing materials and the entire process of exhibiting at IMEX more environmentally-friendly and sustainable. The award is intended to encourage all exhibitors to contribute to IMEX’s waste reduction policies, aiding the IMEX organisers in making the show as environmentally friendly as possible.
Barbra Albrecht, managing director of Switzerland Convention & Incentive Bureau, accepted the Green Exhibitor Award at the Gala Dinner on Wednesday 26th May from IMEX Group Chairman, Ray Bloom. Barbra commented: “This is a fantastic recognition of all the initiatives that Switzerland as a country has taken towards sustainability as well as the environmentally friendly attitude within the activities of Switzerland Tourism and its Convention Bureau."
