Sustainability – Ilmac

Transportation

We encourage the use of eco-friendly public transportation options for Ilmac 2024 in Lausanne by proactively engaging both visitors and exhibitors and highlighting the benefits of sustainable travel through our newsletters and communications. Lausanne offers excellent connectivity via train, tram, and bus, making the journey to the event site, Beaulieu Lausanne, convenient and environmentally friendly. An added benefit for all visitors is that staying in a hotel in Lausanne overnight includes free public transportation for the region, which facilitates easy travel and exploration within the area. Lausanne is a key station on the Geneva-Zurich line in the French-speaking part of Switzerland, with services every half hour, similar to Bern, Neuchâtel, Fribourg, Sion, Biel, and Basel. From Lausanne station, you can take bus lines 3 and 21 and reach Beaulieu in just 10 minutes. For more information click here!

Booth Construction

At Ilmac, our commitment to sustainability extends to the design and construction of our exhibition booths:

Reusable Graphic Films: We provide graphic printing films for all exhibition booths, including those for startup stands, which are designed for reuse. We encourage exhibitors to select timeless designs and to retain their films post-event for future use.

Catering

At Ilmac, we are taking several steps to enhance the sustainability of its catering services:

• Seasonal and Regional Cuisine: Our catering partner, Paris Zürich, now prioritizes seasonal and regional produce, supporting local agriculture and reducing the carbon footprint associated with food transportation.
• Diverse Dining Options: The event has shifted to primarily offering vegetarian dishes, while also providing meat options, instead of treating them merely as an alternative. This adjustment supports a more sustainable and health-conscious dining experience by promoting the regional and seasonal aspects of both vegetarian and meat dishes.
• Portion Control and Finger Food: Portion Control and Finger Food: To minimize food waste, we are introducing smaller portions and finger foods, allowing attendees to enjoy a variety of tastes while ensuring that food production is more aligned with actual consumption. Additionally, in our ticket shop, we ask both visitors and exhibitors whether they will participate in the Networking Apéro and on which days they plan to attend the Networking Lunch. To minimise food waste, we are introducing smaller portions and finger food at our Networking Apéro.

• Accurate Quantity Planning: By integrating meal planning into the ticketing process, attendees can indicate which days they will be present, allowing for more accurate food preparation and reducing waste while considering the no-show rate.
• Reusable Utensils: In a move away from disposable plastics, we have embraced the use of reusable cutlery and dishes, enhancing the overall sustainability of the event.

Resource Management

As part of our ongoing efforts towards sustainability, Ilmac is committed to minimizing waste and finding eco-friendly solutions. In addition to encouraging waste separation before, during and after the event, we are also exploring innovative ways to repurpose materials used at the exhibition.

Carpet repurposing: we have successfully repurposed exhibition carpets in the past for charitable causes, such as providing it to refugee camps. This year, we are excited to continue this initiative and are looking for interested parties who would like to acquire larger portions of the exhibition carpets for repurposing. If you are interested, please feel free to contact info@ilmac.ch for further details.

Event Materials

At Ilmac, we’re updating our approach to event materials and giveaways to reflect a more eco-conscious stance:

• Our giveaways now include reusable jute bags, promoting a shift away from disposable materials. To cut down on paper, we’ve replaced the traditional pocket guide with a comprehensive digital event app, which provides all necessary information including hall plans and schedules. Get the app here: www.ilmac.ch/en/app
• All event lanyards are collected for reuse or recycling, any unused ones are returned to the supplier, ensuring minimal waste.
• Networking is made more efficient and paperless through digital lead scanning.

Our Approach

We have ambitious objectives. We are incorporating sustainability criteria into our management decisions, internal processes, investments, supply chain, products and services. Our clear governance structure ensures that our processes and practices are fair and transparent.
For more information, click here.