IMEX Group has unveiled a transformed Event Sustainability Report for IMEX Frankfurt 2025, offering meeting planners an intensive look into the show’s environmental performance along with actionable guidance for the broader events industry.
The latest report was developed in partnership with isla, the newly appointed sustainability consultants for the Frankfurt exhibition. This year’s edition features a significant increase in data transparency, providing a candid assessment of both successful initiatives and specific areas requiring further improvement. The document is built around the primary objectives of evaluating current programs, refining measurement techniques, and distributing key findings to the global business events community.
A primary addition to the 2025 report is a comprehensive 12-page emissions supplement. This document tracks over 25 data points, including travel, energy, catering, and waste, to provide a granular view of the event’s carbon footprint. To achieve this level of detail, the carbon measurement tool TRACE was integrated across the supply chain, while the Better Stands initiative was fully implemented to audit the sustainability of custom-built booths on the show floor.
Specific highlights from the data reveal significant shifts in attendee behavior and resource management. Vegan options accounted for 67 percent of meals served at IMEX-operated food outlets, a sharp increase from the previous year and notably higher than the current industry average. Waste reduction efforts also saw success through a partnership with Eventpower, which recovered 1.5 tons of carpet for reuse at the Frankfurt City Triathlon.
Carina Bauer, CEO of IMEX, noted that while sustainability has been a foundational element of the show since its 2003 debut, this year represents a fundamental shift in how the organization measures its environmental impact. Bauer stated that gaining a holistic view of emissions has been invaluable, though it has also highlighted the necessity of deeper collaboration across the entire supply chain and with exhibitors. She emphasized that building a sustainable sector requires purposeful action throughout the entire planning cycle rather than just during the event itself.
The full IMEX Frankfurt 2025 Event Sustainability Report and its accompanying emissions supplement are now available for public download HERE
