A pioneer in every sense: Koelnmesse GmbH is the first major German trade fair company to receive independent certification according to the ISO 20121 standard for sustainable event management. TÜV Rheinland has thus confirmed the successful introduction of a system that takes into account all relevant sustainability aspects from the planning to the follow-up of each event. ‘We are proud to be a pioneer in the trade fair industry and to show that sustainability is not just a trend, but an integral part of our strategy and daily work,’ says Gerald Böse, CEO of Koelnmesse. The F.A.Z.-Institut has also named Koelnmesse as “pioneer in sustainability 2024” and industry winner in the category of trade fair locations.
As an international standard, ISO 20121 helps to make events ecologically, economically and socially sustainable. TÜV Rheinland has granted certification according to the recently revised ISO 20121:2024 standard following a comprehensive audit. The auditors evaluated the anchoring of sustainability criteria and corresponding responsibilities in the company's processes - from purchasing, service and technology to sales, human resources, communications and management. An extensive manual documents the processes and goals that have been defined. This should further consolidate sustainable practices and make progress more verifiable. Mandatory training for employees and regular audits ensure long-term effectiveness.
‘We are proud to be a pioneer in the trade fair industry and to show that sustainability is not just a trend, but an integral part of our strategy and daily work.’
‘We congratulate Koelnmesse on its successful ISO 20121 certification. This certificate confirms the commitment to sustainable event management and compliance with high standards in the areas of the environment, society and economy,’ says Markus Dohm, Executive Vice President at TÜV Rheinland. ’The ISO 20121 specifications help organisations to continuously improve processes, act responsibly and optimise sustainability throughout the entire event cycle. We are pleased that we were able to support Koelnmesse, a pioneer in the trade fair industry, with our expertise in the field of sustainability.’
The ISO system aims to reduce the negative environmental impacts of events and promote positive effects in the areas of environmental, social and governance (ESG for short). Koelnmesse has set itself ambitious goals, not least to make the entire company and its own events climate-neutral from 2030.
The ISO certificate also helps to differentiate the company: ‘By continuously developing our sustainability strategy and making progress, we are strengthening our competitiveness in the global market,’ says Christian Glasmacher, Head of Corporate Development and Sustainability at Koelnmesse. ‘The ISO certification system helps us to implement innovations, further optimise our processes and constantly improve.’
A recent study shows that Koelnmesse is already perceived as a pioneer among German trade fair venues: in November 2024, the consulting firm ServiceValue and the F.A.Z.-Institut named Koelnmesse ‘Pioneer in Sustainability 2024’ in the trade fair venue category. The basis for the assessment was an AI-supported reputation analysis of around 15,000 companies in several hundred million online sources between October 2022 and October 2024, including news sites, social media channels, blogs, forums and more.
Five of Koelnmesse's current sustainability measures:
Electricity: Koelnmesse purchases 100 per cent green electricity and operates the largest inner-city photovoltaic system in Cologne on its roofs. By the end of the year, we will increase our solar power capacity to three million kilowatt hours per year, thereby saving 1,850 tonnes of CO2 annually.
Heating: Together with E.ON and RheinEnergie, Koelnmesse is converting the heating supply for the entire exhibition centre to fossil-free energy from groundwater by 2028. This alone will save us around 5,800 tonnes of CO2 per year.
Energy savings: By modernising our ventilation systems and using LED lighting, we save between 50 and 80 per cent of the electricity used to operate our exhibition halls.
Traffic: With our digital logistics management eSlot, we control the efficient handling of 50,000 trucks per year, thus massively reducing traffic jams, CO2 emissions, noise and pollution around our premises. Our NUNAV app does the same for car traffic by smartly guiding visitors to the right car park or directly to our e-charging stations.
Waste: At the trade fairs themselves, Koelnmesse avoids large amounts of waste, for example, by ensuring that by 2030, 80 per cent of sustainable system stand construction will be made from reusable materials and that 100 per cent of floor coverings will be recycled.
Find out more about Koelnmesse here.