IMEX has long prioritized sustainability as a key goal for its events. But what’s the key to its impressive long-term success?
“Two words that come to mind related to IMEX’s sustainability strategy are highly collaborative and highly consistent,” said Eric Wallinger, director of sustainability at MeetGreen, a sustainable event management agency that has worked with IMEX America since 2011. “Sustainability initiatives, such as implementing a comprehensive material donation program in one of the largest venues in the country, require a high degree of departmental collaboration and communication,” he said. “IMEX really excels at enrolling a range of stakeholders that make closely coordinated initiatives actionable and successful. Internally, IMEX has done a remarkable job instilling a true sense of team collaboration around event sustainability from the highest leadership levels to brand-new hires experiencing their first IMEX event.”
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In addition to collaboration, an ongoing commitment is also crucial for the organization’s success with sustainable events, according to Wallinger. “Consistency is also a key difference maker in what helps set IMEX apart,” he explained. “Change management in event settings is notoriously difficult, but IMEX’s long-term efforts here, as exemplified by 20+ years of rigorous work, have netted an extraordinary body of positive impacts.”
The benefits of ongoing efforts are clear, as evidenced by the recently released sustainability report for IMEX America 2023, which highlights several noteworthy accomplishments:
• IMEX America has been classified as a zero-waste event for the fifth year in a row, with 93 percent of event waste diverted from landfill into organics, material recycling and donation channels.
• 16,079 single-use PET plastic bottles have been eliminated through IMEX America’s plastic reduction initiatives.
• The event was powered by an estimated 132,000 kWh of renewable solar energy, reducing approximately 95.5 metric tons of event emissions.
• 200 pounds of event food was rescued for donation to the Las Vegas community.
• Almost 10,000 pounds of recovered event materials, office supplies and furniture were donated to those in need in Clark County, Nevada.
• 90 percent of event printed signage and banners were returned directly to inventory, recycled or donated.
An Interesting Event Evolution
Making the most of sustainable practices means recognizing that approaches must evolve, Wallinger notes. “Our evolution is a bit like a juggler, starting with one ball, then adding two, and slowly but steadily continuing to add in more, as teams operationalize and successfully execute on our goals and targets,” he said. “It is important to note, despite there being some degree of consistency of our event destination, there has been a remarkable amount of change we are working to navigate each cycle. For example, what is recyclable and compostable in 2024 in Las Vegas has some significant differences from past cycles. We continue to leverage our collective expertise to be sustainability problem solvers.”
Wallinger says that IMEX America attendees can learn a lot by observing the organization’s sustainability initiatives. “Two of the biggest lessons I draw from IMEX America are the power of keeping at something over an extended period of time, and what is possible within an organization when leadership helps make sustainability efforts a key organizational priority,” he said.
He also offers tips for meeting and event planners who’d like to up their own sustainability efforts. “In terms of practical actions, one of the easiest and best ways to get started is to simply keep a line-item on your planning agenda during key meetings to ask ‘what are we doing to help make our event more sustainable?’” he said. “This recurring question, if repeated over time, will embed itself into your team culture and begin to gain a momentum of its own. Next steps will spring from it, helping enable progress and making the pathway forward more clear, inspiring and impactful.”