Sustainability for successConferences, conventions & events in Germany

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Germany, as a hub of business, research and high-tech development, is a world leader in numerous industries. We are an innovative force and an international centre of excellence in logistics & transport, energy, environmental protection, healthcare and automotives, to name but a few. A country’s key industries and areas of expertise help determine the format and focus of its business events. International conferences and conventions tend to be hosted in the places where the major companies and research institutes of a particular sector are based. They are important platforms for the exchange of experiences and ideas, fostering innovation, knowledge transfer, education and training.

Germany is up there with the best in the world as a venue for conferences and conventions. In the global country rankings compiled by the International Congress & Convention Asso-ciation (ICCA), Germany occupies second place behind the USA in terms of the number of major international events it hosts.

Conferences, conventions and events are a major economic factor. In 2011, the Meetings and Events Barometer recorded 2.69 million of them – with 323 million attendees – in Germany alone. Germany’s success can be attributed to the value for money that it offers, its broad range of high-end conference hotels, convention centres and event venues, and its re- putation for efficiency and security.

Innovativeness in the increasingly important green meetings sector is another plus point for Germany in the international competition for conferences and conventions. Germany is a major player in many fields of environmental technology and is one of the biggest markets worldwide. Companies across a range of sectors and also the events industry itself have recognised the potential of sustainability for their image and long-term success. Germany is home to the leading providers of event concepts that are eco-friendly, energy-efficient and above all sustainable.

Welcome to Germany. Welcome to the future of business travel and conferences.

Ernst BurgbacherParliamentary State Secretary at the Federal Ministry for Economics and Technology and Federal Government Commissioner for SMEs and Tourism

Ernst Burgbacher, Parliamentary State Secretary at the Federal Ministry for Economics and Technology and Federal Government Commissioner for SMEs and Tourism, talking about green meetings in Germany

Conferences, conventions and events are a major economic factor

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Environmental sustainability is a key topic in the field of business travel and events.

With total revenues of around €66 billion, business travel makes a huge con-tribution to tourism in Germany. Trade fairs, conferences, events and incentives account for around half of all business trips to our country. The latest figures from the German Institute for Economic Research (DIW) show that international business travellers in Germany spend a total of €14.7 billion every year. Clearly, this is an economic sector of great importance.Environmental sustainability is a key topic in the field of business travel and events. According to the German Meetings and Events Barometer, around 65 per cent of event planners think the importance of green meetings will either increase or stay the same. And the conference industry in Germany could not be better prepared. More than a quarter (27.4 per cent) of the conference hotels, congress centres and event venues that were surveyed in Germany have already put in place a management system covering all commercial activities to ensure that their business is run sustainably. 25.6 per cent have had the level of sustai-nability in their business audited by an independent third party, for example as part of Green Globe (GGC), ECOPROFIT or ISO 14001 certification.Germany benefits from a central location in Europe, great road links and out-standing train services. It’s easy to get to and easy to get around, with more than 40 airports, 12,700 kilometres of autobahn and a rail network covering nearly 35,000 kilometres.

Petra Hedorfer

Training of sustainability advisors: So that the idea of sustainability becomes further enshrined in Germany’s con- ference sector, the German Convention Bureau (GCB) is training 500 advisors across the country who will share their extensive knowledge of sustainabili-ty matters with conference and event venues. Funding for the project is being provided by the German Foundation for the Environment. The aim is to optimise the environmental footprint of events and to increase demand for green meetings. Systematic marketing activities are there-fore also part of the project.

‘green meetings and events’ conference:The GCB and the European Association of Event Centres (EVVC) jointly hosted a ‘green meetings and events’ conference in Mainz at the start of March 2011, a sure sign that awareness of sustainable business and climate protection is an im-portant matter for the German meetings, incentives, conferences and events (MICE) sector. Some 400 attendees from across the sector discussed the significance of sustainability for their industry during the two-day conference. Another 200 or so registered participants took part in the first virtual event to accompany the

conference. The next ‘green meetings and events’ conference will take place on 26/27 February 2013 at the darmstadtium in Darmstadt.

Practical support: The GCB offers practi-cal support for arranging green meetings on its website www.gcb.de. It includes an overview of all current certificates and directives that are relevant to the organi-sation of green events.

Welcome to Destination Germany!

“Germany’s high standards when it comes to sustainabi-lity provide the convention and event sector with a crucial competitive edge. By training 500 advisors on sustainable events as part of a project funded by the German Foun-dation for the Environment, we want to help strengthen Germany’s already excellent position in relation to green meetings and ensure that German suppliers can compete successfully in the global market.”

Matthias Schultze, Managing director of the German Convention Bureau (GCB)

Matthias Schultze

Petra HedorferChief Executive Officer German National Tourist Board

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Germany offers numerous locational advantages:• a location in the heart of Europe;• diverse natural landscapes including

forests, coastal regions, hill ranges and the Alps;

• a wide range of cultural attractions, his-torical towns and cities, castles, palaces and museums;

• top health and wellness facilities at more than 320 spa resorts;

• a diverse accommodation structure encompassing everything from small businesses to international chain hotels;

• fantastic opportunities to shop for inter-national brands and protected regional specialities;

• regional and international restaurants that are committed to quality;

• a strong global reputation in the field of art, music and dance;

• a market leading position in the service sector;

• a world-class infrastructure and a superb network of all forms of transport.

For years now, the image of Germany has been going from strength to strength, and the country came second overall in the 2011 Anholt-GfK Roper Nation Brands Index. In this demand-based ranking of 50 countries around the world, Germany achieved a top ten position in all categories:

1. Exports (third place)2. Governance (third place)3. Investment and Immigration (fourth place)4. People (eighth place)5. Culture and Heritage (fifth place)6. Tourism (eighth place)On course for success

Business travel to GermanyFor both private and business travel, Germany is among the most popular destinations in the world. No other country hosts as many flagship trade fairs as Germany, which occupies second place in the world rankings of conference and convention locations. Everything is in place here to cater to the growing global trend for greener, more sustainable events.

Figures from the United Nations World Tourism Organization show that there were nearly 1 billion international arrivals globally in 2011, a number that is set to rise to 1.8 billion by 2030. Europe is the destination market for around 50 per cent of all international arrivals worldwide. According to Eurostat, Germany is the third-largest market within Europe for overnight stays at hotels by domestic and foreign guests and it occupies sixth place for international overnight stays. In 2011, Germany once again outperformed the global average, posting an increase of almost 6 per cent in the number of arrivals and overnight stays in hotels (source: UNWTO). Germany in profile: The Travel & Tourism Competitiveness Report (World Economic Forum, 2011)

Category(Comparison of 139 countries worldwide)

2011 rating(Scale: 1 = low, 7 = high

Health and hygiene 6.8Ground transport infrastructure (road and rail) 6.5Tourism infrastructure 6.3Cultural resources 6.3Safety and security 6.2Education and training 6.0Environmental sustainability 5.8ICT infrastructure 5.7Air transport infrastructure 5.5

Overall index for Germany 2011 5.5

ICCA rankings: international fairs and exhibitions in 2010

Ranking Top 10 in Europe No. of fairs and exhibitions Top 10 worldwide No. of fairs and exhibitions

1 Germany 542 USA 6232 Spain 451 Germany 5423 United Kingdom 399 Spain 4514 France 371 United Kingdom 3995 Italy 341 France 3716 Switzerland 244 Italy 3417 Netherlands 219 Japan 3058 Austria 212 China 2829 Portugal 194 Brazil 27510 Sweden 192 Switzerland 244

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A tradition of sustainability

More information: www.bmu.dewww.dialog-nachhaltigkeit.dewww.erneuerbare-energien.de

Germany is an excellent choice of venue for those concerned about the environ-mental footprint of their meetings. The idea of sustainability has long been at the forefront of public debate and a guiding principle of political action.

National sustainability strategy: The highest standards for environmental protection have long applied in Germany. In 2002, the federal government adop-ted central guidelines for sustainable development aimed at aligning Germany’s economic development with social and ecological needs. Since 2009, for example, any new law or regulation has had to be examined in terms of its expected impact on the environment.

Shift in energy policy: In the first half of 2011, the proportion of electricity genera-ted in Germany from renewable sources rose to more than 20 per cent for the first time. The target of this sea change in energy policy is for a reduction in green-house gas emissions compared to their 1990 levels of 40 per cent by 2020, 55 per cent by 2030, 70 per cent by 2040 and as much as 95 per cent by 2050.

Recycling: In Germany, 61 per cent of waste is now separated and recycled. This figure is set to increase as the economy becomes increasingly self-sustaining in terms of resources.

Building insulation: New buildings in Germany must comply with legal re-quirements for energy efficiency that are among the strictest in the world. This is a very positive factor for the environmen-tal impact of meetings and conferences because these regulations naturally also apply to the construction of venues.

International climate protection: Germany regularly campaigns at interna-tional level for more environmental pro-tection, such as the definition of binding targets for CO2 reductions within the scope of the UN conferences on climate change. Every year, Germany itself ploughs over €30 billion into environmental protection.

“Germany is as well known for sustainable events and conferences as it is for world-leading environmental technologies. One of the aims of the German Foundation for the Environment is to maintain and even extend this leadership.”

Dr.-Ing. E. h. Fritz Brickwedde, Secretary general of the German Foundation for the Environment

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LAND DES GRüNEN WACHSTUMS

Securing a sustainable futureMany years of hard work on sustainability and environmental protection have not only improved Germany’s green credentials, they have also generated significant economic growth. Green-tech companies in Germany are some of the most inno-vative in their sector worldwide and benefit from strong global demand.

Most important strategic industry: A study by the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety predicts that the en-vironmental industry will be Germany’s most important strategic industry by 2020, accounting for 14 per cent of gross domestic product. In 2009, it was already generating 8 per cent, while figures for 2007 show that 1.5 million people in Ger-many were employed in the green-tech industry. It includes around 10,000 small and medium-sized enterprises.

Export opportunities: Considerable growth in all fields of environmental technology is expected worldwide. It is anticipated that the global volume of trade in this sector will rise to around €3.1 trillion by 2020 – twice as much as it was in 2006. The fastest growth is forecast in the fields of energy efficiency, commodity and material efficiency and transport.

Companies in Germany are ideally placed to cater to this growth and currently enjoy global market shares of between 6 and 30 per cent.

High-growth renewable energies market: The Federal Statistical Office has calculated that German manufacturers and service providers earned €44.6 billion in the environmental protection business in 2009. More than 60 per cent of this total came from products and services for preventing climate change; €13 billion alone was accounted for by photovoltaics and wind farms. The construction of offshore wind farms is expected to bring further growth. Germany’s first offshore wind farm came on line in April 2010 and now generates around 220 gigawatt hours of electricity per year – enough for about 50,000 three-person households. Another 26 wind farms have already recei-ved approval; 95 are at the planning stage.

More information: www.bmu.dewww.alpha-ventus.de/ www.destatis.de

Sustainability comparison: The German Green City Index examined the sustainability of German’s major cities and compared the results with those of other European cities. The criteria applied were use of resources and commitment to protecting the environment.

Overall results: Of the 18 conference destinations in Europe with an above-average commitment to sustainability, ten were situated in Germany. A breakdown of the results shows that German cities scored particularly well as far as building and transport management was concerned – a real plus point for the organisers of green meetings.

TransportStockholm

AmsterdamBerlinBremenBrusselsCologne

CopenhagenFrankfurtHamburgHannoverEssen

MannheimMunichNurembergOsloStuttgart

ViennaZurich

BratislavaBudapestHelsinkiLeipzigLjubljana

MadridRigaTallinn

AthensBucharestIstanbulKievLisbon

LondonParisPragueRomeSofia

VilniusWarsawZagreb

BelgradeDublin

CopenhagenOsloVienna

AmsterdamBrusselsLeipzigMunichRome

StockholmStuttgartZurich

AthensBelgradeBerlinBratislavaCologne

DublinEssenFrankfurtHamburgHannover

HelsinkiIstanbulLisbonLondonMadrid

MannheimNurembergParisWarsawZagreb

BremenBudapestBucharestPragueRiga

Vilnius

KievLjubljanaSofiaTallinn

Energy

AmsterdamBerlinBremenCologneEssen

FrankfurtHamburgHannoverHelsinkiLeipzig

MannheimMunichNurembergOsloParis

StockholmStuttgartViennaZurich

BrusselsCologneLisbonLondonMadrid

RomeSofiaVilniusWarsaw

AthensBelgradeBratislavaBudapestBucharest

DublinLjubljanaPragueRigaZagreb

IstanbulKievTallinn

BuildingsWell

aboveaverage

Aboveaverage

Average

Belowaverage

Wellbelow

average

CO2

OsloStockholm

AmsterdamBerlinBrusselsCopenhagenHelsinki

LondonMadridNurembergParisRome

ViennaZurich

BremenCologneFrankfurtHamburgHannover

IstanbulLeipzigLjubljanaMannheimMunich

RigaStuttgart

AthensBelgradeBratislavaBudapestBucharest

DublinEssenLisbonPragueTallinn

VilniusWarsawZagreb

SofiaKiev

Source: German Green City Index

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Electromobility: German car maker BMW has become one of the leading figures in electromobility over the last few years. It is initially marketing two models under its BMW i sub-brand: the i 3, a zero-emission compact car designed for urban areas, and the i 8 – a sports coupé with a hybrid drive that allows it to achieve the same emissions rating as a conventional small car. Incorporating innovations such as lightweight materials and an interior fea-turing natural fibres, this embodiment of sustainable transport offers a whole new driving experience and sense of spacious-ness. BMW is also increasingly providing integrated transport solutions.

Future issues? Future markets! Sustainable business not only evolves as the result of new market players, it also results from the transformation of conventional business models. Experts believe that the paradigm shift to green business will be based on traditional industries following the first movers, giving them the decisive momentum.

Sustainable urban development: Increasing urbanisation is one of the main problems in establishing a sustaina-ble way of life. Towns and cities account for 75 per cent of global energy consump-tion, 60 per cent of water consumption and 80 per cent of CO2 emissions. Over two-thirds of the world’s population will live in urban areas by 2050. Siemens, one of Germany’s most distinguished indus-trial companies, has a background firmly rooted in conventional power generation and now wants to play a key role in bringing about change. It commissioned the German Green City Index, one of the most important studies on the environ-mental impact of cities. The report makes it clear that German cities stand up to international comparison in this area (see p. 10/11). Siemens intends to deliver further innovations in sustainable urban development by setting up a dedicated division that will bring together its core competencies, from medical technology to transport.

More information: www.bmw.dewww.siemens.de/nachhaltige-stadtentwicklung

An extensive network of charging points to ensure universal electromobility

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Meeting in the middle

Flight times to Germany (arriving at Frankfurt am Main airport)

More information: www.bahn.de/umweltmobilcheckhttp://verantwortung.lufthansa.com/de.html

Germany by air: Germany is extremely convenient for air travel with almost 40 commercial airports, including 16 international airports. The main hubs are Frankfurt am Main, Munich, Düsseldorf and Berlin. It will be even easier to fly in from abroad once construction of the major new airport, Berlin Brandenburg, is complete. Each year, 167 million passen-gers (2010) pass through Germany’s air-ports, and this figure is rising steadily – by almost 5 per cent at the last count.

Germany by rail: In Germany and its neighbouring European countries, Deut-sche Bahn AG and its partners operate one of the world’s best high-speed rail networks, making rapid travel as green as possible. InterCityExpress (ICE) trains link 180 towns and cities on the main lines in Germany, with services running every hour

or every two hours. The rail network also provides a gateway to cities such as Paris, Amsterdam, Copenhagen, Zurich, Vienna, Rome, Budapest and Warsaw. With 125 million long-distance passengers per year, rail travel has become a viable alternative – and one that offers clear environmental advantages.

Germany by road: Germany’s roads are on a par with its rail network. An exten-sive network of autobahns (with a total length of over 12,000 kilometres) enables drivers to reach all major destinations quickly and conveniently.

Situated in the heart of Europe, Germany’s location makes it ideal for sustainable events. Conference locations are convenient for visitors from the east or west, north or south – and can therefore be reached by eco-friendly means of transport.

FranceNice | 01.25 hrsParis | 01.10 hrs

ItalyMilan | 01.10 hrsRome | 01.45 hrsUnited Kingdom

London | 01.35 hrs

IrelandDublin | 02.00 hrs Finland

Helsinki | 02.20 hrs

SwedenStockholm | 02.00 hrsSpain

Barcelona | 01.55 hrsMadrid | 02.30 hrs

Egypt Cairo | 04.00 hrs

GreeceAthens | 02.45 hrs

RussiaMoscow | 03.05 hrs

USAChicago | 08.55 hrsLos Angeles | 11.40 hrsNew York | 08.40 hrsWashington | 08.40 hrs

United Arab Emirates Abu Dhabi | 06.20 hrs Dubai | 05.55 hrs

CanadaMontreal | 07.35 hrsToronto | 08.15 hrsVancouver | 10.25 hrs

AustraliaSydney | 21.05 hrs (1 stopover)

JapanTokyo | 10.55 hrs

ThailandBangkok | 10.10 hrs

ChinaHong Kong | 10.45 hrsBeijing | 09.15 hrsShanghai | 10.20 hrs

South AfricaCape Town | 11.25 hrs

“Dear ICCA colleagues in Germany,I’m writing to say how tremendously impressed I was by the Green Transport initiative that was organised for our delegates at the recent 2011 ICCA Congress in Leipzig. The involvement of local young people, the creative way in which the logistics were reorganised and incorpora-ted into the citywide welcome, and the marketing that ensured nearly all our delegates made use of public transport throughout the Congress: all of these elements

were really great and made this one of the most sustainable events that ICCA has ever organised. We received tremendous feedback from our delegates, who told us this was one of the most memorable elements of the whole event, and everyone involved should be congratulated.”

Yours sincerely,Arnaldo Nardone, ICCA President

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Creating new structures: Germany aims to achieve a 10 per cent reduction in the energy it requires for transport by 2010 and 40 per cent by 2050 – despite an expected increase in personal mobility. Under the National Electromobility Development Plan, the target is to put 1 million electric cars on Germany’s roads by 2020 and to virtually eliminate vehicles that burn fossil fuels from urban traffic by 2050. It is hoped that this will make Ger-many the lead market for electromobility. Eight pilot projects have already begun.

Improving existing structures: The net-works and modes of transport already in place are being made more efficient and environmentally friendly all the time. Since 2000, the average fuel consumption of all cars in Germany has declined by almost 6 per cent. Deutsche Bahn has re-

duced the energy needs of its trains by 20 per cent since 1990, despite a significant increase in train use and the introduction of high-speed trains. At average oc-cupancy, Deutsche Bahn’s trains consume the equivalent of 2.9 litres of petrol per passenger per 100 kilometres. The newest ICE model, currently at the test stage, can cut this amount down to 0.33 litres while travelling at high speeds of up to 360 kilometres per hour. Comparable progress is being made in aviation: Lufthansa’s current fleet uses 4.2 litres of fuel per passenger per 100 kilometres – the lowest level in the company’s history. Lufthansa’s flagship aircraft, the European Airbus A 380, requires just 3.41 litres. The airline also successfully conducted the world’s first long-running biofuel trial on regular scheduled flights.

The pace of progressSustainable transport no longer just refers to efficient use of resources and the lowest possible CO2 emissions. Above all, it now involves reconciling environmental and cli-mate needs with the demand for convenient, high-speed travel.

More information: www.bmvbs.dewww.mobility.siemens.comhttp://verantwortung.lufthansa.com/de.html

car2go is a car-sharing project laun-ched by German car maker Daimler. Operating in ten cities worldwide, the scheme allows cars to be hired by the minute and returned at a variety of locations. The benefit to the environ-ment is the optimized capacity utili-sation of the fleet of energy-efficient superminis, thereby opening up new opportunities in city-centre transport.

www.car2go.com

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Integrated transport – integrated efficiency

More information: www.bahn.de/veranstaltungsticketwww.vdv.dewww.sixt.dewww.europcar.dewww.lufthansa.com

Germany’s transport options are impressive not only in terms of their variety but also in terms of their integration, enabling eco-friendly, high-quality and affordable door-to-door journeys. They encompass everything from aeroplanes and long- distance trains to local buses and trams. Moreover, it is often possible to buy just one ticket for the various services.

From plane to train: The major airports in Germany are directly served by the rail network. Combined tickets – such as Rail&Fly from Lufthansa and Deutsche Bahn AG – enable seamless travel and, be-sides being more environmentally friendly, are far cheaper than arranging transport to the airport separately. On some routes, the rail services are incorporated into Lufthansa’s flight schedule.

From train to local public transport: For a small supplement, Deutsche Bahn’s City mobil option allows passengers to use their train ticket on local public transport throughout Germany – either for a single trip or for the whole day. Such services are paying off. German towns and cities all scored highly in a Europe-wide comparison of local public transport, with Munich coming out top. Every year, 10 billion journeys are made by bus, tram or train in Germany. Using these forms of

transport instead of cars and trucks saves around 15 million tonnes of CO2 per year.

Booking and planning: Planning and booking journeys from start to finish could not be easier with integrated information portals such as www.bahn.de. This website contains not only all the times of Deutsche Bahn’s own travel services but also those of most local public transport providers. Passengers can therefore plan their trip from door to door and book a ticket for the entire journey online. With its event ticket, Deutsche Bahn arranges the travel for all conference delegates on behalf of the event’s organisers.

Personal travel options: Both Deut-sche Bahn and Lufthansa cooperate with rental car companies which have representatives at all major train stations and airports.

Grams per person per kilometre, Germany-wide average values; source: Federal Environment Agency

144 g 75 g 72 g

CO2 emissions per passenger:

Integrated eco-friendly travel: Deutsche Bahn can arrange the transport for all conference delegates for a fixed price.

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Quality on displayThe German conference sector is playing a key role in the shift towards sustainable business – a circumstance that makes Germany a preferred location for all conference planners who want their events to be in harmony with nature and the environment. Leading conference and convention venues are working hard to minimise their environmental footprint and have set themselves specific targets for improvement.

Certifcation: The German Convention Bureau (GCB), European Association of Event Centres (EVVC) and Association of German Event Organisers (VDVO) have joined forces with the U.S. certification body Green Globe to certify event centres. As part of this, they have developed a certification system especially for venues to which many in Germany have already signed up. The audit examines aspects such as energy, water, emissions, waste disposal, cleaning and building insulation. Binding targets for savings and improvements are also defined, and compliance with them is monitored at regular intervals.

ISO standard: The draft of the new ISO 20121 standard defines the requirements for sustainable event management. It also offers specific guidelines which provide advice on implementing the requirements. The GCB and EVVC were involved in drawing up the standard as members of the German standards committee.

Industry summit: The GCB and EVVC jointly host a ‘green meetings and events’ conference as a platform for regular dialogue between environmental experts and representatives from the events sector. It is a forum for sharing experiences and obtaining expert advice, and is designed to convince more event organisers to arrange green meetings.

Headoffice des EVVCHeadoffice des GCBMitglieder und Partner

Green Globe members:• andel’s Hotel• Atelier Damböck Messebau GmbH• B&B Technik + Events• Bochumer Veranstaltungs-GmbH• Broich Premium Catering GmbH• Congress Centrum Mainz GmbH• Congress Park Hanau – Betriebsführungsgesellschaft Hanau mbH• Crowne Plaza Berlin City Centre• DüsseldorfCongress Veranstaltungsgesellschaft mbH• Eurogress Aachen• EVVC• Filderhalle Kongress- und Tagungszentrum• FILharmonie Filderstadt• Hannover Congress Centrum• Hotel Concorde Berlin• HRG Events & Meetings Management• InterContinental Berchtesgaden Resort• InterContinental Berlin• InterContinental Düsseldorf• Karlsruhe Messe- und-Kongress-GmbH• kassel tourist GmbH – Kongress Palais Kassel• KSB Aktiengesellschaft• Kultur- und Congress-Centrum GRAF-ZEPPELIN-HAUS• Leipziger Messe GmbH• Lübecker Musik- und Kongresshallen GmbH• Maritim Bonn• Messe und Congress Centrum Halle Münsterland GmbH• CCP CongressCentrum Pforzheim• Quality Spa Associates GmbH• Rostocker Messe- und Stadthallengesellschaft mbH• Scandic Hotel Potsdamer Platz in Berlin• Stadthalle Fürth• Saalbau GmbH• TUI Deutschland GmbH – Allegra• TUI Deutschland GmbH – Melodia• Thonet GmbH• Velomax Berlin Hallenbetriebs GmbH – Max-Schmeling-Halle• Weimar GmbH Gesellschaft für Wirtschaftsförderung• WengerWittmann GmbH• Wilde & Partner Public Relations GmbH• Wissenschafts- und Kongresszentrum Darmstadt GmbH & Co. KG• WüstDesign GmbH• Mövenpick Hotel Stuttgart Airport• German Convention Bureau• GWG Gesellschaft für Wirtschaftsförderung und Stadtentwicklung Göttingen GmbH• Hamburg Convention Bureau GmbH• Hotelier des Jahres 2011• Host Meeting & Event Services/Integis GmbH• IMEX Frankfurt• Inselgemeinde Juist/Kurverwaltung Juist• InterContinental Frankfurt• InterContinental Hamburg• InterContinental Köln• Lehrieder Catering GmbH & Co KG• Mövenpick Hotel Hamburg• Mövenpick Hotel Berlin• Mövenpick Hotel München-Airport• Mövenpick Hotel Braunschweig• Mövenpick Hotel Essen• Mövenpick Hotel Frankfurt City• Mövenpick Hotel Münster• Mövenpick Hotel Nürnberg Airport• Mövenpick Hotel Oberursel• Messe Institut• Schnieder Hotel GmbH/Landhotel Jammertal• TUI Deutschland GmbH• Stadthalle Braunschweig Betriebsgesellschaft mbH

“It is our unavoidable duty towards future generations, not least when it comes to travel and conferences, to pro-tect and save resources, to further develop our sense of social responsi-

bility and to treat the environment carefully and with minimum impact – both here and worldwi-de. I can see that we have already made excellent progress in making Germany a sustainable location for conferences and conventions.”

Holger Leisewitz Beiersdorf AG, Conference & event management, Team leader

Head office of the EVVCHead office of the GCBMembers and partners

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SustainableplanningIt is not only Germany’s infrastructure that makes it the right place for green mee-tings – planning and hosting sustainable events could not be easier thanks to the extensive network of eco-friendly service providers and conference venues. Service providers and dedicated points of contact on site provide valuable support.

Relevant factors: The choice of venue and the type of transport used can have a significant effect on an event’s environmen-tal footprint. Of its total CO2 emissions, 70 per cent is attributable to travel and 15 per cent to accommodation. Another 10 per cent is accounted for by food & drink, while 5 per cent comes from the event site and infrastructure. (Source: Atmosfair)

Planning assistance: The German Convention Bureau (GCB) offers extensive help with green meetings on its web-site, including a special CO2 calculator for ascertaining the emissions of an event. It also provides the details of useful contacts throughout Germany. Local initiatives pro-vide similar services: Green Meetings Berlin and Sustainable Bonn only engage event partners that have undergone a sustainabi-lity management certification process.

Carbon offsetting: Independent orga-nisations such as Atmosfair can optimise,

calculate and compensate for all the CO2 emissions resulting from every aspect of an event, from travel to the gala dinner. They start by ascertaining the actual CO2 emis-sions of an event before reducing them as much as possible. They then offset the remaining emissions by making a financial contribution to global climate protection projects for each tonne of CO2 emitted. This compensates for the precise quantity of CO2 generated by the event. A certificate showing that the event is climate neutral can be used for marketing purposes.

Guidelines: The Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMU) and the German Business Travel Association (VDR) have drawn up guidelines that help event planners to improve the environmental footprint of the events that they plan and host. The guidelines (available in German only) can be downloaded free of charge at www.bmu.de and www.vdr-service.de.

Media Harbour, Düsseldorf

Green Meetings Berlin is an alliance of leading companies from the conference sector in Berlin that aim to establish the German capital as a location for environmentally-friend-ly events. Organisers of sustainable events can choose from 70 partners that operate in accordance with internationally recognised environ-mental guidelines.

www.berlin-green-meetings.com

More information: www.atmosfair.comwww.bmu.dewww.gcb.dewww.vdr-service.de

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Sustainable accommodation Opening up new perspectives, challenging the familiar and developing visions: there are countless reasons for attending or arranging a conference or convention. An innovative conference hotel that is breaking new ground in the field of sustainability can stimulate and support these processes.

More information: www.scandichotels.comwww.maritim.dewww.moevenpick-hotels.comwww.intercontinental.com

Scandic Berlin Potsdamer Platz: The Scandic Berlin on Potsdamer Platz could hardly be located more centrally and features a design inspired by the changing of the seasons in Scandinavian nature. The hotel consumes 25 per cent less energy than the maximum level permitted under the latest regulations thanks to its use of district heating, renewable energies and combined heat & power. It also uses wood that is sourced from sustainably managed forests and has eliminated PVC entirely.

Maritim Hotel Bonn: Few hotels can boast as much experience of green meetings as the Maritim Hotel Bonn, which has hosted UN climate change conferences on a num-ber of occasions. Climate-neutral conferen-ces have become reality at the hotel thanks to its use of green electricity. The ‘natural meetings’ package includes eco-friendly conference materials and catering that features organic produce.

InterContinental Düsseldorf: InterCon-tinental Hotels Group has been a pioneer in promoting sustainability in the tourism sector since 2004. Its hotel in Düsseldorf embodies this above all in its kitchens. Head chef Sönke Höltgen has devised a concept in which he uses locally sourced organic produce to create top-class inter-national cuisine.

Mövenpick Hotel Nürnberg Airport: Electronically optimised heating and air-conditioning systems, energy-saving light bulbs and movement sensors, social responsibility and regionally sourced goods are just some of the things that make the Mövenpick at Nuremberg Airport a role-model for other hotels. All guests are encouraged to boost these efforts and make suggestions on how the hotel could improve its environmental footprint.

Mövenpick Hotel Nürnberg Airport

InterContinental Düsseldorf

Maritim Hotel, Bonn

Scandic Berlin Potsdamer Platz

The German International Hotel Association (IHA) represents 1,300 hotels across Germany. It advises its members on sustainability management and green hospita-lity in a variety of ways, including holding events and talks. It has also launched an initiative for greater energy efficiency.

www.iha.de

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darmstadtium science and convention centre: Opened in 2007 and occupying almost 18,000 square metres, this buil-ding runs almost entirely on renewable energies and is heated using the waste heat from electrical equipment. A giant flower-shaped funnel made from steel and glass is not merely a design feature: it also collects rainwater and provides the ventilation system with a natural means of cooling. The roof is fitted with 400 so-lar panels that generate 70,000 kilowatt hours of electricity per year.

Sustainable Bonn: The former capital plays host to major international sustainability conferences – reason enough for local event organisers to take a closer look at their impact on the environment. Almost 50 partners have obtained advice from an independent expert and drawn up individual action plans as part of a training programme. One of these partners is the Bonn science centre, which has developed an audited sustainability strategy for energy sourcing, water supply and waste water disposal.

Leipziger Messe GmbH and Congress Centre Leipzig: In 2009, Leipziger Messe, which runs Congress Centre Leipzig, laun-ched a far-reaching sustainability process entitled ‘Growing in Balance’. As a result, it achieved Green Globe certification in 2010 – the first major trade fair company to do so. The overall process began with the opening of a model office where employees can find out about acting sustainably in the workplace.

Sustainable conferencingEnvironmental protection and energy efficiency are an important issue for all major conference and convention centres in Germany – and the environment is not the only thing to benefit. Sustainably designed buildings enable event venues to stand out from the crowd with their innovative architecture.

More information:www.international-bonn.dewww.darmstadtium.dewww.leipziger-messe.de

Leipzig exhibition centre

World Conference Center Bonn – Plenary Chamber

darmstadtium science and convention centre

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Sustainableleisure time

More information: www.blumberg-agentur.dewww.sauerland.comwww.velotaxi.comwww.green-delicious-biocatering.comwww.kulturstiftung-bund.dewww.tuv.com

Sustainable events should also be memorable ones. This can be achieved by offering diverse and traditional cultural activities, excellent facilities for relaxation and an out-standing choice of restaurants – without compromising on environmental protection.

Incentive activities: Service providers such as Agentur Blumberg in Stuttgart – Germany's first eco-certified event organi-ser – offer sporting activities in harmony with nature, such as guided canoeing and hiking tours. Visits to organic wineries, organic cheese dairies and eco-friendly farms can also provide fascinating in-sights. The Sauerland, a rural paradise to the east of the Rhine/Ruhr conurbations, is a popular destination for electric bike tours, which take in unspoilt scenery and idyllic towns and villages. Berlin offers guided tours by velotaxi, the city’s cleanest form of transport.

Organic catering: The menus at many conference venues feature dishes made with sustainably sourced ingredients, seasonal specialities and drinks produced in the local area. Suppliers such as Green Delicious Bio-Catering in Hamburg use 80 per cent organic fruit and vegetables, 80 per cent of which is seasonal and produ-ced within a radius of no more than 150 kilometres. Signature dishes include fillet of veal with cherry tomatoes and green asparagus, tuna seasoned with lemon pepper, sophisticated finger food and hearty specialities from the grill.

Culture of Sustainability is the name of a funding programme of Germany’s Federal Cultural Foundation that launches innovative projects to tackle the question of how art and culture can contribute to a sustainable way of life. The company ‘Kulturveranstaltungen des Bundes in Ber-lin GmbH’, which operates Berlin’s main cultural institutions, has joined up with a number of other project partners to look at how business travel to the German capital can be made more sustainable.

100% ORGANIC

A sample menu from Carl Catering in Detmold – all ingredients are obtained from certified organic sources: • Westphalian gazpacho with crusty thyme-flavoured ciabatta• Chicken provençal wrapped in pastry• Pork fillet medallions fried in butter and served on a bed of pine nuts and leek with a juniper and tarragon sauce• Italian vanilla ice cream with home- made blueberry sauce

www.carl-catering.de

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1.^0t

… and many more

OUTLETCITY METZINGENPREMIUM OUTLET SHOPPING

Before or after your business appointment: Shopping date at the home of Hugo Boss. Suits, suits, suits – you will probably not find such a high suit density per square metre anywhere as in OUTLETCITY METZINGEN, south of Stuttgart and close to Frankfurt and Munich.

Over 60 international top brands · Flagship outlets · Savings of 30–70%.*

*Compared to the former recommended retail prices.

Frankfurt Convention BureauFrankfurt Tourist+Congress BoardKaiserstraße 56, D-60329 Frankfurt am MainTel. +49 (0) 69/21 23 87 03Fax +49 (0) 69/2123 07 76congress@infofrankfurt.de

Frankfurt am MainWinner of the IMEX Green Exhibitor Award

Planning with Pleasure■ Business Travel Support■ Venue Search■ Hotel Reservations

www.frankfurt-convention-bureau.com

Green Belt Creature

Frankfurt Green Sauce

Award

Concept, text and design:Brandung, Leipzigwww.brandung-online.de

English translation: LingServe Ltd

Photo credits: Page 2: © 2012 German National Tourist Board; Page 4: © Patrizia Tilly – Fotolia.com, Tom Bayer – Fotolia.com; Page 6: © Getty Images; Page 8: © 2012 German National Tourist Board; Page 9: © Thomas Aumann – Fotolia.com; Page 10: © 2012 German National Tourist Board; Page 12: © Hauptverwaltung Süddeutscher Verlag, München – GKK + Architekten – Prof. Swantje Kühn, Oliver Kühn Page 13: © BMW AG, Munich (Germany), © Christa Eder – Fotolia.com; Page 15: © Fraport AG; Page 16: © www.mediaserver.hamburg.de/R. K. Hegeler; Page 17: © 2012 Daimler AG;Page 18: © Photographer: Jens Görlich – © CGI: MO CGI GbR – © conditions: worldwide;Page 19: © snaptitude – Fotolia.com, © contrastdesign.de – Fotolia.com; Page 20: © Stauke – Fotolia.com, © MartesiaBezuidenhout – Fotolia.com; Page 22: © Robert Daly – Getty Images;Page 23: © Paul Esser; Page 24: © Maritim Hotelgesellschaft mbH;Page 25: © scandichotels.com, © 2010 InterContinental Hotels & Resorts, © 2012 Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts;Page 26: © 2012 darmstadtium;Page 27: © GCB German Convention Bureau e.V., © cHesse – Fotolia.com; Page 28: © Yuri Arcurs – Fotolia.com; Page 29: © Bauer Alex – Fotolia.com;

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