Michel Van Camp, general manager of event agency New Balls Please: "We notice that especially for multinationals, the attention for ESG and the Sustainable Development Goals plays an increasing role in the requests for proposals for events. Unfortunately, I have to note that in the final evaluation of tenders, the cost price still often remains the decisive argument, to the detriment of efforts around sustainability."
Kris De Saedeleir of DS Textile Group, which supplies carpet for trade shows and events, says: "Operators of large facilities have already adapted their infrastructure to become more energy efficient. They are looking to their suppliers to make further efforts. The sustainability managers of the Frankfurter Messe or RAI Amsterdam, for example, are working hard to implement CSRD reporting. More and more clients are therefore asking for data such as CO2 emissions per square meter of carpet. We need to be able to demonstrate our efforts around sustainability via an official cradle-to-cradle label or ISO certification."
"}},{"componentType":"sectionTitle","title":"Michel, you are also a director at the industry federation Event Confederation. What steps are you taking to be more sustainable?"},{"componentType":"paragraph","richBody":{"value":"Michel Van Camp: "As a sector, we take many initiatives both to develop more sustainable concepts and to make the practical organization more ecological. Logically, we avoid or process waste, work as much as possible with reusable materials and try to estimate catering numbers as well as possible. However, the ‘no show’ remains the biggest problem: regularly there are up to 30 percent of guests who register and yet do not show up ... that's a lot of materials, printing, catering and transportation that were ordered unnecessarily. If we can further curb the ‘no show’, that means a huge gain in terms of sustainability."
"}},{"componentType":"sectionTitle","title":"Kris, how can you become more sustainable as a carpet manufacturer?"},{"componentType":"paragraph","richBody":{"value":"Kris De Saedeleir: "For our family textile company, that means, among other things, using renewable energy and making our products as sustainable as possible. An exhibition carpet is still often single use. But our products are developed to be maximally recyclable. We have more than 20 years of experience in this field. Moreover, through subsidiary Cover Flooring, we also offer solutions to collect used carpet for recycling."
"}},{"componentType":"sectionTitle","title":"What solutions do you see to further reduce the sector's ecological impact in the future?"},{"componentType":"paragraph","richBody":{"value":"Michel Van Camp: "I see benefit in long-term collaborations. With ING, for example, we are working together over a three-year period. This allows you to reuse concepts and materials as much as possible. A good example was a series of 16 regional events for private banking customers. Because of the smaller scale, less material was needed, the decor could be reused each time and the customers did not have to travel as far. It was a successful concept on all counts."
Everyone wants to become more sustainable, but not if the alternative is more expensive than the traditional product
Kris De Saedeleir: "The evolution of the chemical sector towards biological raw materials is promising. The future may lie in carpet made from biopolymers, which are biodegradable. Back in 2009 we proved that it is possible to make a robust carpet with these. But currently there are too few raw materials available to set up large-scale, high-quality production. And as a result, this carpet remains too expensive for the time being. The conclusion is that everyone wants to become more sustainable, but not if the alternative is more expensive than the traditional product."
"}},{"componentType":"highlight","richBody":{"value":"Marc Callier, Head of Sustainability at ING: "When it comes to sectors with a large carbon footprint, people often think of the automotive sector or steel or cement production. But the broad events sector also has quite a footprint. So every organization can and should make efforts to make its activity more sustainable, regardless of whether or not it emits a lot of CO2."
"Sustainability does not necessarily require mega-investments. Common sense and creativity often put a company a long way down the road. Similarly for events: they can be organized in such a way that guests do not have to travel as far. Catering can be more responsive to the seasons and short chain. Modular, reusable concepts allow for logistical optimization and the reduction of costs."
"Sustainability may be less of a political priority for a while, but companies still bear an important responsibility to their customers and society. By placing importance on a more sustainable business model, companies are showing leadership in their industry and ensuring future-proof and resilient operations. Sustainability is not a trend, but a necessary evolution. And as always: every small step forward is a step in the right direction."
"},"title":"“Sustainability, a choice of common sense”"},{"componentType":"paragraph","richBody":{"value":"Find out how ING supports businesses in the sustainable transition.
These article was previously published in Trends/Tendances.
"},"title":"Clever Together"}]},"hasMacro":false,"id":"8ae0439c-fbe7-4d5e-b64d-f49de1c5c20d","legalZone":{"flexComponents":[{"componentType":"paragraph","richBody":{"value":"Society is transitioning to a low-carbon economy. So are our clients, and so is ING. We finance a lot of sustainable activities, but we still finance more that’s not. See how we’re progressing on ing.com/climate.
This article is for informative purposes only and the information set out herein may change with time. We therefore recommend that you always reference specific regulations and requirements with the competent authorities for the latest information. Additionally, we advise that you seek professional advice on a case-by-case basis before making any decisions. Please note that ING Belgium SA/NV cannot be held liable for any decision taken on the basis of the information provided.
"}}]},"localeString":"en-GB","mainHeaderZone":{"backLink":{"textLink":{"text":"Sustainability is everyone's business","url":"/en/business/sustainable-business"}},"componentType":"editorialHeader","coreHeader":{"body":"More than 77,000 events are organized annually in Belgium. Like other sectors, the event sector needs to become more sustainable. And that is no easy task, given the temporary nature of these activities. Michel Van Camp (New Balls Please/Event Confederation) and Kris De Saedeleir (DS Textile Group) explain how the sector is taking steps to make its ecological footprint smaller.","title":"Here's how the event industry is working on sustainability"},"date":"2025-05-22","readingTime":0},"publishDate":"2025-06-17T15:34:51.784+02:00"}}