Sustainability | IWA OutdoorClassics
Top view of a green deciduous forest
Black background with blue and green highlights in the corner

Navigating sustainably into the future

On the way to a sustainable NürnbergMesse

Top view of a green deciduous forest with a bulb-shaped lake in the middle
As one of the 15 largest exhibition companies in the world, we want to live up to our responsibility and act according to the 17 Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations. Conscious use of resources, equality or a sustainable development of the exhibition grounds are just as much a matter of course for us as integrating the interests of our shareholders into our decisions. In 2021, we embedded our numerous initiatives and projects into a sustainability strategy, outlined the ten most important fields of action, and summarized them in a sustainability compass.
In order to make our sustainable actions transparent, we published for the first time a voluntary integrated annual and sustainability report for 2021. Since 2022, we are listed in the German Sustainability Code and, as a member of fairpflichtet, we set an example for ecological, economic and social commitment in the event industry.
Top view of a green deciduous forest with a lake in the shape of a human footprint in the middle

The sustainable realization of our events

We see great potential in the organisation of trade fairs and congresses and want to showcase our contribution to climate and environmental protection. With our measures, we want to continuously make exhibitions and events more sustainable.

Our current actions:

  • Energy initiative

    NürnbergMesse launched its "energy offensive" back in 2015 to reduce the energy consumption of the company and its events. This also has a significant impact on the realisation of the exhibition. By implementing various measures such as successively switching the site and hall lighting to energy-saving LED lights or modernising facilities, NürnbergMesse has already saved around 3.7 million kWh of electricity (around 1,612 tons of CO₂) and around 4 million kWh of hot water.

  • Climate-friendly travel
    The start to a sustainable exhibition? - Arriving at the exhibition relaxed and environmentally friendly at the same time! How does that work? The Nuremberg exhibition center can be reached in a climate-friendly way by subway and with the Deutsche Bahn (DB) event ticket. The "U1" line links the exhibition center directly with Nuremberg Central Station.

    With the DB event ticket, you travel sustainably to the exhibition at a reduced fixed price. The DB event ticket is valid in combination with an exhibitor pass or exhibition ticket and can be booked quickly and easily via the page "Travel & hotel".

    A well-developed e-charging infrastructure is available at the exhibition site for travel by e-vehicle. The existing 19 charging points (with 2 charging points each) will be expanded by 200 additional e-charging points over the next three years. More information on traveling by e-vehicle can be found at www.nuernbergmesse.de/en/e-mobility.
  • Sustainable hotels
    Look out for the "sustainability symbol" when selecting a hotel on our exhibition booking page. This indicates partner hotels that participate in the group's own sustainability initiative. 
  • Saving resources: reduce – reuse – recycle

    In order to save resources, NürnbergMesse will successively reduce the use of carpets. We are also reducing event-related signage on the site and instead are relying on the consistent use of the digital navigation and information system "myLocation". In addition, we use uniform, non-event-related exhibitor and visitor badges that are only individually printed in black and white on site if necessary. They are made of recyclable material and can be used equally by all events.

    NürnbergMesse uses 100% green electricity and continuously reduces event-related water and energy consumption. We aim to reduce our water consumption by 15% by 2023 and energy consumption by 5% by 2025.

  • Sustainable stand construction
    As part of our service offer the ServicePartners offer reusable stand construction. Our long-term ServicePartners Holtmann+ and Messebau Wörnlein attach great importance to ecological and social responsibility and are pleased to offer you demand-oriented stand construction solutions. No matter whether shell stand or individual stand construction: by using reusable and durable stand components as well as environmentally compatible consumables, every stand concept can be made more sustainable. The short transport routes, local production and further processing of wood residues support your exhibition appearance in Nuremberg true to the principle "reduce – reuse – recycle".
    In the special areas such as exhibitor forums, start-up areas and relaxing zones, we also focus on the multiple use of materials and advertising materials.

    Together with our partners, we are constantly working on further expanding our range of services to provide you with the best possible support for your sustainable trade show participation.
  • Sustainable trade fair catering
    Our subsidiary Lehrieder Catering cooperates with agricultural businesses and supports regional partners. When selecting food, the focus is on regional origin as well as BIO certification. Tableware and cutlery are increasingly made from renewable, degradable resources. In the catering sector, we are further expanding our recycling and circular-loop systems, and are thus deliberately channeling food scraps into a recycling process.

    More information on the actions and the sustainability report of our trade fair caterer Lehrieder can be found here: lehrieder.de/en/lehrieder/sustainability
  • Waste recycling and sorting
    The topic of handling waste and recycling plays a central role during our events. In cooperation with our partner "Ressourcen Werk Nuremberg", we separate all waste produced during the construction, running time and dismantling of the event and channel it into the recycling process. The sorting rate here is 99%. Please help us with this and pay attention to the labels on the waste containers in the loading yards, especially during assembly and dismantling.

    NürnbergMesse is cooperating with the PFANDNETZWERK since December 2022. By purchasing three large deposit return machines for the exhibition center, we utilise any deposit bottles for the recycling cycle. 100% of the donation income generated by the bottles deposit benefits Straßenkreuzer e.V.. This way, we secure and create jobs for socially disadvantaged people in Nuremberg.
Do you have further ideas or suggestions for our events and a sustainable NürnbergMesse? Then we look forward to exchanging ideas with you via e-mail.