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Our social responsibility
Responsibility in all areas
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Trade fairs contribute to climate protection and sustainability by efficiently bundling numerous personal contacts and avoiding further individual trips.
Sustainability and CSR at Messe Berlin
For Messe Berlin and CMS Berlin, corporate social responsibility means assuming responsibility for the Berlin location in economic and social terms as well as for our business partners and employees.
"Responsible economic thinking and behaviour, security, confidentiality and data protection, integrity, diversity and open communication as well as social responsibility and sustainability. These are the values that guide us in our day-to-day business."
Whether social responsibility projects or environmental and climate protection measures - sustainability has played an important role at Messe Berlin for many years. By submitting our first DNK declaration of conformity for the 2020 financial year, we have also set out on the path to sustainability reporting. The German Sustainability Code (DNK) supports companies in establishing and developing a sustainability strategy.
You can find out more in our and in the
Examples of measures that have been implemented to date:
Lower energy consumption and reduce CO₂ emissions. Lighting and sound technology for exhibition stands and stages, heating and cooling for the exhibition halls - our events would not be possible without energy. In order to reduce our energy consumption and the associated CO₂ emissions, we began developing a comprehensive energy concept ten years ago:
- Messe Berlin's energy management system has been certified in accordance with DIN EN ISO 50001 since 2015.
- We are building Berlin's largest sun deck, the fourth largest solar roof system in Germany.
- The hall and outdoor lighting as well as the radio tower were largely converted to energy-saving LED technology. An energy-optimised switching concept for the outdoor lighting was implemented.
- By 2025, our energy partner will switch the cooling and heating supply of the exhibition centre to predominantly climate-friendly technologies. Among other things, a modern pellet boiler system will be built to make us less dependent on natural gas and oil.
In future, various heat sources will work in combination and - in addition to significant energy, CO² and cost savings - ensure greater independence from individual energy sources and thus greater security of supply.
Work began in autumn 2023: the conversion will take place during ongoing operations and is a technologically highly sophisticated project. Since 2018, 100% of the electricity purchased for event peaks has been "green" from German hydropower plants. - The exhibition halls are equipped with heat recovery systems, i.e. all residual heat is utilised and is not lost to the atmosphere.
- The Messe Berlin site has numerous rainwater infiltration systems that allow rainwater to be returned to the groundwater after natural purification. The use of an automatic irrigation system controls the needs-based irrigation of the gardens.
- We use biodegradable cleaning agents.
- The cleaning company contracted by Messe Berlin is certified to ISO 9001 and 14001. We are mindful of recycling systems for cleaning machines and that the equipment used is predominantly electrically-powered.
- Salt is only used on surfaces which have a high risk of accidents; otherwise grit is used.
- The exhibition center is centrally-located and optimally connected to the public transport network. We recommend that exhibitors and visitors use the public transport network. Special tickets are available in cooperation with Deutsche Bahn. For Grüne Woche, we also offer a free shuttle service between the parking lot at the Olympic Stadium and the exhibition grounds, thus reducing traffic in the urban core zone.
- The use of public transport by employees is encouraged by offering discounted monthly passes. In addition, Messe Berlin offers job bikes.
- Numerous charging stations for electric automobiles have been installed around the exhibition grounds.
These and other measures are summarized up on the Messe Berlin website.
- Various trade fairs are campaigning against food and resource waste and in favour of people in need by donating leftover food to the Berliner Tafel food bank.
- As the operator of the radio tower, Messe Berlin supports WWF’s global joint initiative Earth Hour. The aim of the campaign is to send a powerful signal all over the world: protect our planet. Messe Berlin is committed to holistic diversity management.
- At Messe Berlin, we are committed to holistic diversity management.
As a signatory to the "Diversity Charter", Messe Berlin has been committed to actively implementing diversity within the company since 2015.
Messe Berlin successfully implemented the "Equal Pay Check" in December 2014.
Together with the Alliance, we are working towards a prejudice-free society.
Hosting the world - as hosts of the world, we take responsibility: for our guests and business partners, for our employees as well as for our environment.
Whether projects in the area of social responsibility or measures relating to environmental and climate protection - the topic of sustainability has played an important role at Messe Berlin for many years.
You can find a more detailed overview of the projects and measures in the areas of ECONOMY & GOVERNANCE, WASTE, ENERGY, MOBILITY, SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY, SOCIAL COMMITMENT, DIVERSITY and PARTNERSHIPS on the Messe Berlin website.
Sustainability at CMS Berlin
Reduce, Re-Use, Recycle
Whether packaging and stand construction materials or leftover food - waste is unavoidable at trade shows and congresses. With innovative solution concepts, we want to successively reduce the amount of waste during CMS Berlin to a minimum, for example by reusing materials and recycling reusable materials.
- Separating recyclable materials and returning them to the recycling cycle.
- The "Innovation Board" working group: exchange and development of solutions for efficient waste management together with our waste disposal company ALBA.
- Cooperation with the Berlin Senate Department for the Environment, Mobility, Consumer and Climate Protection on the ReUse Berlin zero waste initiative to promote the recycling of stand construction materials.
- Our new "VisiFair" planning system helps to make access to the Berlin Exhibition Centre more efficient and sustainable. The digital slot booking system helps to equalise the usual peak traffic times for set-up and dismantling and avoid waiting times. This offers planning security for exhibitors and partners. At the same time, the volume of traffic and the associated CO2 emissions can be reduced.
- We already use environmentally friendly carpets and flooring concepts in many areas. For example, the Escolita carpet tiles can be used again and again and the Rewind carpets are 100% recyclable.
Sustainability as a visitor
At first glance, trade fairs are anything but environmentally friendly, as visitors and exhibitors from all over the world travel to a trade show venue, especially at international B2B trade fairs such as CMS Berlin.
On closer inspection, however, this offsets the amount of travelling. This is because products, services and innovative developments are presented together at trade shows.
Trade fair visitors can therefore replace several trips to suppliers with one trip to a trade show and make optimal comparisons.
- The exhibition centre is centrally located and is optimally connected to the public transport network. We recommend that visitors use local public transport services.
- We offer our visitors a DB event ticket for their arrival and departure. This will not only save you money, but also CO2. This is because DB local and long-distance transport is powered by 100% green electricity.
- There are electric vehicles for hire and numerous electric vehicle charging stations around the site.
e-point charging plan (PDF, 207.0 kB) - For example, have you thought about choosing a hotel for your overnight stay that is within walking distance of the exhibition centre? Many hotels are closer than you think!
- Flight compensation offers by the Lufthansa Group
Make your journey more sustainable when you book and either offset the CO₂ emissions of your flight or reduce them in an innovative way. Choose one of the three options:
Offset the CO₂ emissions of your flight by contributing to high-quality climate protection projects, using sustainable aviation fuels (SAF)* or a combination of both. This gives you the individual option of making your trip CO₂-neutral. Further information is available here.
Sustainability as an exhibitor
- The exhibition centre is centrally located and is optimally connected to the public transport network. We recommend that exhibitors use local public transport services.
- We offer our exhibitors a DB event ticket for their arrival and departure. This will not only save you money, but also CO2. This is because DB local and long-distance transport is powered by 100% green electricity. Environmental certificate (PDF, 97.1 kB)
- There are electric vehicles for hire and numerous electric vehicle charging stations around the site.
e-point charging plan (PDF, 207.0 kB) - Have you thought about choosing a hotel for your overnight stay that is within walking distance of the exhibition centre?
- Flight compensation offers by the Lufthansa Group
Make your trip more sustainable when you book and either offset the CO₂ emissions of your flight or reduce them in an innovative way.
Offset the CO₂ emissions of your flight by contributing to high-quality climate protection projects, using sustainable aviation fuels (SAF)* or a combination of both. This gives you the individual option of making your trip CO₂-neutral. Further information is available here. - The "VisiFair" planning system helps to make access to the Berlin Exhibition Centre more efficient and sustainable. The digital slot booking system helps to equalise the usual peak times for set-up and dismantling traffic and avoid waiting times. This offers planning security for exhibitors and partners. At the same time, the volume of traffic and the associated CO2 emissions can be reduced.
Sustainability in trade show construction:
- Reduce energy consumption on the stands.
- Choose environmentally friendly and reusable materials and decorations for stand construction.
- Use renewable raw materials such as FSC-certified wood or bamboo and PVC-free carpeting.
- Store and transport the materials in transport boxes instead of film.
- Choose stand construction companies that are located in the region of the trade fair and therefore have short transport routes or those that are already building a stand for other exhibitors at the trade show and can utilise synergy effects for transport and assembly. Please feel free to contact our subsidiary.
- Modular systems for walls and floors can be used several times and redesigned as required for the next trade fair.
- If the exhibition stand is rented, the exhibition system can also be used for other companies, thus ensuring a better energy balance.
- When dismantling the stand, ensure that recyclable materials are separated and returned to the recycling cycle.
Large events inevitably produce amounts of waste, just from stands or props. But not everything has to end up in the bin.
The stand materials and items can be donated to charitable organisations, socio-cultural centres, theatres or workshops for the disabled and projects that can reuse them. For example, a PVC banner can be turned into a tent and the wood can be used for tiny houses.
IfM - Initiatives for Material Cycles, offers a good overview of projects that independently take care of saving material for you.