Towards climate-neutral events – how to make your conference more sustainable
In brief: Sustainable conferencing in Leipzig
- Sustainability has three dimensions: environmental, economic and social. SDGs provide a useful framework for planning.
- ESG creates structure: Clear objectives (Environmental, Social, Governance) make measures easier to plan and later assess.
- Mobility is the greatest lever: Leipzig offers easy, climate-friendly access by rail, complemented by efficient public transport and a compact layout.
- Save resources in everyday event operations: Digital communication, rental and reusable systems, reuse, and more sustainable catering reduce consumption and waste.
- Measure rather than estimate: Carbon calculators help to understand emissions, identify potential savings and track improvements from one event to the next.
► Greater sustainability for your conference in Leipzig: Discover partners, best practices and concrete measures.
Key terms explained – the three dimensions of sustainability in events
Sustainability means more than protecting the environment. As a holistic concept, it encompasses environmental, economic and social aspects. The key objectives: conserving resources, taking social responsibility and remaining economically viable for the future. The 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) adopted by the United Nations provide an internationally recognised framework for orientation. At the same time, the SDGs translate sustainability into concrete objectives. They offer conference planners valuable guidance and practical starting points. When it comes to their implementation, one principle applies: anyone looking to make their conferences and business events more sustainable should take a strategic approach. Only then can you properly measure the success of any measures taken.
Sustainability is a key economic and strategic factor for conferences and congresses. Professional associations, exhibiting companies, public institutions and, not least, participants all expect events to be planned responsibly. At the same time, sustainable measures help conference planners use resources more efficiently and reduce costs. Integrating sustainability into event processes at an early stage strengthens credibility and ensures long-term competitiveness.
Why an ESG strategy makes sense for event organisers
ESG stands for Environmental, Social and Governance. An ESG strategy sets out how you integrate environmental responsibility, social standards and transparent governance into the planning, delivery and follow-up of your event. For companies, associations and institutions with their own sustainability strategies in particular, an ESG framework creates transparency and comparability – both internally and externally.
In practical terms, this means you define your own sustainability objectives and derive concrete measures from them. A pragmatic focus is essential: assess which sustainability criteria you already meet and concentrate on areas where you can make a real impact.
Sustainable decision-making in conference planning
When planning a conference, you make numerous decisions that influence its sustainability. Foremost among these is the choice of conference destination and venue. Leipzig is a compelling choice for conferences in several respects.
Green mobility – a key factor in choosing a conference destination
The choice of destination has a major impact on an event’s carbon footprint, as it determines how participants travel and what sustainable mobility options are available on site. Selecting your destination and venue with care therefore becomes a key lever for improving sustainability. Thanks to its central location and excellent connections, Leipzig enables climate-friendly travel by rail, particularly with Deutsche Bahn. On site, a modern public transport system provides further sustainable mobility options. With the Leipzig congress ticket offered by the LVB public transport authority, your conference badge doubles as a travel pass. Leipzig is also known for its compactness: many conference hotels and venues are within walking distance of evening and supporting programmes. This combination of environmentally friendly mobility options helps make your conference in Leipzig more sustainable.
Sustainability certifications – guidance when choosing conference hotels and venues
Official sustainability certifications provide valuable guidance when selecting a conference hotel or venue in Leipzig. This offers you a major advantage: they make each venue’s sustainability measures transparent and comparable at a glance. Even at the initial research stage, you can see which standards to expect. Certifications also make it easier to demonstrate sustainable practices to clients and internal decision-makers. Measures such as energy efficiency, regional sourcing, social engagement or an in-house environmental programme all contribute to the overall sustainability of your event.
Practical ideas for conserving resources at conferences
In addition to mobility, the use of resources plays a central role in making conferences more sustainable. This includes water and energy consumption as well as the materials used for communication and event equipment. Greater sustainability can be achieved by reducing and avoiding waste, as well as reusing materials in line with circular economy principles. Catering also offers a wide range of opportunities.
Less waste through digital solutions, rental models and reuse
Identify the areas where the most resources are consumed. The same principle applies here: focus on areas you can influence in order to develop more sustainable alternatives.
Practical ideas for conserving resources:
- Event apps and QR codes instead of printed programmes
- Hire furniture, décor and floral arrangements
- Energy-efficient technology
- Reuse event equipment
Where single-use materials cannot be avoided, large-format banners, carpets and stand construction materials do not necessarily have to end up as waste. The Leipzig-based start-up Trash Galore promotes circular economy solutions by redistributing leftover event materials as donations to associations and initiatives. This reuse benefits both the environmental footprint of your event and the organisations that receive the materials.
Sustainable catering at conferences
Sustainable conference catering begins with conscious sourcing: regionally and seasonally produced food reduces transport distances, lowers carbon emissions and supports local producers. Vegetarian and vegan options generally generate lower greenhouse gas emissions and require fewer resources than many animal-based products. Reusable tableware and deposit systems for bottles and cups help to avoid waste. In many cases, local partnerships exist to redistribute surplus food. Established sustainability certifications such as GreenSign Gastro provide useful guidance when selecting a catering provider for conferences in Leipzig.
From planning to follow-up – measuring as a basis for improvement
An important step towards greater sustainability is measuring your event’s impact. A preliminary assessment will help you estimate expected data and identify potential savings. During the event, you collect data on aspects such as waste volumes and catering consumption. In the follow-up phase, you look at how effective your measures were. The data collected forms the basis for measurable improvements and supports the continuous development of your event. Specialised online tools are available to assist with these calculations.
Carbon calculators – useful tools for measuring impact
Carbon calculators are practical tools for calculating the greenhouse gas emissions generated by your event. They are based on different methodological approaches and calculation models. Where data is missing, it is supplemented with statistical estimates.
Examples of online carbon calculators:
- UBA carbon calculator (German Environment Agency)
- atmosfair event calculator (non-profit climate protection organisation atmosfair)
- myclimate event calculator
- Travel Emissions Tracker (Futouris)
Social sustainability at conferences and events
Social sustainability means taking responsibility for the people involved in planning, delivering and attending your conference. This includes fair working conditions for staff and service providers, as well as accessibility and inclusion. Your conference should be accessible to people with a wide range of physical, sensory and social needs. Respectful interaction, transparent communication and the conscious involvement of local stakeholders strengthen the social impact of your event and contribute to acceptance, quality and long-term success.
Examples of social sustainability measures:
- Fair remuneration for all stakeholders and long-term partnerships
- Accessibility through step-free access, interpreting and subtitles
- Diverse representation among speakers, panels and podium discussions
- Local value creation through the involvement of local providers and partnerships
Focusing on social sustainability delivers multiple benefits: fair working conditions and clear structures improve collaboration with service providers and ensure smooth processes. Inclusive and respectful concepts increase the appeal for participants, partners and sponsors. In this way, social sustainability strengthens your conference’s competitive positioning.
Best practice – sustainability at events in Leipzig
Conferences in Leipzig showcase a wide range of approaches across all dimensions of sustainability.
Sustainability at the German Child and Youth Welfare Congress 2025 in Leipzig
The German Child and Youth Welfare Congress 2025 in Leipzig placed a strong focus on the responsible use of resources. Leipziger Messe supported the event with sustainable concepts for stand construction and catering. Additional measures included repurposing banners in a Leipzig-based upcycling workshop and giving away herb-based table decorations after an evening event. An awareness concept was also implemented to ensure equal participation for all attendees.
Sustainability at the 2026 “You can!” specialist congress in Leipzig
At the You can! congress for inclusion in the workplace – held from 11 to 13 March 2026 at the Congress Center Leipzig – many presentations, workshops and panel discussions were translated into sign language, real-time captioning and more simple language. These measures supported exchange between people with and without disabilities.
This range of sustainable measures shows: as a conference planner, you set your own priorities for sustainability. Looking at best-practice examples can provide valuable inspiration. In this way, you benefit from the experience of the conference sector as you move towards greater sustainability. Our article Eleven tips for making sustainable events a success offers further inspiration for measures you can take.
Networking for greater sustainability in events in Leipzig
An event series called “Team Nachhaltige Events” (“Sustainable Events Team”) focuses on active exchange and networking. Its core aims are sharing experiences, learning from one another and jointly developing new ideas. The initiative is led by the agency aras Events, which supports organisers in making their events more sustainable – from planning through to implementation.
As a conference planner, you benefit directly from this network: through short coordination paths, pooled expertise and tried-and-tested solutions for more sustainable events.
Step by step towards greater sustainability
Sustainability in conferences and business events is an ongoing process. By planning consciously, conference organisers can create events with real added value. In Leipzig, you will find committed venues and service partners who work with you to take responsibility. Find out more about sustainability for your conference in Leipzig.
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