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| 97 per cent score for sustainability certification The Leipziger Messe corporate group has successfully received its third certification for the prestigious Green Globe sustainability seal. The company achieved a score of 97 per cent with regard to the audit's 300 assessment criteria that encompass the social, ecological and economic aspects of sustainability, improving its performance by seven per cent compared with the second certification in 2012. The audit is repeated every two years. Long-time sustainability expert and Green Globe auditor, Dr. Peter Zimmer, praised this dedication: "The figures show that the Leipziger Messe corporate group takes its mission statement of "Growing in Balance" seriously, and integrates it into everyday corporate life with many concrete measures." A score of 51 per cent is required to pass the audit so, as Peter Zimmer points out, Leipziger Messe's achievement was far in excess of this figure. "Because of this regular certification, we are also in a permanent state of optimisation and improvement, " says the Leipziger Messe President and CEO, Martin Buhl-Wagner, explaining the corporate group's sustainability commitment. "This objective assessment process is a valuable analysis and controlling instrument that shows us where we stand." From LED external lighting to health management The measures cover a broad spectrum and range from waste management to fairly-traded products in the area of catering, through to in-house health management. One of the ways in which the company goes about saving even more energy is by using LED lighting: The ten entrance gates of the five exhibition halls are equipped with a total of 100 LED external lights. The company's communication strategy with regard to customers, partners and employees has also been improved. Thus the Leipziger Messe's new website now has a dedicated area for sustainability, in which all measures and activities are brought together. Furthermore, a specially-made film provides trade fair staff with useful tips on how to conserve resources and energy in their day-to-day work. The auditor is impressed that "Leipziger Messe also practises sustainability outside the company as well." The company is involved, for example, in local, regional and national initiatives and networks for education, families, and for social and cultural issues. These include the Germany-wide unique project "Duale Höchstleistungen: Sport und Ausbildung" (Two peak performances: sports and training): Two athletes at the Olympic base in Leipzig are currently undergoing professional training with Leipziger Messe that is aligned to their sport training and competition schedules. With an eye to the future, Leipziger Messe also supports the V FAKTOR Initiative, for responsible business in Central Germany which is sponsored by the Central Germany Business Initiative and the Central Germany Metropolitan Region. This is where companies have a chance to exchange experience in the area of sustainable and responsible corporate dealings. Subsidiaries with their own projects included All subsidiaries and the Congress Center Leipzig CCL are included in the sustainability process. In line with "Sustainable Company 2.0" criteria, subsidiary FAIRNET has received recertification as a "Sustainable Company" for a further two years from FAMAB, the association for direct business communication. Catering subsidiary fairgourmet has undergone organic certification for the first time, and its coffee is now allowed to display the organic label. As part of this certification, fairgourmet employees are trained in the proper handling of organic products. This certification is also repeated every two years. The CCL, for its part, is a cosignatory of the event industry's sustainability code, known as "fairpflichtet", an initiative of the German Convention Bureau and the European Association of Event Centres EVVC. The CCL was awarded the German Convention Bureau's Green Meetings Award when it was presented for the first time last year. "Customers, partners and suppliers of the Leipziger Messe, the Congress Center Leipzig, and our subsidiaries are paying increasing attention to working sustainably, and are responding positively to these certifications. In this way sustainability management becomes an important strategic advantage in terms of competition, " Martin Buhl-Wagner explains. This also became apparent from a 2013 study produced by the German Convention Bureau, "Conference and Convention of the Future", in which the majority of those surveyed were of the opinion that "sustainability is relevant; indeed, it is relevant to our very livelihood." write your comments about the article :: © 2014 Exhibition News :: home page |