Sustainability at WindEurope’s Annual Events

Sustainability is at the heart of what we do as an industry, and that goes for our events too!

Sustainability has always been central to how we operate at WindEurope. We have worked to formalise our event sustainability approach, defining three core commitments that align with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, and with our core principles and values.

Minimising our footprint: We are committed to environmental stewardship by minimising the environmental and carbon footprint of our events.

Thriving together: We aim to foster a culture of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion while prioritising the well-being and security of all our stakeholders.

Driving long-term prosperity: We uphold the highest standards of business ethics, and these are at the heart of our governance principles.

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Travel

Did you know… Global transportation is a major source of greenhouse gas emissions. Taxis running on gasoline or diesel are major CO2 emitters – giving off about 250g per km! Public transport is more energy efficient, emitting just 100g for each passenger over the same distance.

What are we doing about it? WindEurope works with local authorities to provide discounted public transport coverage for participants at our annual events – encouraging sustainable commuting and cutting our carbon footprint.

How can you help? Take public transport whenever you can to reduce your carbon emissions and support sustainable travel options!

Food

Did you know… The food industry has a major environmental footprint – responsible for 26% of global greenhouse gas emissions. Meat production is the big culprit here. It takes up large tracts of land – around 77% of all global agricultural areas. And it consumes lots of water too – around 15,000 litres for every kg of beef.

What are we doing about it? Our event lunches are mostly plant-based and we do not serve meat – which cuts down significantly on the carbon footprint linked with meat and dairy produce. All food served onsite is also organic and locally sourced.

How can you help? Mindful food choices are a great way to make a difference to the world around us!

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Food waste

Did you know… Every year up to 1/3 of food produced around the world ends up in refuse. This isn’t just a waste of everything that goes into making food – water, energy, and labour. It also leads to more greenhouse gas emissions. As food waste decomposes in landfills, it gives off methane, one of the major drivers of climate change.

What are we doing about it? We’ve taken steps to minimise food waste – making careful use of food onsite. Any leftovers are reused to ensure nothing goes to waste. Inedible or spoilt food is turned into biogas. And everything else – sandwiches and salads for example – are donated to local charities.

How can you help? Make sure to only take what you know you will eat – and help us cut down on food waste! Every little effort helps!

Waste and plastic pollution

Did you know… Modern society produces 2bn metric tonnes of waste a year. And most of this ends up in landfills or gets dumped directly into the natural environment. Landfills are the third-largest source of human-related methane emissions, a potent greenhouse gas.

For plastic, it’s even more alarming. Only 9% of the 9bn tonnes of plastic produced every year is recycled. The rest gathers in landfills, oceans, and other ecosystems, where it takes thousands of years to degrade. At this rate, by 2050, there will be more plastic in the oceans than fish – when measured by cumulative weight.

What are we doing about it?

  • We install water refilling stations across event venues to cut back on single-use plastics.
  • Carpets onsite are recycled – and turned into granulate after our events, getting a second lease of life in plastic used for cars.
  • Your lanyard is made from recycled plastic – and the badge holders are biodegradable!

How can you help? We ask participants at our events to dispose of their waste in the correct bins to reduce landfill waste. If you have a water bottle, please refill it whenever you’re thirsty! And when the event is over, leave your badge in special collection boxes so it can be recycled!

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Thriving together

To foster a more inclusive and safer wind industry, we emphasise diverse attendance at our events, gender balance in speaker line-ups, and stringent health and safety measures.

  • Encouraging diverse attendance: We draw up inclusive programmes allowing for a range of perspectives, and a comfortable and respectful atmosphere. Our free student-only programmes and Wind Energy Open Houses are a chance to share renewable energy insights with diverse communities.
  • Promoting gender balance in speaker line-ups: We promote gender balance by encouraging more female representation among our event speakers. And we support other initiatives that promote a more balanced gender representation of the industry.
  • Ensuring health, safety, and security: We prioritise the safety of all stakeholders by putting comprehensive health and safety measures in place, and providing thorough briefings and documentation across event planning and delivery.

Legacy

To drive long-term prosperity, we support local communities and uphold high business ethics. We aim to deliver transparency, respect, and efficiency in our business relationships, prioritising sustainable products and services.

As part of our legacy initiatives and work to boost local communities, WindEurope supports afforestation and biodiversity projects, which are given the status of forest reserves. These projects are designed to provide long-term, cost-effective climate and environmental benefits many years into the future.

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Resources

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