Sustainability at SupplySide West & Food ingredients North America
We know sustainability is increasingly important to our visitors and exhibitors, as well as to our community as a whole. Operating SupplySide West gives us many opportunities to improve our impacts environmentally, socially and economically in our host city. We understand that it’s not just about the way we produce our events, but recognizing that we have a role to play in providing a space to work in partnership together with our markets to inspire the sustainable development of the industries we serve. Our team is driven to make our event more responsible and to also play a key role in helping our market improve its own sustainability.
Initiatives at a Glance
Our Three Pillars
Environmental Impact
SupplySide West prioritizes venues and event setups that are carbon neutral. When we plan SupplySide West we work with vendors and venues that focus on reducing our event’s carbon emissions and creating less waste.
We are also pleased to announce that we have made the switch to 100% renewable electricity for our event. This results in our electricity use being carbon neutral, preventing the additional creation of CO2, and therefore significantly reducing our carbon impact.
Social Impact
It's important to us that we keep accessibility, diversity and inclusion at the forefront when planning our event.
A SupplySide JEDI Advisory Council was carefully composed with clear direction for impacting our content: to assure consideration and an expanded working viewpoint on justice, equity, diversity and inclusion in the work we produce for our industry. The SupplySide West educational program features diverse speakers in terms of ethnicity, role in the industry, age, industry experience and background.
We also partner with Naturally Proud Network, a group that promotes the importance of creating an industry that is inviting and supportive of LGBTQ+ individuals.
Industry Impact
Education sessions at SupplySide West enable health and nutrition leaders to innovate and do business in a way that prioritizes both people and planet. We focus on environmental sustainability, empowering entrepreneurs and small businesses, and offer diverse and inclusive speakers.
We also focus on partnering with organizations who are commited to improving the health & wellness of communities around the world. Our partners include organizations such as Vitamin Angels, a non-profit organization that provides lifesaving vitamins to mothers and children at risk of malnutrition, and the Organic & Natural Health Association, that is supporting students of historically Black colleges and universities (HBCU) who are interested in Natural Health Careers at SupplySide West.
Our Sustainability Partners
Official Water Sustainability Sponsor
How can I get involved?
- Donate your leftover booth materials to Habitat for Humanity.
- Provide booth literature digitally rather than having printed items.
- Create reusable, non-dated signs that can be used year after year.
- Avoid foam core signs and request recyclable materials such as cardboard signage.
- Break down your cardboard boxes and place them in one of the recycling stations located on the show floor.
- BYOF! – Avoid carpet and bring your own flooring, like puzzle foam flooring that can be reused at your shows.
- Request sustainable booth options from GES.
- Don’t throw your lanyards and badges in the trash! Place them in one of the recycling bins at the end of the show.
- Do some light exercise or meditation, or join us for Wellness Yoga on 11/2 & 11/3.
- Walking a trade show floor can be tiring, so make sure you rest your feet and your brain regularly by taking breaks throughout the day.
- Staying hydrated and having a healthy snack will improve your ability to get the most out of the event. Consider eating a healthy meat-free lunch as well; it’s good for you and for the planet.
- When talking to exhibiting companies remember to ask them about the sustainability credentials of their business and their products.
- Download the SupplySide Network 365 mobile app to navigate the show and connect with other attendees rather than exchanging business cards.
- Download the Show Directory: Fewer Show Directories are being printed and distributed onsite, so consider downloading the digital version instead.
- Reduce the brightness of your screen and remember to hibernate your computer when not in use to help reduce your energy usage.
- Don’t throw your lanyards and badges in the trash! Place them in one of the recycling bins at the end of the show.
Share Your Story
Would you like to work with us on the sustainability of our event? Would you like to share your own story and efforts?
Got an idea? Contact the event team or reach out to Informa’s sustainability team for more information: [email protected]
Informa's commitment and approach to sustainability:
FasterForward to Zero
FasterForward is SupplySide and Informa’s approach to sustainability, moving faster to become a zero waste and net zero carbon business. A series of activities and commitments carried out between 2020-2025 will ensure our events become ever more sustainable, delivering a truly positive impact to the markets we serve. We will also actively help our partners, customers and wider markets to achieve the same.
Our FasterForward commitments include:
- Become carbon neutral across our events by 2025
- Halve the waste generated through our events by 2025
- Become zero waste and net zero carbon by 2030 or earlier
- Embed sustainability inside 100% of our events by 2025
See the full list of commitments and find out more.
