Swedish Exhibition & Congress Centre and Gothia Towers accelerate on sustainability

# tags: Venues , Meetings Industry , Sustainability

For the seventh year in a row, Gothenburg is the world's most sustainable event and meeting city, according to the Global Destination Sustainability Index (GDS Index).

The sustainability of cities is measured from several perspectives: ecological, economic and social. Factors influencing this include how well a city manages traffic, handles recycling and works to reduce greenhouse gases, and whether there are sustainability strategies and environmental certifications for hotels, restaurants and meeting facilities.

In this year's GDS Index, Gothenburg scored 94.63 per cent (up from 92.98) on a 100-point scale, an almost unattainable figure for many cities. And one might think that Gothenburg is content with winning seven years in a row.

"On the contrary. We are now taking bigger steps towards sustainable meetings. We have developed a new sustainability policy, hired a new sustainability manager and produced a new sustainability guide that is used in dialogue with customers," says Malin Erlandsson, Director Congress & Events for The Swedish Exhibition & Congress Centre and Gothia Towers.

In addition, all 900 employees at the Swedish Exhibition & Congress Centre and Gothia Towers are trained with their own sustainability week, where the development potential is at the centre. "We have ISO-certified our entire operation, not just the venue and hotel itself. Now, we also include all our own fairs and meetings, which has made us further our efforts."

"We want to show everyone who is working in the meetings industry how and why we are the most sustainable meetings destination in the world, but above all, why we are committed to further development. Ninety-four per cent is not the end goal. There is always more to do, and we will continue strive to do more."

According to Malin Erlandsson, sustainability is an important factor for decision-makers. The Swedish Exhibition & Congress Centre and Gothia Towers has received direct calls from customers who have seen that Gothenburg is in first place in the GDS Index and have therefore sent requests to hold meetings there.

"Unfortunately, this has also meant that we have had to turn down events during our high season because we are fully booked. Gothenburg is growing rapidly, and we want to grow with the city."

"We also have plans to grow with more meeting areas"

In 2010, the city had about 8,000 hotel rooms; by 2025, the figure is expected to be close to 15,000.  "We ourselves have over 1,200 hotel rooms and are planning a fourth hotel tower. We also have plans to grow with more meeting areas, to attract more meetings and larger meetings for 8,000+ people," says Malin Erlandsson.

She says that for the future, they have only scratched the surface. There are still not enough companies and organisations in the world that know about Gothenburg at all. But those who come to the city are pleasantly surprised by what they experience.

“Today, we win 75 per cent of the meetings that come here for a site inspection, largely thanks to our sustainability work. The Swedish inflation right now also affects us in a positive way, as our closest competitors in Denmark and Norway are significantly more expensive.”

The EU has now addressed key issues affecting all European business events. There will be a wave of new laws and regulations in 2024 and beyond on sustainability, as the EU believes that progress is too slow in member states.

The foundation that owns the Swedish Exhibition & Congress Centre and Gothia Towers is over a hundred years old, and work has now begun to develop the venue for the next hundred years.

New tools to promote sustainability will be launched in January next year. For example, it will be possible to show all your own emissions and how to minimise them, including figures showing waste per hotel guest.

But as importantly, more and more international convention bureaux and DMOs are coming to Gothenburg to learn more about why the city has topped the GDS Index so many times. For example, the Tokyo Convention Bureau and five French destinations will visit in autumn. “We will lead the change and be a destination that other cities find inspiration and develop from,” says Malin Erlandsson.