1.    ACTION #1: Green Catering

1.1 Compostable Materials

We have substituted all single-use plastic tableware with either metal/ceramic or compostable elements. This action avoided generating plastic waste for over 190kg.

1.2 50% Plant-Based Catering

Embracing a greener approach, we ensured that between 75 and 100% of our event's food options were vegetarian/vegan. All of them were locally sourced and organic.

1.3 Minimised Food Waste

By accurately predicting attendance, we've ensured that food waste is minimised, promoting a sustainable event experience. Participants were kindly invited to notify the event organisers in case of participation cancellation, in order to guarantee the accurate calculation of catering requirements.

1.4 Diverse Dietary Options

Our provider went the extra mile to cater to diverse dietary requirements, including vegan and gluten-free options during coffee breaks. Participants were encouraged to notify events.organisation@esa.int of their specific dietary requirements or allergies in advance.

1.5 Plastic-Free Water

Refreshments were enjoyed without plastic waste - through the distribution of readily available tap water at catering points and the use of personal re-usable bottles, we avoided the use of plastic bottles and provided around 300 litres of high quality Viennese tap water to participants daily.

2.    ACTION #2: POSITIVE ENVIRONMENT

2.1 Code of Conduct

The European Space Agency (ESA) strives to create a positive conference environment that is free of harassment, and where everyone is treated with respect and dignity. You may find here our Code of Conduct.

2.2 Childcare Service

Your convenience and peace of mind are important to us. The BiDS '23 Organising Committee offered a childcare service, upon request, during all times of the event from Tuesday 7 to Thursday 9 November, allowing participants to fully engage in the event. The service was used by a total of 6 children, and was greatly appreciated by their parents.

2.3 Accessibility

The ACV presents accessibility aids for visually impaired people and people with limited mobility. More information on this page: ACV Accessibility.

3.    ACTION #3: Reduced impact of Exhibition Area

3.1 Recycled Origin Exhibition Carpet

Our commitment extends to the event space. Made entirely of polypropylene (PP) granules, the chosen exhibition carpet was certified as environmentally-friendly and was designed to be reused and recycled into valuable raw materials for the production of new carpets. No water was used during the carpet's production.

3.2 Reduced Disposable Gadgets

We encouraged exhibitors to minimise their use of single-use items and disposable plastic gadgets. All exhibitors were invited to offer virtual or sustainable alternatives. The agreement supporting this sustainable initiative was signed by 5 out of 11 exhibitors.

3.3 Eco-Friendly Lanyards

In order to further reduce plastic waste, our BiDS '23 lanyards were printed on paper, thus making them a fitting accessory for an environmentally conscious gathering.

At the end of the event, special bins were set up to collect badges and lanyards in order to favour recycling.

4.    ACTION #4: Less-Paper

4.1 LED Wall and Digital Signage

We've said goodbye to disposable signage and plastic wraps. Our event featured digital signage, with their energy provided by 100% renewable sources.

4.2 Minimal Printed Material

We've taken a strong stance against excessive printing. From gadgets, to decorations and on-site signage, we're minimising the use of printed materials. We've managed to avoid excessive waste by saving 6,240kg of paper.

5.    ACTION #5: Sustainable Transportation

5.1 Encouraging Train Travel

Travel choices matter. We shared details and tools to help participants compare the environmental impact of different travel options. From our survey respondents, 30.2% travelled to the venue by train.

5.2 Bicycle Motivation

To promote greener commuting, the venue provided bicycle parking spots, encouraging attendees to choose eco-friendly transportation. During the event, 87.5% of survey respondents navigated the city of Vienna through eco-friendly methods such as public transport and walking.

5.3 Carbon footprint offset

We offered participants the opportunity to calculate their CO2 emissions and offset their carbon footprint by donating through Climate Austria - CO2 offset. This service was used by 6 people among 121 survey respondents.

6.    ACTION #6: Energy

6.1 Sustainable Energy

Our event venue, Austria Vienna Center, proudly holds the Austrian Ecolabel, therefore proving to be an ideal partner for the organisation of environmentally and socially committed events.

The ACV recently adopted extensively the use of high-efficiency all LED-walls to reduce energy waste. Moreover, the whole venue uses energy from renewable resources, as explained here.

During the event, the daily power consumption of the venue was 10,9 MWh.

7.    ACTION #7: Sustainable Accomodation

7.1 Green Hotel Options

We are glad to have provided a list of Sustainable Hotels, to ensure that participants were given the opportunity to align their hotel stays with the event values. These sustainable accommodation options were used by 8 participants out of 121 survey respondents.