Commitment to a Sustainable Future: Messe Düsseldorf Publishes Its First Voluntary Sustainability Report

Expanding the handprint, reducing the footprint
“We aim to expand our handprint and reduce our footprint while taking the trade fair experience to a new level,” explains Marius Berlemann, Managing Director of Operations at Messe Düsseldorf, whose responsibilities also include the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) department. In line with the guiding principle “For those who create tomorrow's business”, the company focuses on high-impact events and solutions that drive sustainable progress for the environment, people, and the economy.

For Messe Düsseldorf, sustainability is not a trend but a mindset—and an integral part of the corporate strategy. The 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations serve as a guiding framework, alongside a clear commitment to the objectives of the Paris Climate Agreement. “We are reducing our resource consumption and advancing transformation at all levels—as a trade fair organizer, employer, regional economic driver, and international multiplier,” says Marius Berlemann.

Progress on the path to climate neutrality
“Our sustainability report provides insights into our CSR strategy and objectives as well as into the milestones we have already reached. In terms of our greenhouse gas emissions, for example, we have achieved a significant reduction of 48 percent in the assessed categories, which is reflected in our first comparative greenhouse gas inventories for 2019 and 2023,” explains Andrea Eppert, Head of Corporate Social Responsibility. This means that Messe Düsseldorf has already met the city’s climate targets for 2035. Nevertheless, the company continues to set itself ambitious goals: Messe Düsseldorf is aiming for climate neutrality by 2040.

Thanks to a strict energy management system, electricity consumption has been reduced by 52 percent and heating energy requirements by 30 percent over the last ten years despite an increase in exhibition space. This is due to various efficiency measures and the continuous optimization of processes and technologies. In addition, the switch to green electricity has significantly contributed to the reduction of Scope 2 CO2 emissions. “While reducing our footprint remains our primary goal, it was important to us that the report reflects our holistic understanding of sustainability. Alongside the Planet dimension, we also ensured that People, Performance, and Governance—the other key pillars of our strategy—are appropriately addressed,” adds Andrea Eppert.