At this year’s Meetings Africa, Wesgro, the official tourism, trade, and investment promotion agency for Cape Town and the Western Cape, won the Platinum Award in the Large Stand category for the sustainability initiatives displayed at their stand.
The stand’s design and execution reflected a commitment to waste reduction, resource efficiency, and responsible procurement – principles that align with broader industry efforts to minimise environmental impact in event production.
The right materials and resources
The stand’s structure was built for longevity. The flooring, made of vinyl, was placed on boards that are stored and reused. Once removed, the vinyl is donated to schools and creches, ensuring continued use beyond the event. The walls, constructed from aluminium, were rented, reducing the demand for new materials. Similarly, the exhibitor counters, owned by Wesgro, are reused at other tourism trade shows, including World Travel Market Africa and Africa’s Travel Indaba.
The stand’s reception counter and all furniture were rental items, further extending the life cycle of these materials. In keeping with a circular economy approach, the majority of the graphics used were fabric – 95% of which were washable and reused. Only two exhibitors required new graphics, minimising unnecessary production.
Efforts to reduce energy consumption were also integrated into the stand’s design. A single bar fridge and one 50-inch plasma screen limited electrical demand. LED lighting (also rented) offered an energy-efficient alternative to traditional lighting solutions.
Reducing their carbon footprint
Beyond the physical structure, logistics played a role in lowering the stand’s overall carbon footprint. The aluminium framework was stored in Johannesburg, eliminating unnecessary transport between cities. When delivered to the event, it was transported on a truck carrying stock for multiple exhibitors, optimizing load capacity and reducing emissions. The exhibitor counters, previously used at Africa’s Travel Indaba in Durban, were transported to Johannesburg as part of an existing shipment, avoiding additional trips.
Waste generation was also kept to a minimum, with most elements either repurposed or reused. Cardboard wrapping for exhibitor counters was recycled, and the aluminium structure’s components were transported in reusable wooden crates. The only disposable elements were the vinyl exhibitor name stickers and flooring, both of which were redirected for reuse at educational institutions rather than discarded.
To further measure and mitigate environmental impact, Wesgro and their suppliers engaged a consultant to track the carbon footprint of the project.
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Wesgro’s approach to sustainable exhibition design illustrates how event infrastructure can be managed to reduce waste and emissions while maintaining functionality and brand presence. This is largely thanks to their partnership with stand builder, Scan Display – an EGF member.
If you’re looking to go green for your next event, then look for more EGF members and sustainable suppliers on our Green Database (https://www.greendatabase.co.za/).