SUSTAINABILITY - IAC 2022 Goes Green!

IAC 2022 has put in place initiatives to make its congress sustainable aiming to:

• Reduce as much as possible the greenhouse gases produced before and during the congress and work to mitigate them
• Lessen the resources required, favoring their use at the local level according to availability. Encourage reuse and recycling practices whenever possible.
• Promote good sustainable practices, eco-gestures to stakeholders involved in the preparation of the congress
• Work with suppliers, partners, and businesses supporting the sustainability efforts of the congress for environmental, social, and economic benefits
• Leave a sustainable legacy for the city of Paris

The IAC 2022 is aiming to receive the certificate according to the ISO 20121: 2012 “responsible event” standard. ISO 20121 offers guidance and best practice to help manage the event and control its social, economic, and environmental impact.
In addition to ISO 20121, IAC 2022 has decided to go even further and calculate its Carbon Footprint: the total amount of greenhouse gases (including carbon dioxide and methane) generated by our actions of all departments of the event: from registration, accommodation, transport, materials, to food, energy, and waste.

Here is an overview of the initiatives implemented for the congress (non-exhaustive list). A report on the sustainable development of the IAC 2022 will be published at the end of the congress.

• Presence of criteria related to Corporate Social Responsibility (approach to applying the principles and good practices of sustainable development in business) in the calls for tenders.
• Selection of a professional congress organizer certified ISO 20121: 2012 “Responsible Event Management”, and commitment to the same certification process at the event level itself.
• Support from a consulting firm specialized in sustainable event strategy, and by a firm in charge of the Carbon Footprint.
• Implementation of a voluntary policy of compensation of participants’ registrations, to support projects selected by CNES.

Learn more about the ISO 20121 approach:
“Events take indeed a heavy toll on resources, society and the environment, often generating significant waste. In addition to promoting more responsible consumption, this International Standard has been developed to relieve the strain on local infrastructure and utilities, reducing the potential for conflict in communities where events are hosted.” (www.iso.org )

The IAC 2022 aims at reaching the following goals:
Within the framework of the sustainable development strategy of the congress, and in connection with the Sustainable Development Goals of the UN, five objectives were defined as essential for the good organization of the congress.

Objective 1: Eco-designing its communication with the various stakeholders
It means that we :

• Raise awareness of the CSR approach among our stakeholders
• Reduce the ecological footprint of the congress communication through responsible communication practices (for example, the congress programs will not be printed but will be available in digital format)

Objective 2: Positive social impact: making the congress accessible and welcoming to all

• Make the event accessible to all (within the venue with adapted care)
• Commitment to parity and diversity with, for example, the wearing of gender-neutral clothing by reception staff
• Develop the experience of others by having solidarity partners intervene during the Public Day

Objective 3: Environment: control consumption and promote responsible actors

• Limiting waste production, rationalizing consumption (eliminating single-use plastic, energy management)
• Use eco-responsible suppliers via a responsible purchasing policy
• Carry out the carbon footprint of the event

Objective 4: Health, safety, and collaboration: Putting the health, safety, and satisfaction of conference participants at the center of our concerns

• Ensure a safe environment for all participants (implementation of a safety policy specific to the event)
• To ensure the good health of the participants by including a medical service during the event
• Fully satisfying the stakeholders through an optimized quality of service and the evaluation of their satisfaction.

Objective 5: Heritage: Favour local products, take advantage of certification, and transmit innovation outside of the space sector

• Use local suppliers to generate positive local economic spin-offs
• Certify the congress ISO 20121, an international standard, to make it a reference for sustainable development in the space industry
• Be a platform for innovation exchange between space and non-space actors

Learn more about the IAC 2022 Responsible Management Policy here
Learn more about the IAC 2022 Mission and Values here
Learn more about good eco-responsible practices for all participants here

The venue : Paris Convention Centre
As IAC 2022 goes green, its venue, Paris Convention Centre, is committed to sustainable development. VIParis is making concrete actions to host events as sustainably as possible. For example, by choosing a green electricity supplier, PCC has been able to reduce GHG emissions linked to electricity consumption by a factor of 7 (compared to the average French electricity mix) Download the concrete commitments of the venue in terms of sustainable development

IAF Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct
Read here