Carpets made from PET bottles and reusable booths: Discover RX's main sustainability initiatives
Additionally, the organizer aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from its events by 50% by 2030 and achieve net zero emissions by 2040.
Under the Paris Agreement commitment made in 2015, Brazil aims to reduce total greenhouse gas emissions by 43% by 2030. According to research by EY-Parthenon, Brazilians have been demanding more sustainable practices from companies. Aligning with these demands, RX, one of the world’s largest business event organizers, is advancing the implementation of measures to make its operations more sustainable.
With ambitious goals for the coming years, such as reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 50% by 2023 and achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2040, new solutions are being swiftly implemented. These include carpets made from PET bottles, a pioneering initiative in Latin America, and reusable booth materials.
Carpets Made from PET Bottles
The carpets are produced using recyclable polypropylene fibers and feature a surface made of post-consumer polyester threads from recycled PET packaging. At the venue, 70% of the floor covering uses this sustainable model, while only 30% is newly made. Once the carpets reach the end of their useful lifecycle, the materials are transformed into items such as horse bedding, hats, mattress springs, doormats, and more.
Increasing Reusable Booths
Another significant milestone is the increase in booths made with reusable materials, such as Octanorm (a recyclable material). At the 2024 edition of FEICON, the most comprehensive trade show for the construction and architecture sectors in Latin America, the use of the 18m² model booths managed by RX increased by 58% compared to the 2023 edition.
Data Analysis to Set Reduction Targets
Since 2019, RX has adopted new sustainability indicators and trackers, focusing on metrics such as renewable energy use and waste management (including food waste). A detailed analysis has been ongoing since then, with a plan to redefine reduction targets starting in 2025.
Sustainability Grading for Booths
Related to event assessments, RX will implement a new system at the 2024 Expolux event, the leading gathering for lighting companies in Latin America. This system requires each booth builder to fill out a detailed checklist regarding reuse practices, types of lighting used, and disposal methods for items like banners, fabrics, and printed materials. Based on compliance levels, booths will be classified into three categories (gold, silver, and bronze). During the setup and dismantling phases, inspectors will ensure all processes align with the declared actions. This allows RX to categorize booth suppliers by their sustainability practices at the end of each event.
Net-Zero Carbon by 2040
At the COP26 Global Climate Summit, held in November 2021 in Glasgow, Scotland, RX signed the ‘Net Zero Carbon Events’ commitment, which sets the goal to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2040. Earlier this year, the company published its roadmap towards net-zero, detailing how it plans to achieve carbon neutrality within the stipulated timeframe. Five areas have been identified for setting short-, medium-, and long-term goals: “Energy,” “Production and Waste,” “Food and Food Waste,” “Freight and Logistics,” and “Travel.”
“As a global organizer of market-leading events, we are dedicated to fostering and supporting the most significant sustainable business transitions in the industries we serve. To this end, we are also establishing metrics in areas where we can make the greatest impact, especially in energy and waste. Our goal is to determine how much energy our events consume and how much waste we generate, recycle, or dispose of, to focus efforts on reduction and reuse targets,” concludes the RX Brazil spokesperson.