Dear IFES Community,
Sustainability has been a central topic in our industry for years, and I trust we can all agree that it has remained abstract for too long. Well-intended, widely discussed, but inconsistently implemented. That is beginning to change. And it is changing because we are moving from ambition to action that is relevant for all of us.
Our sustainability committee is fostering this topic with great passion. We started with ISO 20121 programs to support those who need to step up first. We keep this up, and yet, we want to enable the entire community to participate in future-proofing sustainable activities that are easy to implement in our daily jobs and are understood as a pivotal part of change within our events and exhibition industry.
At IFES, we have made a conscious decision not just to participate in the conversation, but to help structure and finally lead it. The Better Stands initiative is a clear expression of that commitment. IFES took over the secretariat and leadership simultaneously within the Steering Committee of this joint industry initiative.
From Principle to Practice
Better Stands is not about adding another layer of complexity. It is about creating ease and clarity, defining what responsible exhibiting looks like in practical, measurable terms. It provides a framework that allows all stakeholders – exhibitors, organisers, venues, and ourselves – to align around a shared, global standard.
What makes this initiative so pivotal and powerful is its simplicity and applicability. It translates sustainability into decisions that can be made early on the ground: how stands are designed, how materials are used, and how reuse is embedded into the ecosystem of all activities along the marketing communication journey. This is where real impact happens – not in theory, but in execution. And we are at the core of this!
Leading by example
IFES has taken on a leadership role in advancing Better Stands, not through declarations, but through persistent, structured advocacy. We have worked to bring partners across the industry into the conversation, to challenge existing practices, and to push for alignment where fragmentation has long been the norm.
That effort is gaining traction.
More and more of our partners are not only acknowledging the need for standards like Better Stands, they are also actively supporting and implementing them. This is a critical shift. Change at scale only happens when the ecosystem moves together. We are in the driver’s seat!
Better Stands covers the Three Dimensions
When we talk about building responsibly, we need to be precise. Within Better Stands we serve sustainability in all dimensions, in balance:
• Environmental responsibility, through reducing waste and focusing on reuse
• Commercial viability, ensuring that sustainable practices strengthen – not weaken – our businesses, by increasing demand and saving on resources
• Social responsibility, creating fair, transparent, and future-oriented ways of working
Better Stands addresses all three. It creates a pathway where sustainability is not in conflict with business performance, but directly contributes to it.
Stabilising Business Through Transparency
One of the most underestimated impacts of standardisation is the trust that we are building.
By introducing clear, widely accepted frameworks, we bring transparency into conversations with our clients. Exhibitors understand what they are investing in – no longer only short term. Organisers can align expectations. Venues can integrate consistent requirements. This reduces friction, increases efficiency, and ultimately stabilises our business environment.
In a market that is still navigating uncertainty, this kind of clarity is not a “nice to have”; it is essential for our business model.
I am convinced that initiatives like Better Stands will not only drive environmental progress but will also strengthen the economic foundation of our industry.
What Comes Next
Momentum is building, but we are not there yet.The next phase requires continued commitment: scaling adoption, refining standards, and ensuring that implementation remains practical across different markets and realities. It also requires us, as IFES, to stay focused, continuing to advocate, to connect stakeholders, and to push for alignment where it matters most.
Today, I can already forecast the next layers of Better Stands to come, increasingly supporting our aim of being future leaders in our industry by being responsible, transparent, consistent and eager to improve. Building responsibly is not a one-time effort. It is a long-term shift in how we think, how we operate, and how we collaborate.
I’d call this consistency in execution, because we want to matter.
Let’s keep moving forward – together.
Warm regards,
Jorg
