UN SDG Reporting

What are the UN SDGs and why are they important?

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are a call to action by all countries to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all. The 17 goals address the global challenges that we face, including those related to poverty, inequality, climate, environmental degradation, economic prosperity, and justice. The aim is to achieve all 17 goals and their accompanied targets by 2030, and businesses play a crucial role in ensuring this success.

Where can I learn more about the SDGs: Visit the official website for more information here.

How the exhibition industry can contribute to the SDGs? The industry has huge scale as each exhibition reaches tens of thousands of people. Exhibitions encompass all sectors of business, government, and civil society, and a large value chain of partners and stakeholders come together to put the exhibition together. With such a wide audience and reach, the exhibition industry can have meaningful collective impact. The SDGs are touched in many different ways: Through an exhibition’s theme, the way it is organized and operationalized, and the way it is supported by its suppliers and partners.

What is UFI doing in this initiative to support industry participation?

Early 2019, UFI started gathering best practices to spread awareness of the SDGs and how the industry players are contributing to catalyze a sustainable future for all. Three templates were proposed:
Type I: Exhibition Theme: How the theme of the exhibition contributes to the SDGs
Type II: Exhibition Operation: How the operator of the exhibition contributes to the SDGs
Type III: Company’s Operations: How a company’s own operations contribute to the SDGs

A first summary report was released in June 2019, around Global Exhibitions Day, and a second data collection process let to a new version of the report produced in 2020.
This report is freely available for download here, and all 25 selected entries are available below.

The whole concept was also shared for use by the Joint Meetings Industry Council, to expand the compilation to other segments of the event industry.
Please contact chris@ufi.org if you plan to take part.