Sustainability is central to the way we plan and deliver our symposium. We are committed to reducing the symposium’s carbon footprint. We promise to work responsibly with our event partners, suppliers, and attendees to implement and communicate sustainable practices. This includes everything from travel guidance to responsible materials policies. Together, we can raise awareness and enact change.
Catering
SSEA aims to offer high-quality food that aligns with sustainable values. Our caterer’s product range at the events is between 50% and 90% vegetarian. They use seasonal vegetables and work with local suppliers to reduce transport miles.
Printing
All material related to the conference will be printed on sustainable or recycled paper, and we are making reductions to the number of pages. Conference materials will be made available on our website, resulting in fewer printed copies being available on-site. Where printed signage is needed, we will work with our suppliers to find the most sustainable materials. We have partnered with a local printer for poster authors to order their posters. These will be delivered in one drop-off at the event.
Travel and Accommodation
We encourage all attendees to make environmentally responsible travel choices wherever possible, such as using public transport, bikes, or carpooling to reduce the number of individual vehicle journeys. For local attendees, we will include a list of public transport options to get to Ottobrunn and their schedules on the symposium website.
Sustainable Merchandise
We are rethinking the tradition of free conference memorabilia:
- Any promotional items we offer will be practical, reusable, responsibly sourced, and plastic-free wherever possible. All of the badges and welcome items given to attendees will be largely plastic-free.
- We aim to work with ethical suppliers that use recycled or biodegradable materials.
- In some cases, we will offer digital alternatives to physical giveaways (e.g., downloadable content) to further reduce our impact.
- Attendees will be encouraged to opt in to receiving free items to reduce unnecessary production and waste.
Waste Management
We are implementing a clear and visible waste sorting and recycling system on-site. All attendees will be encouraged to:
- Bring reusable water bottles and coffee cups, with refill stations provided.
- Properly dispose of waste in the provided recycling and compost bins.
- During lunch, metallic cutlery and glass cups will be provided, avoiding plastic in any case.
Furthermore, we will closely work with organisations fighting for a more sustainable life at our campuses and research centres, helping us achieve as much as possible a zero-waste Symposium and to effectively monitor our development in that regard.
If you are an individual or an organisation working on advancing sustainability and are interested in getting in touch with us, we would love to hear from you! Email us at info@ssea.space!