In a demonstration of its ongoing commitment to sustainability, GES has once again achieved APEX/ASTM Level Two certification for the meetings and event industry.

Spearheaded by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Green Meeting Industry Council, the standards were developed in collaboration between APEX (the Convention Industry Council’s Accepted Practices Exchange) and ASTM, an ANSI-certified international standard development organization.

The certification encourages organizations to adopt environmental standards to create more sustainable events as well as recognizes enterprises for their diligent work in expanding sustainable practices.

“The willingness of GES to utilize more sustainable materials and practices has been critical in our mission to reduce IMEX’s waste footprint,” said Mark Mulligan, associate director of IMEX Group.

He continued, “Through our partnership, we are demonstrating that trade shows can be both green and cost-effective. GES fully deserves recognition for the crucial role they play in pursuit of our joint sustainability goals.”

As the first and only global, full-service events provider to earn APEX/ASTM Level 2 Certification and ISO 20121, a voluntary international standard for sustainable event management, GES was first certified in 2015 and was recently re-certified by iCompli, a division of BPA Worldwide.

“Congratulations to GES on attaining APEX/ASTM Level 2 recertification,” said Kristen Dimond, vice president and general manager of Sands Expo and Convention Center.

She continued, “As the proud recipients of the same certification, the entire team at Sands Expo and The Venetian Congress Center understands the dedication it takes to achieve this status. As leaders in sustainability within our industry, we applaud the commitment of GES to our community and the environment. We are pleased to continue our partnership with the shared vision to deliver sustainable events for our mutual customers.”

Some of GES’s green practices include:

• Paperless orders: Through its Expresso e-commerce, mobile app and onsite services, GES has processed nearly 210,000 orders that were previously printed
• Graphics: Offers several substrates (bioboard, styrene, coroplast) that are 100 percent recyclable
• Flooring: Offers 100 percent recyclable plush carpet in booths; uses padding and plastic covering (viqueen) that is 100 percent recyclable and recycles its ECHO aisle carpet
• Furniture: Reuses high-quality furniture six times before refurbishing and selling
• GEM Fit 2.0: Uses this 100 percent recyclable, LEED-compliant modular booth system for modern-looking booths that are also sustainable
• Transportation: 97 percent of GES’s carriers participate in the EPA’s SmartWay Transport Partnership, while 95 percent of GES’s lifts and riggers are powered by natural gas

“Clients that choose GES as their event partner have the best resources and practices for achieving their sustainability goals,” said Sheila LeMaster, GES vice president of exhibitor services.

She continued, “Events are created and produced with sustainability measures in mind every step of the way, minimizing the event’s impact on the environment. That’s why achieving recertification this year for Level 2 APEX/ASTM is an exciting accomplishment for GES and our Sustainability Council. It’s a testament to our long commitment to sustainability and reinforces the message about our sustainability mission for our customers, our employees and most importantly, to our environment.”

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