SNIEC shining spotlight on long-term sustainable development

The Shanghai New International Expo Centre, or SNIEC, one of China's first Sino-German joint venture expo facilities, is prioritizing the promotion of sustainable development to bolster long-term growth of the convention and exhibition industry.

On Jan 14, SNIEC hosted an event to commemorate the initiation of its efforts to broaden partnerships aimed at advancing sustainability within the convention and exhibition industry. It was attended by 50 representatives of business associations like the Shanghai Convention and Exhibition Industries Association and the Shanghai Energy Conservation Association, as well as delegates from government departments and key players in the convention and exhibition industry, such as Messe Muenchen, Messe Duesseldorf Shanghai and RX China.

With increasingly prominent global climate change issues, green development has become a major international focus as industries, including the exhibition sector, look for ways to achieve green transformation, reduce carbon emissions and promote sustainable development.

"Exhibitions are an important part of the modern service industry, serving as a crucial platform for promoting business exchanges, facilitating cultural interactions and connecting various industries globally," said Cao Lei, deputy director of the commission of commerce of Pudong New Area. Cao said that as a key expo center in the Asia-Pacific region, SNIEC in Pudong New Area bears the significant mission of leading the internationalization, specialization and branding transformation of the exhibition industry.

"This event demonstrates the corporate social responsibility of SNIEC and serves as an excellent model for Pudong's exhibition industry to explore and implement ESG (environmental, social, and governance) concepts. In the future, we will continue to collaborate with venue operators like SNIEC, exhibition organizers and relevant parties to advance the sustainable development of Pudong's exhibition industry," said Cao.

Sang Jingmin, president of the Shanghai Convention and Exhibition Industries Association, highlighted key developments in the exhibition industry in Shanghai while pointing out the significance of sustainability. According to Sang, a total of 896 exhibition events spanning approximately 19.22 million square meters took place in Shanghai in 2024, reflecting a 10.95 percent year-on-year increase.

"We know the exhibition industry plays a significant role in promoting economic exchanges and cultural development," said Sang. "However, traditional exhibition models also face issues such as high energy consumption and resource wastage. Therefore, we are committed to empowering new quality productive forces to achieve the green transformation of the exhibition industry."

Michael Kruppe, general manager of SNIEC, said the event marked a milestone in SNIEC's sustainable development, "which will benefit the industry both in the short term and for the next 30, 50, 100 years — or even beyond".

"Sustainable development is not a new concept in the exhibition industry. However, now it is the time for us to join forces to promote it. SNIEC, in addition to continuing as a business platform, will strive to evolve into a platform that propels sustainable development of the industry," Kruppe said. "This event marks just the beginning. We will arrange more meetings on a regular basis and engage with a broader range of stakeholders to drive the sustainable development."

Zhang Yao, deputy general manager of SNIEC, proposed building a "sustainable development SNIEC friend circle", inviting businesses along the industry chain to become partners in achieving that goal. According to SNIEC, it will promote a development model that combines governments, industries, academic institutions and research centers under one roof to contribute to the green transition of the exhibition industry. As well, in conjunction with the event, SNIEC and State Grid Yingda signed a strategic cooperation memorandum of understanding to jointly promote green exhibitions and sustainable development.

A roundtable discussion saw businesses and experts exchange ideas on the advantages and challenges in developing ESG strategies. They shared their most recent research findings, collaborations, and industry practices to facilitate mutual learning and growth, and agreed that sustainable development needs to be driven by the collaborative efforts of companies along the industry's upstream and downstream supply chains.

Since opening in 2001, SNIEC has been committed to providing a high-efficiency, safe and environmentally friendly platform for global exhibitors and visitors. With advanced facilities, a comprehensive service system and determination to continuously promote green transformation, SNIEC has implemented a series of innovative initiatives to promote the green transformation and sustainable development of the industry. These include optimizing facility and equipment management to enhance energy efficiency; exploring waste recycling and reuse to drive the development of the circular economy; and participating in the formulation of green standards to improve exhibitions' green standard system, gradually realizing green and low-carbon operation of the exhibition venue.

With its outstanding performance in energy conservation, carbon reduction and ESG, SNIEC was honored with the ESG Energy Conservation and Carbon Reduction Innovation Enterprise award at the eighth Boao Enterprise Forum on Jan 11, further fortifying its position as a leading international exhibition platform in the industry.