At ICCA, sustainability is not a side project or a post-event calculation. It is a strategic lens through which we design, deliver, and evaluate everything we do.
As the global leader in international meetings, ICCA believes business events must actively contribute to environmental responsibility, social progress, and long-term value creation for destinations and communities.
This conviction is evident in all of our events, but especially at Congress. Each year, the ICCA Congress is more than a global gathering. This world-renowned event is a living example of what future-focused, responsible events can achieve.
The 64th ICCA Congress, held in Porto, Portugal from 9–12 November 2025, demonstrates how ambition translates into measurable, credible outcomes.
With 1,514 delegates in attendance over 4 days, the ICCA Congress 2025 was designed to include 3 concepts:
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Environmental Sustainability
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Food Waste Reduction and Prevention
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Social Responsibility, Inclusivity and Impact
These principles were not just themes, but operational requirements that shaped planning, partnerships, and delivery. Key decisions – from venue selection to menu design – were guided by these commitments.
1. Measuring What Matters: Transparency and Accountability
Leadership in sustainability calls for concrete evidence. ICCA uses internationally recognised frameworks to assess and report environmental impact. In Porto, emissions were calculated using the Greenhouse Gas Protocol and IPCC guidelines, supported by EarthCheck’s EventCalculator.
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Total emissions: 2,041.88 metric tonnes CO₂-e
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Per attendee: 1,856.25 kg CO₂-e (464.06 kg per day)
Air travel accounted for 96.42% of emissions. This is a reality for global events with delegates coming from all over the world, but it also represents a clear target for future action. Food contributed 2.67%, followed by road transport (0.65%) and venue energy and waste (0.15%). These figures provide a baseline for improvement and informed decision-making.
ICCA treats this information as a strategic tool. Understanding where emissions originate empowers planners and decisionmakers to take targeted action on destination selection, programme design, mobility planning, and food systems. Findings are shared with stakeholders and also publicly, reinforcing our commitment to transparency and collective learning.
Designing for Impact: A Low-Carbon Experience
Reducing emissions starts with thoughtful design. Porto was selected for its compact, walkable city centre, enabling a pedestrian-friendly Congress and minimising transport needs. Key venues were within walking distance of one another, and delegates received public transport cards to encourage sustainable mobility.
ICCA also piloted enhanced carbon data collection via QR codes, allowing delegates to share travel and accommodation details voluntarily. Data from 155 respondents was extrapolated to represent a sample of 1,100 attendees, strengthening future modelling and scenario planning.
This year, you will see a few questions in your event registration alongside the QR code at the event. We encourage you all to complete the questions so we can continue to improve our sustainability performance with increased accuracy.
2. Food Waste Reduction and Prevention: Zero Food Waste to Landfill
Food systems are one of the most tangible areas for sustainability impact. For the second consecutive year, the ICCA Congress achieved Zero Food Waste to Landfill certification from The PLEDGE on Food Waste.
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1,495 kg of surplus food rescued (≈2,990 meals redirected for social use)
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9,507 vegetarian and vegan meals served, reducing meal-related emissions by 33.55%
This success reflects detailed planning and collaboration with venues, caterers, and our sustainability partner Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB) with the support of LightBlue Consulting. Training sessions for venue and catering staff ensured correct waste segregation and monitoring. Menu design aligned with the Bangkok Protocol on Sustainable Gastronomy, launched at the 2023 ICCA Congress, demonstrating how policy frameworks can be operationalised at scale.
3. Social Responsability, Inclusive Design and Impact
ICCA’s sustainability strategy extends beyond environmental metrics to encompass social impact and inclusivity. In Porto, this was reflected in initiatives supporting wellbeing, accessibility, and community engagement.
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Quiet rooms were integrated into all content-track venues, guided by ICCA’s Neurodiversity in Events Toolkit.
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Wellbeing activities, including guided meditation, supported mental health and community building.
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Through the Gift of Love initiative, ICCA partnered with CAIS, a Portuguese NGO supporting people experiencing homelessness. Delegates donated practical items, and Congress lanyards were produced through CAIS Recicla, creating employment opportunities for individuals facing social exclusion.
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Through the Food Waste initiative, supported by LightBlue Consulting, we partnered with ReFood Portugal and O Coração da Cidade, 2 food rescue organisations, to redistribute surplus food to people in need across Porto.
These actions ensured the Congress delivered tangible social value beyond its immediate scope that continued to impact the local community as well as congress delegates.
Continuous Improvement and Industry Leadership
Not all activities were included within the sustainability reporting scope – such as pre-event tours and non-Congress travel – but these exclusions are documented and will be used to inform future efforts to expand data coverage.
What distinguishes ICCA’s sustainability policy is not perfection, but a commitment to continuous improvement. Insights from Porto are already shaping early planning for the 65th ICCA Congress, including stronger engagement with food transformation partners, guided by the Food-Waste Management Toolkit; improved tracking systems; and greater standardisation across venues.
Providing an Example as the Global Leader in Business Events
As expectations around sustainability continue to expand,ICCA remains committed to leading by example. By embedding sustainability into strategy, grounding decisions in credible data, and sharing results openly, ICCA is helping redefine what responsible leadership looks like in the global meetings industry.
The 64th ICCA Congress in Porto stands as a benchmark because it was intentional, measurable, and transparent. It demonstrates what is possible when ambition is matched with accountability and collaboration – and reinforces ICCA’s role as a trusted authority shaping the future of sustainable business events worldwide.