Global association of the exhibition industry, UFI has announced that Web Summit – considered the largest technology event in the world - is the winner of its Sustainable Development Award 2021.
‘Partnerships for Sustainability in and after Covid-19’ was the theme of the 2021 award competition and Web Summit’s many successful initiatives during the pivot to virtual events was highlighted. Web Summit’s actions addressing the environmental impact of online events were noted by the jury, as well as its work to maximise social impact and push sustainable practices with a strong ‘measure to manage’ approach.
“We are thrilled to be selected by UFI for this prestigious sustainability award. Our unparalleled network of leaders and entrepreneurs gives us an incredible opportunity to drive positive change. We took the pandemic as an opportunity to double down on our efforts and now we look to take this momentum and build back better as we return to live events,” said Peter Gilmer, chief impact officer of Web Summit.
The chair of the UFI Sustainable Development Working Group, Stephanie Mathas, commented: “Congratulations to Web Summit for their commitment and results. We also applaud the three other finalists for their strong entries: The Cape Town International Convention Centre (South Africa), Koelnmesse (Germany) and Stockholmsmässan (Sweden).”
All the other best practices identified throughout the competition are also available at www.ufi.org/sdaward
