The PCMA Convening EMEA Sustainability Journey

Our Commitment 

At PCMA we believe sustainability plays a central role in driving social and economic progress through business events. We are committed to leading our global community forward through the creation of platforms and environments that will: 

• Drive sustainability leadership: sustainability thinking and strategic partnerships
• Advocate for and showcase the importance of a Sustainability by Design approach: decision-making and design integration
• Rethink our industry’s production, operations and revenue models: deliver new and innovative solutions

Our goal is to strongly influence the growing business case for investments in sustainability, building trust and confidence to shape a future where every event is a catalyst for sustainability progress and inspiration.

PCMA Convening EMEA sustainability journey is experiential, moving beyond individual achievement, and is presenting collective solutions through value-based partners.

Together, we hold several solutions to the current sustainability challenges we face. PCMA Convening EMEA invites you to uncover them to ensure the business of human connections is delivering meaningful growth.

How you can contribute

Be a part of this journey with the Sustainability Pledge and Survey

Attendees:

Help us to assess our actions and personally contribute to advance sustainability.

We ask you to contribute to our sustainability efforts onsite at the event and we encourage you to embrace at least two to take home and adopt in your events, offices, lives. Be part of the journey with us. We will ask you in our post-event survey which sustainability in event design practices you are committing to adopt so we can follow your sustainability journey. 

Exhibitor & Partners;

As part of our Exhibitors and Partners journey we encourage you to engage with solutions to reduce the environmental impact of events. We encourage you to adopt these not only at our events but at all the events you support.  We will ask you in our post-event survey which sustainability in event design practices you are committing to adopt so we can follow your sustainability journey. 

The Choices We Made 

The Convening EMEA 2025 sustainability efforts are a direct result from the review of the 2023 and 2024 editions. We want to see yearly continuous improvement to be able to monitor our progress.

See more details on our 2023 report   

At Convening EMEA 2025, Sustainability by Design is our decision-making guiding principle, always adopting “Ask – Consider – Decide” to intentionally consider sustainability in all areas our event.

How we deliver:

• A product is never sustainable:

  consciously consider the need, production, availability of other solutions, and added value of elements to eliminate or substitute gradually.

• Reduction-first:

  Recycling and donations necessary but are not solutions, we review production by targeting reduction.

• Sustainability is by Design and Transversal

  : our goal is to elevate the dialogue, stimulate debates, and demonstrate that sustainability isn’t just a business choice, but an integral part of how we do business, investigating approaches and co-creation with our partners.

Sustainability in the Programme 

Sustainability Re-Design as focus in the education programme

It will take collective and interdisciplinary action and strategies to build trust and confidence to re-shape sustainability in events.

It’s less about designing strategies and roadmaps but creatively accelerating Sustainability by Design adoption (via Sustainability Leadership) in every single area of your business, using the available tools to make impactful decisions.

Explore sustainability-led sessions that place their focus on sustainability such as data driven strategies to make intelligent decisions or hands on behind the scenes sustainability tours. Additionally, we are featuring sustainability transversally across sessions to re-shape our way of thinking across business units.

Explore the full programme  

Sustainability in the Event Design 

The event design incorporated a set of approaches developed to advance Sustainability Thinking year by year, guiding how to consider, define and deliver sustainability across teams and event areas. Together with our partners, we mapped and defined the sustainability initiatives and commitments, reviewing what we produce by targeting reduction of resources and material use and optimize waste management.

Learn more about our sustainability initiatives and commitments for Convening EMEA 2025.

Sustainability Partners 

We cannot make progress without the support of our partners like Rotterdam Partners and Postillion Hotels and their partners and other suppliers who are working closely with PCMA to make Convening EMEA 2025  a sustainable by design event.

To make that happen, we engaged with our partners as early as possible and communicating regularly, to foster collaboration, commonalities and enhancing sustainability initiatives collectively.

Destination

In selecting Rotterdam as a Host Destination for Convening EMEA 2025 one of the key deciding factors was the destination commitment to Sustainable Tourism. In Rotterdam challenges are met with determination and creativity. Local entrepreneurs are embracing sustainability , leading to a surge in innovative businesses and services. from eco-friendly hotels and dining to sustainable shopping and walking tours, Rotterdam offers unique experiences that leave a big impression with a small footprint.

Sustainable Rotterdam

Sustainable Rotterdam is visible in many of its attractions like Euromast which uses green energy, has implemented a waste policy and cooks with local produce. Many of Rotterdam’s sustainable initiatives are not only interesting but also spectacular to visit. This is the city of elevated agricultural land, where large industrial warehouses are being transformed into new breweries. It’s also home to a floating farm.

To read in more detail about other sustainable sides to Rotterdam in its Architecture, Port , Art and Culture, and so on please visit Rotterdam Partners Sustainable Rotterdam

Postillion Hotel & Convention Centre WTC Rotterdam

At Postillion Hotel & Convention Centre WTC Rotterdam, sustainability is driven by energy – from the food we serve to the way we power our buildings. We aim to give back more energy than we consume and continuously improve our impact on both people and the planet. Our approach focuses on reducing emissions, supporting our teams, and working with sustainable partners to create a lasting, measurable impact.

Examples of what the team at Postillion Hotels have implemented:

• Reducing food waste

Our menus feature seasonal and local ingredients to cut food miles and avoid overproduction. By serving portioned meals per person, we significantly reduce waste. Smart sourcing and careful planning help us minimise leftover food even further.

• Sourcing locally and prioritising plant-based choices

Through our upcoming Plant First initiative, 50% of our menu is already plant-based, and from July 2025, plant-based will become the default. CO₂ from animal-based meals will be offset, with all proceeds going to the Meetings for Trees program.

• Towards smarter energy and water use

Postillion is phasing out gas by 2026 and installing solar panels at every location. We monitor our energy and water usage closely and set annual targets for reduction. Postillion Hotel & Convention Centre WTC Rotterdam is BREEAM-certified, underlining our commitment to sustainable buildings.

• Empowering our people

We support the growth of our team through free access to GoodHabitz, a €1,500 study budget, and €2.50 per hour toward student loan repayment. Employees also benefit from mental health support and financial coaching. This focus on well-being has earned us the Great Place To Work certification.

• Driven by data

Postillion is currently implementing tools like BeCause, D2O, BrightGreen, and PMI Go Green to track our environmental and social impact. These insights help us to manage our impact and continuously improve.

Certifications and Partnerships: 

The Postillion Rotterdam is proud to participate in, and has been awarded Certification in the following programmes: