We have a dedicated Beyond Net Zero Pavilion at UKREiiF, with the agenda shaped in the initial years by our Pavilion partner UK Business Council for Sustainable Development, their members and ourselves.

The Pavilion includes numerous activities and content, from inspirational speeches and keynotes, panel discussions and workshops – with leading figures and influential voices from many blue-chip firms, developers, investors joining local and regional authorities, and Government officials. The likes of Chris Skidmore MP – the former Energy Minister who leads the Independent Review of Net Zero was one of the key speakers in 2023.

UKREiiF’s annual 3-day event gained ISO20121 Event Sustainability Management Accreditation.

We understand events can take a heavy toll on resources, society and the environment, often generating significant waste. Not only will we be promoting sustainability to our attendees in terms of their travel, and sponsors in terms of their involvement – but we’ll be showcasing our own commitment and awareness through this Accreditation of the social, economic and environmental impact of this event

Events with a similar end-goal as UKREiiF are incredibly expensive in terms of the carbon cost due to them taking place overseas. This event is already making a huge reduction in carbon emissions by offering a UK alternative.

We’ve teamed up with the likes of LNER to promote sustainable transport via rail, and with Club Peloton, Iceni Projects and Hexa Consulting to promote sustainable transport via cycle, whilst walking is actively promoted on arrival to the train station in addition to the water taxi. Running, yoga, paddle boarding and walking fringe events are also actively promoted.

At UKREiiF we’re focused on ensuring the minimum amount of waste is sent to landfill, and that’s why we work with B&M Waste Services (a carbon neutral waste and recycling provider) for our own office waste, which is being tracked to create transparency.

Since monitoring our waste we’ve managed to send 0% of our office waste to landfill – with 87% recycled and 13% used for RDF. RDF stands for Refuse Derived Fuel – produced from combustible components which are burned at RERF (Leeds Recycling and Energy Recovery Facility) to produce energy from waste.

We also work with our venues and supply chain to try and reduce waste through sustainably sourced, recyclable materials for our events too.

We will be forging numerous partnerships around both the UKREiiF event and the annual activity before the annual event.

Partnerships with the likes of UK Business Council for Sustainable Development, Landscape Institute, Sustrans, BRE Group and the UK Green Building Council have enabled them at our event to use the platform to share their knowledge, promote a more sustainable future and advise on more greener practices. We’ll continue to build these relationships.

To showcase our commitment to the net zero agenda we have made a pledge with the SME Climate Hub – joining other organisations in tackling climate change by beginning our journey to reduce emissions and make firm commitments as to when these will be done by.

This sees up make the promise that we will act – by halving our emissions by 2030 and achieving net zero by 2050 – and we will be transparent by reporting on our progress every year. This pledge sees us enter the United Nation’s Race to Zero – where thousands of businesses and governments are globally looking to achieve net zero emissions by 2050.

Working with rental living pioneer Moda Living, UKREiiF ran an industry first initiative to enable more than 5,000 carbon-free journeys from areas within the UK to the event. This was done through donations made at The Moda Bar based at a key area of the event.

Data taken from UKREiiF’s registration process showed 30,000 trees or equivalent offsetting projects worth £30,000 would need to be taken to neutralise the impact of the UK delegates’ travel – and Moda are working with an official carbon offsetting partner to allocate the funds raised to meaningful projects to protect the environment across the glove.

In 2024 we’ve also partnered with ecolibrium to spreadhead an initiative to offset travel emissions individually and promote more sustainable methods of transport.

For those signing up to UKREiiF as a partner, sponsor or exhibitor we ask them to sign our contract and charter which highlights our mission and focus on achieving ISO Accreditation.

This contract and charter gives guidance on what companies could and should be doing – including a request not to give away single use plastics on their exhibition stands, and to thing about the waste and environmental impact of everything they’re doing whilst developing.

We’re working with organisations to ensure as many items are recycled – instead of sent to the waste to energy plant to create energy via the local heat district network.

This includes collecting lanyards and other items to exceptional organisations like The Recycle Yard who recycle waste from the local area to be reused whether it be for arts, craft, play or business. We’re delighted to utilise their services which supports local schools, nurseries, community groups, charity groups and more through supplying them with low cost materials or through donations.