Pioneering sustainable event stands framework backed by Faversham House now open to global industry

The Better Stands framework, promoting the use of reusable stands at conferences and other events, has been made available to the entire global events industry following early support from businesses including Faversham House.

Better Stands promotes, drives and celebrates the transition from single-use to reusable stands. It encourages best practices that enable reusable stand use, outlining how event organisers and operators can deliver cost savings, reduce waste and cut emissions.

The initiative provides a consistent framework to measure how easily stands can be reused, setting clear classification criteria. Bronze, Silver or Gold Better Stands Levels are then awarded following onsite assessments during live events. A pre-certification process, where contractors gain recognition for their reusable build methods ahead of the event, will be added in the near future.

Reusable exhibition stands can take many forms, from simple, modular solutions to large bespoke and custom builds. Many pilot organisations have recorded improved customer experience, cost efficiencies and reduced build times alongside the environmental benefits.

The Better Stands concept was created by Informa and has been piloted by a group of event organisers including Faversham House since 2023. An extended pilot then followed in 2024. To date, Better Stands has been successfully implemented at more than 400 events globally and some 50,000 stands have been assessed across 37+ countries.

Jenny Matthew, head of event delivery & sustainability at Faversham House, said: “We are excited to be part of the Better Stands pilot scheme. This is such an important initiative to support organisers and to move the events industry, and our stakeholders, closer to net-zero at a much faster pace.”

Now, Better Stands has been opened to the entire global events industry. The framework can be adopted by any organiser, venue, service provider or association.

The global launch is supported by the International Federation of Exhibition & Event Services (IFES) and hosted by Net Zero Carbon Events (NZCE). Better Stands will continue to be stewarded by a steering committee of organisations who have trialled the framework.

James Rees, president of the Joint Meetings Industry Council, which hosts NZCE, said: “The Better Stands Steering Committee deserve tremendous praise and great appreciation from the industry worldwide for pioneering this initiative and developing it so successfully in a very short time.

“The pilot period of Better Stands has rapidly demonstrated that it is has enormous potential to make a major contribution to the industry’s drive to reduce its carbon emissions substantially. By combining the Better Stands and NZCE initiatives, we will be able to use the Council’s global network to reach many more exhibition and congress organisers, stand and service contractors, exhibitors and venues, enabling everyone to better understand the measurable benefits they will bring.”

Jörg Zeissig, president of IFES, said: “We are proud of the Better Stands initiative that gives us the opportunity to unite the industry by providing easy solutions for an ecosystem that drives innovation and value adds to all stakeholders in the event and exhibition industry by promoting reusable resources at all events globally. The beauty of Better Stands within the NZCE is the neutral ground, ease of usability, open source approach and the potential to become a global standard to compare apples to apples.”

The other organisations to have partnered in the development of Better Stands include: 4 for everything, Abraxys, BEST, BLG, Clarion Events, DIFER-Event Crafting, ESSA, Galis, GES, The Hong Kong Exhibition & Convention Industry Association (HKCIA), Holtmann, Hyve, IBC, IMEX Group, Informa, ISE, JA, Meplan, Messe Frankfurt UK, Montgomery Events, Opt-Safe, RAI, Raccoon Media, Realis Design, Reset Connect, Re-Think, Solutions2, Terrapin and UFI.

For more information about Better Stands, visit betterstands.org

To view Faversham House’s Sustainability Policy and Environmental objectives, click here.