Corporate Social Responsibility
Sustainability at m:con
Sustainability at m:con
m:con – mannheim:congress GmbH takes on the challenge of combining sustainability and events. Together. Efficient. Sustaining. This is the only way we can achieve our sustainability goals, moving step by step.
The challenge we face
Upon first glance, sustainability and events do not appear to be directly compatible with each other. And indeed, the realisation of sustainability goals presents the trade fair, congress and event industry with a whole host of major challenge that necessitates a conscious and respectful use of resources. We, at m:con, are stepping up and grappling with this challenge by working together with our business partners on strategies, measures and activities that bring us a little closer to our goal every day. That’s because, even though the road to a sustainable events industry is long, you can only get there if you actually start moving.
Our measures and progress
In order to achieve its ecological, economic and social objectives, m:con has already begun implementing a wide range of different measures and is constantly expanding them.
The “Congress Center Rosengarten”
- Barrier-free access to all levels
- 100% green electricity from renewable sources since 2020
- Ten charging points for electric vehicles in the underground car park
- Development of a comprehensive new waste management concept
- Annual calculation of greenhouse gas emissions
- Complete recycling of paper towels with the TORK PaperCircle
- Efficient control of ventilation and heating systems using sensors
- Technical equipment with energy-efficient devices and materials on loan
- Fixed partnerships with Dorint Kongresshotel Mannheim for catering, with the building management company WISAG Service Holding and the energy supplier MVV AG
m:con – mannheim:congress GmbH
- Training company for trainees and DHBW students with the aim of securing a permanent position
- Regional sourcing of office supplies
- Reduction of printed materials and physical dispatch
- Travel guidelines to avoid non-essential journeys and prioritising the use of public transport
- Corporate mission statement “We Are One” with promotion of further education and training, work-life balance and numerous employee benefits
- Social commitment to regional organisations and projects, e.g. donation to the foundation “Bülent Ceylan für Kinder” and sponsorship of the Mad Dogs Mannheim women’s ice hockey team
- Participation in the local partnership network “meet mannheim”
Measures relating to event support & organisation
- Strengthening the use of public transport for travelling by cooperating with Deutsche Bahn and the regional transport association, Rhein-Neckar Verkehrsbetriebe
- Use of reusable, recyclable name badge covers
- No printed certificates of participation
- Compliance with prevailing Codes of Conduct in the medical event sector
- Largely dispensing with the use of printed materials
m:conscience
2023 erstmals umgesetzt, richtet die m:conscience den Fokus voll auf das Thema Nachhaltigkeit bei Veranstaltungen. Gemeinsam mit Branchen- und Geschäftspartner*innen geht die m:con in den Austausch und beleuchtet genau die Themen, die mit Blick auf das Thema Nachhaltigkeit für die Veranstaltungsbranche eine besonders hohe Relevanz haben. Darunter zählen die Bereiche Catering, Mobilität, Messebau und Abfallmanagement.
Our goal
When it comes to climate protection, we have committed ourselves to the following goals:
We want to reduce CO2 emissions in our business operations by at least 50 % by 2029. We are aiming to achieve greenhouse gas neutrality for the Congress Center by 2045.
In order to measure our progress, we are drawing up annual greenhouse gas footprints for the Congress Center Rosengarten. The first assessment relates to 2019, which – as the last full year of events before the pandemic – will serve as the basis for comparison from 2023 and subsequent years. The greenhouse gas-relevant processes recorded lead to a carbon footprint of 4,589.82 tonnes of CO2e. The result is distributed across Scope 1-3 as follows: “CO2_Bilanz-Unternehmen”
m:con charity golf tournament
For several years now, m:con has been cooperating with the Department of Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine at Mannheim University Hospital to promote neuroblastoma research, which is headed by PD Dr Matthias Dürken. m:con’s support is not limited to an annual donation made by employees, but also includes the organisation and implementation of an annual charity golf tournament.
Our memberships
UN Global Compact
Since 2004, m:con – mannheim:congress GmbH has been committed to the “UN Global Compact Corporate Responsibility Initiative” and its principles pertaining to human rights, labour, environment and anti-corruption.
fairpflichtet
“fairpflichtet” is the Sustainability Code behind the German-speaking event industry. This is a voluntary commitment to corporate responsibility with regard to sustainability, both in terms of a company’s internal organisation and in the staging of events. Since 2012, we have been committed to reporting regularly (and with maximum transparency) on our sustainability activities and driving the issue forward.
Climate Protection Alliance of the city of Mannheim
The Climate Protection Alliance is an association of Mannheim companies with the City of Mannheim. M:con is committed to contributing to the city-wide goal of achieving climate neutrality as part of the Local Green Deal Mannheim.
Mannheim Alliance
The Mannheim Alliance brings together institutions that have signed the Mannheim Declaration (Mannheimer Erklärung). By signing the agreement, the institutions declare their willingness to work together as alliance partners to promote respectful, non-discriminatory coexistence.
Charta der Vielfalt
The Diversity Charter promotes the recognition, appreciation and inclusion of diversity in the world of work. We have been a signatory since 2013.