The Joint Industry Meetings Council (JIMC) was formed in 2021 by the worlds leading events companies in response to COP26s call for industries to become net carbon zero by 2050, with significant reductions by 2030.

Informa, Javitz, Messe Munchen, Freeman, RX, HKCEC, Clarion, GL...all the biggest players in the worldwide industry created and support this initiative. 

These are the companies that we all work beneath in the supply chain so what they dictate is generally what we need to adhere to.

SA Context

It goes without saying that this initiative will trickle down to South Africa rapidly and so it's in all of our interests to get up to speed and onboard as quickly as possible else we face being left behind and/or unable to participate in the events industry. 

If one isn't prepared to take measures to dramatically reduce our carbon emissions for the sake of the planet (and all of ours and our children's lives) then at least one should be prepared to do it to ensure ones business survives.

To this end, The Exhibition & Events Association of South Africa (EXSA) created a Net Zero Carbon Panel to actively discuss the initiative in a South African context and to disseminate valuable information to the events industry. This group chat regularly as a group and discuss a wide range of relevant topics.

These discussions will be expanded to take the form of recorded meetings, publicly interactive Q&A sessions and site visits with both industry players and experts in the field. 

The current NZCE panel include

Gary van der Watt - Sustainability Design Consultant : Retail & Events

Beert Kuiken - Director Octanorm South Africa

Andrew Stewart - Director PerriExpo.

Doug Rix - Owner, DK DESIGN and Design Consultant

Liam Beattie - Managing Director HOTT3D

The panel consists of people who are highly passionate about our environment and who implement real, tangible carbon-saving measures in both personal and work lives. 

Topics to be discussed include

1. What is Net Zero Carbon Events and where do we South Africans fit in? A broad overview. (completed)

2. Current state of uptake in South Africa

3. How do we measure our current carbon footprint throughout the supply chain

4. What tools are being developed to assist companies reduce their carbon footprints.

5. Alternative substrates to plastics and single-use MDF/ chipboard - proposed next topic.

6. The effect of politics on this initiative.