EnviroEvents HK is proud to be one of 11 global event organisers who participated in the Better Stands pilot programme, now a global collaboration across the events and exhibition industry to transition to the use of reusable stands. This program aims to guide exhibitors away from using disposable, single-use booths and toward adopting reusable and recyclable structures, paving the way for more sustainable trade show displays.
ReThink HK 2024 was selected by EnviroEvents HK as the platform to implement the Better Stands pilot program. Under this initiative, booths are classified into four categories: “Disposable,” “Bronze,” “Silver,” and “Gold,” based on the extent to which their elements are reused or recycled.
Building on the experience from the previous year, ReThink HK 2025 marks the second consecutive year of implementing the Better Stands Initiative. Our raw space exhibitors demonstrated significant improvement in their sustainable practices this year.
Evaluation Process
Two months prior to the event, EnviroEvents HK hosted a dedicated section during the Exhibitor Briefing session to introduce the Better Stands criteria to all exhibitors. On-site during the event, our Head of Operations led a team of floor managers to conduct on-site assessments. They evaluated all raw space booths against a comprehensive 10-point checklist using an online assessment sheet. These evaluations were cross-referenced with the material reports and booth designs submitted by exhibitors prior to the event.
Results: 2024 & 2025
Our commitment to sustainability is reflected in our standard booths. Since launching in 2020, all organiser display materials and standard booths provided by our main contractor have used a more sustainable, honeycomb board backdrop material – and as such are assessed as Gold Standard.
In 2025’s event, ReThink HK has been granted rights to use the FSC trademark having verified that all organiser production material is from FSC-certified suppliers and that printing is carried out by an FSC-certified printer.
The performance of our raw space exhibitors showed encouraging progress:
- In 2024: Of the 23 raw space exhibitors, 43% achieved Gold, 30% achieved Silver, and the remainder achieved Bronze or did not pass the assessment.
- In 2025: Of the 27 raw space exhibitors, 60% achieved Gold, 28% achieved Silver, and the remaining 12% achieved Bronze. Notably, no exhibitor failed to meet the standards in 2025.
Photos of Booths Achieving the Gold Standards in 2025:
Calculating Attendee Travel Emissions
Attendee travel is the largest source of carbon emissions for the event industry. To measure this impact accurately we have developed a robust calculation methodology.
For Local Attendees (within Hong Kong):
We strike a balance between accuracy and privacy by asking attendees to identify the MTR (metro) station closest to their point of origin, no matter which mode of local transportation our attendees take. Given Hong Kong’s compact size and extensive public transport network, this allows us to deduce travel distance and calculate emissions.
For International Attendees:
We focus on their journey to Hong Kong. For air travel, we ask for their departure airport and travel class, using the ICAO carbon emission calculator to calculate the journey’s emissions. For other modes (rail, vehicle, or ferry), we gather origin stations or piers and calculate emissions using standard emission factors, with distances measured via mapping software.
Data Adjustments and Assumptions:
- For attendees who choose not to disclose their travel details, we estimate their origin based on their country of residence indicated on the registration form.
- To avoid over-counting, we apply a scaling factor for attendees who are in Hong Kong for multiple events or extended stays, ensuring we only account for the portion of emissions attributable to ReThink HK. On average, our overseas visitors visit 1.83 events during their trip to Hong Kong and will stay, on average, for 4.6 nights
- If an attendee has already offset their travel carbon through an airline or corporate programme, we exclude their emissions from our total to prevent double-counting.
2025 Travel Emissions Results:
Applying the above methodology, the calculated carbon footprint from attendee travel for ReThink HK 2025 was:
- Local Travel: 3,767.84 kgCO₂e
- Overseas Travel: 48,807.67 kgCO₂e
