Legal Attaché, CEPANI
CEPANI has taken significant steps to minimize its environmental impact, aligning its event management with sustainability goals. This commitment is evident in both its Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) practices, such as the CEPANI Green Pledge and the PO/TOR templates made accessible by the Greener Arbitration Workgroup, and its mission to promote ADR in an eco-friendly manner. This year’s Annual Colloquium integrated numerous green initiatives, guided by CEPANI’s “Green Checklist,” to reduce its carbon footprint. Below is a summary of these efforts.
Sustainable Partnerships
Service Providers: CEPANI selected service providers dedicated to sustainability, such as FEB/VBO, which holds the Ecodyn green label.
Accessible, Low-Impact Venue
Public Transport and Bike Accessibility: The event venue was chosen for its easy access via public transport and included bike parking to encourage low-emission travel.
Multimodal Transportation Plan: CEPANI shared a multimodal transportation plan via email and the website to promote eco-friendly travel among participants.
Digital Communication and Paperless Materials
Digital Invitations and Registration: All invitations, marketing materials, registrations, and confirmations were handled electronically, reducing paper use.
Electronic Documentation: Event materials were sent to participants in advance, with clear instructions that printed copies would not be provided.
Food Waste Reduction
Participant Confirmation and Cancellation Policy: To minimize food waste, participants were encouraged to notify CEPANI promptly if unable to attend. A cancellation policy required participants to inform CEPANI at least three days in advance.
Adjusted Food Orders: CEPANI reduced food orders slightly to account for potential no-shows, further limiting waste.
Participant Engagement on Sustainability
Transportation Survey: In his opening speech, President Benoît Kohl encouraged participants to share how they travelled to the event. This feedback aims to inform and improve future sustainability initiative During the opening speech, President Benoît Kohl invited participants to share their mode of transportation to gather insights for future sustainability efforts.
Reusable and Sustainable Materials
Dining Ware and Event Supplies: All cutlery, dishes, and glasses were reusable. Name tags and event decorations were also designed for reuse.
Eco-Friendly Gifts: Sustainable and locally sourced gifts were selected for speakers.
Minimizing Office Supplies
Limited Stationery: Pens and notepads were not provided for; only a limited number were available upon request.
Waste Reduction through Food Donation
Food Donation with Alpaca: CEPANI partnered with Alpaca to donate leftover food to a local association. Alpaca collected the food by bike, shortly after lunch.
These initiatives underscore CEPANI’s dedication to reducing the environmental impact of its events and promoting sustainability in ADR. We thank all participants and partners for their contributions to the success of this year’s Annual Colloquium. CEPANI remains committed to ongoing environmental improvements and welcomes suggestions for future events.
If you have any ideas for further enhancing our sustainability practices, please reach out—we look forward to continuing this journey together.
