The recent developments surrounding the Omnibus regulation and the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) have stirred up a lot within the events and conference sector. Due to the relax­ations, many venues are no longer subject to the CSRD obligation. Does this also mean that sustainability in the sector is going to stop? Absolutely not. Sustainability remains indispensable, driven by visitor and client expectations as well as the sector’s intrinsic motivation.

The past years, Royal Jaarbeurs has increased its activities on the international market, and this renewed focus is showing great success. With a growing number of international conferences, this Dutch venue is positioning itself as a major player. Account manager Corry Neggers talks about the steps the company is taking to achieve their goal of becoming Europe's most distinctive venue for international conferences & trade shows, the challenges involved and future plans.

While there are countless well-organised ­conference and event venues around the world, A Room with a ZOO truly stands out as something unique. Chief Commercial Officer Anja Stas explains how nature is truly part of the organisation’s DNA.

Shortly after COVID, interest in the hybrid ­format at conferences cooled down considerably. Combining live and online seems like a logical option, especially in our inclusive and sustainable world. However, it is not picking up any speed.

“Without cooperation, an unprecedented healthcare crisis threatens,” stresses Bianca Rouwenhorst. She believes data exchange is the key to keeping healthcare accessible, affordable, and humane. “We must take responsibility because we can only make a difference together,” she says.

The baseline measurement of the VenueNL Sustainability Initiative shows that establishing policies and objectives in sustainability, social responsibility and governance is still the main problem. As a result, current sustainability efforts remain underexposed.

Flemish heritage venues are increasingly becoming the setting for international conferences. Abbeys, city palaces, former stock exchange buildings, and even old zoos are transforming into inspiring meeting places. This development is not a random trend but the result of a well-considered strategy by Visit Flanders ­Convention Bureau.

The Omnibus simplification package has made the European rules for sustainability reporting only relevant to a few companies. “This does not diminish the importance of sustainability: instead, it paves the way for a much more pragmatic approach,” says Stef Driessen of ABN Amro.