Overview of Sustainability Measures
Our Vision
Euretina recognizes the urgency of the climate crisis and is committed to integrating environmental measures into the planning of our congresses and workshops. Euretina aims to inspire the community of ophthalmologists, researchers and industry partners. We implement various measures intended to reduce waste and estimated event-related greenhouse-gas emissions. SDG 12 (Responsible consumption and production) and SDG 13 (Climate action) are used as a voluntary orientation framework for the measures described on this page.
Our Values
- Targets: Euretina’s environmental targets enable a clear guideline for decisions.
- Governance: Sustainability criteria are embedded into Euretina’s event planning and decision-making.
- Events: Euretina implements measures to constantly reduce per-capita-emissions of annual congresses and workshops.
- Partnerships: Collaborate mainly with suppliers, venues and sponsors who offer services which meet our targets.
- Engagement: Empower members and delegates to adopt practical measures at home or work, such as choosing lower-emission travel options where feasible and reducing material use.
- Transparency: Sustainability Reporting for annual Euretina congresses including CO2e-emissions Scope 1, 2 and 3 arising from the congresses and preparation since 2024 by an external agency. Reports are linked below.
Initiatives
To combine our efforts and bring our vision into reality we are proud to announce our cooperation with EyeSustain. EyeSustain is a global coalition of eye societies, organizations, and ophthalmologists with the mission to make healthcare delivery and services in ophthalmology more sustainable – both economically and environmentally.
We aim at organising the 26th Euretina Congress in Vienna according to the criteria of the Austrian Ecolabel for Green Meetings.
Key Measures for our Congresses
- Travel: Encourage rail travel where feasible. To do this, we communicate rail options for long-distance as well as for local public transport. We try to offer discounts for local public transport tickets and long-distance trains, depending on availability of options from the transport companies.
- Catering: Serve only vegetarian or vegan menus at Euretina events (except for cash bars), order predominantly locally sourced and seasonal ingredients. Donate surplus food if allowed per safety guidelines.
- Materials & Printing: Avoid procuring single-use plastic items except where required for hygiene or safety reasons, offer digital programmes, and print on recycling carton for paper signage.
- Venue Selection: Assesses documented energy sourcing, public-transport accessibility and waste-management arrangements.
- Exhibition & Stand Build: Supplier offers modular stand components for exhibitors and use a 80% reusable design for Euretina booths; avoid disposable carpeting or use circular carpet; abandonment of plastic packaging for giveaways.
- Digital First: Offer hybrid participation options, host e-posters, online evaluation, virtual networking lounges and a mobile congress app. Since travel accounts for the largest share of emissions at our congresses, hybrid participation helps reducing emissions in total.
- Measurement & Reporting: Work with external sustainability consultants to calculate greenhouse gas emissions and set targets.
