Amsterdam RAI has become the first exhibition and congress centre in Europe (and the second in the world) to achieve the prestigious EarthCheck Gold status.  EarthCheck is the leading sustainable benchmark in the business tourism sector. Achieving EarthCheck Gold status underlines Amsterdam RAI's leading role in the global MICE (meetings, incentives, conventions & exhibitions) industry in terms of environmental stewardship.

With eleven of the assessed EarthCheck indicators at or above the qualifying level, Amsterdam RAI has, according to EarthCheck, demonstrated an exemplary performance and a continuous improvement in sustainability. In comparison with other convention centres, it scores above 'Best Practice' level on waste separation and waste recycling. This makes the RAI a leader in the unique worldwide group of sustainable business tourism operators that have been certified by EarthCheck. The Gold Coast Convention Centre in Queensland, Australia, was the first to achieve Gold status earlier this year.

"Amsterdam RAI has joined an elite group of convention centres and tourism operators across the world which has consistently demonstrated commitment to adopting responsible environmental practices and promoting the need for more sustainable operations," comments Stewart Moore, CEO of EC3 Global and EarthCheck. "Attaining EarthCheck Gold certification is not an easy task. It requires commitment from the entire personnel to achieve better results in terms of sustainability each year. The challenge is to continually prove the integrity of an organisation's operational practices and then be willing to have everything checked and measured by an independent third party."

"It is fantastic to be awarded EarthCheck Gold status," says Amsterdam RAI CEO Hans Bakker. "We are only the second congress centre in the world to meet the stringent requirements of EarthCheck for five consecutive years. And that is something to be proud of. The many initiatives within the RAI and, in particular, the dedication of our employees to achieving sustainable results strengthens our belief that we will continue to play a defining role in the exhibition and congress industry in the coming years."
 

About EarthCheck

EarthCheck offers a well-documented and independent test that demonstrates how the RAI is making an active contribution to finding global solutions to environmental issues. The programme is trusted by more than 1300 organisations in over 70 countries including 21 convention centres such as the Adelaide Convention Centre and Gold Coast Convention Centre in Australia, Centro Banmax in Mexico, Centara Grand & Bangkok Convention Centre at Central World, ICC Jeju in South Korea and the Estoril Congress Centre in Spain.

Sustainability Report
A detailed review of Amsterdam RAI's CSR policy and ambitions is available online in the RAI Sustainability Report.  

MEDIA CONTACT:
Sarah Brischetto
sarah.brischetto@ec3global.com
+61 (0) 7 32381904