STANDout from the crowd…how to exhibit responsibly.

Why an exhibitor recognition scheme matters

Exhibition season is here and there’s a renewed focus not just on building more visually attractive and impressive stands, but on building them responsibly. Increasingly, exhibitors and organisers alike are being asked: “How sustainable and responsible is your presence?”

Now you can benchmark, with STANDout, an Exhibitor Recognition Scheme successfully used by leading events such as Confex, Renewable UK, NHS Confederation, and The BIBA Conference, helps answer that question, showcasing exhibitors who take positive environmental and social action in how they design and deliver their stands.

Moving beyond traditional metrics

Where traditional exhibitor measures might focus on footfall, lead generation, or ROI, STANDout looks in a very different direction, impact.

We measure how responsibly and sustainably a booth is delivered, focusing on:

• Environmental Responsibility (materials, waste reduction, transport emissions)
• Social Responsibility (inclusivity, accessibility, local community impact)

It’s not about how many people visit your stand, it’s about how responsibly your stand has been created and delivered and aligns with your organisational values.

This is a fresh, future-facing way for exhibitions to demonstrate they are serious about responsibility and sustainability, and it gives exhibitors a valuable opportunity to showcase their leadership.

How the scheme works

The process is designed to be simple, positive, and empowering:

• Exhibitors opt-in pre-event
• Self-assessments are submitted, covering both environmental and social responsibility factors.
• event:decision reviews each submission based on clear, fair criteria.
• Recognition is awarded to exhibitors who out-perform their peers, with a certificate typically celebrated on-site and online.

Proven success at major events

Our Exhibitor Recognition Scheme has already been adopted by major industry names, including:

• Confex: Helping exhibitors align with the growing sustainability demands of the events sector.
• Renewable UK: promoting and improving the Renewable (UK) international leadership stance.
• NHS Confederation: Supporting socially responsible exhibiting practices.
• The BIBA Conference: alongside many programmes the BIBA team use to deliver more responsibly, recognising and celebrating exhibitors’ sustainability achievements.

At these events, we’ve seen real enthusiasm from exhibitors keen to demonstrate their commitment, and a noticeable improvement in how sustainably many stands were delivered year-on-year.

Why exhibitors and organisers love it

For Exhibitors:

• Public recognition of sustainability efforts
• Brand alignment with publicly stated values
• Accountability to prospects and customers
• Independent third-party verification of their responsibility efforts
• Opportunity to engage customers with values-led messaging

For Organisers:

• Evidence of tangible action on sustainability
• Enhanced event reputation
• Support for broader responsible event delivery goals
• A visible sign to attendees and stakeholders that sustainability is taken seriously

Exhibitor recognition impact

Here’s a typical reflection from one of our participating exhibitors:

“A great way to recognise all the hard work our exhibitor partners put in to deliver as well as they do – and to help those for whom sustainability is a newer consideration!” – International Show Owner

Why now?

Sustainability isn’t just a buzzword, it’s becoming a core expectation at every level of event delivery.

Offering exhibitors the chance to be recognised for responsible practices:

• Drives real behavioural change
• Gives your event a stronger sustainability story
• Adds genuine value for your exhibitor partners and stakeholders
• Increases engagement with local partners

This season, why not make a bold statement about what your exhibition partners stand for?

Interested in recognising and rewarding your exhibitors for doing the right thing?  Talk to event:decision today about running the Exhibitor Recognition Scheme at your next event.  Find out more here.