The Association of the German Trade Fair Industry (AUMA) and the Federal Association of the German Events Industry (fwd:) have jointly published a new guide aimed at helping the exhibition and events industry improve resource efficiency and accelerate the transition towards a circular economy.
Titled “Guide to Future-Ready Resource Management in the Exhibition Industry: Refuse – Reuse – Return,” the publication provides practical recommendations for reducing material consumption, improving resource transparency and encouraging the reuse and return of materials across the exhibition lifecycle.
New Guide Supports Sustainable Exhibition Management
The new resource management guide brings together industry expertise and practical experience to translate growing demands for sustainability and circular resource use into actionable measures. It is designed to help businesses move beyond general sustainability goals and incorporate resource management into everyday exhibition operations.
The guide focuses on the principles of refuse, reuse and return, encouraging stakeholders to consider the environmental impact of materials from the earliest planning stages through procurement, event implementation and dismantling.
Practical Resource Management for Trade Fairs
Exhibition projects involve a wide range of materials, including stand construction components, signage, furniture, promotional materials, packaging and other temporary infrastructure. Managing these resources efficiently can help reduce waste while creating opportunities for greater material reuse.
The AUMA and fwd: publication provides guidance for exhibition companies, trade fair organisers, exhibitors and service providers. By encouraging resource management at an early stage, the guide aims to help companies make more informed decisions about material selection, purchasing, transportation, use and disposal.
Focus on the Circular Economy
A key objective of the publication is to strengthen the role of the circular economy in the exhibition industry. Rather than treating materials as single-use resources, the guide encourages stakeholders to consider how products and components can be avoided, reused, returned or kept within material cycles for longer.
This approach can support both environmental and economic objectives. More efficient resource use can reduce unnecessary material consumption, improve procurement practices and create new opportunities for collaboration throughout the exhibition value chain.
Checklists and Tools for Exhibition Professionals
One of the key features of the new guide is its focus on practical application. Alongside technical fundamentals and classifications, the publication includes tools designed to support day-to-day decision-making.
These resources include checklists, communication templates and guidance for wording in tenders and purchase orders. Such tools can help exhibition companies and their partners incorporate resource-efficiency requirements into procurement and project planning.
The practical format is intended to make resource management easier to implement rather than treating sustainability as a separate activity.
Resource Management Across the Exhibition Value Chain
The guide also highlights the importance of cooperation between different stakeholders in the trade fair and events ecosystem. Exhibition organisers, exhibitors, stand builders, service companies and suppliers all influence how resources are selected, used and managed.
Better coordination across these groups can help improve material transparency and make circular practices more effective. Early communication can also ensure that sustainability requirements are clearly understood before materials are ordered or exhibition infrastructure is produced.
Multilingual Resource Management One-Pager
To support wider adoption, AUMA and fwd: have also made available a concise one-page resource management guide in 14 languages. The multilingual resource ranges from Arabic to Turkish, making the key principles more accessible to international teams and stakeholders working in the exhibition and events industry.
The multilingual approach reflects the international nature of the global trade fair sector, where exhibitors, suppliers and service providers frequently work across different countries and markets.
Sustainable Transformation in the Exhibition Industry
The publication comes as sustainability and resource efficiency become increasingly important considerations for the global exhibition industry. Trade fairs rely on temporary structures and large volumes of materials, making efficient resource management an important part of reducing environmental impact.
According to AUMA and fwd:, the industry’s innovative capabilities, creativity and collaborative nature can play an important role in making better use of resources and strengthening material cycles.
The new guide therefore positions resource management as both an environmental and economic opportunity for the exhibition sector.
A Joint Industry Signal for Resource Efficiency
With the “Refuse – Reuse – Return” guide, AUMA and fwd: are jointly promoting a more resource-efficient approach to trade fairs and business events. The initiative provides stakeholders with practical guidance while encouraging greater cooperation across the complete exhibition value chain.
By integrating resource considerations into planning, purchasing, implementation and dismantling, companies can take measurable steps towards more sustainable exhibition practices.
Where to Download the Guide
The Guide to Future-Ready Resource Management in the Exhibition Industry: Refuse – Reuse – Return is available in German and English. The publication can be downloaded through the official websites of AUMA and fwd:.
The guide is expected to serve as a practical reference for exhibition professionals seeking to improve material efficiency, strengthen circular economy practices and support the sustainable transformation of the trade fair industry.
Conclusion
The new AUMA and fwd: resource management guide provides the exhibition industry with practical tools for addressing growing sustainability challenges. By focusing on refusing unnecessary materials, reusing resources and returning materials to productive cycles, the publication offers a straightforward framework for improving resource efficiency.
As the global exhibition industry continues to evolve, integrating circular economy principles into event planning and operations can help companies reduce waste, improve material management and build more sustainable trade fairs and business events.
