The conference offered outstanding networking opportunities and an extensive exhibition, together with a series of exciting panel discussions, fireside chats, company presentations and a great deal more. Participants were also able to arrange short partnering meetings. These proved to be enormously efficient – all in all, some 17,500 meetings of this type were held in the course of the three days.
The organizers at EBD Group chose Basel as the venue since this city on the Rhine has long been regarded as the leading location for industry, innovation and research in the biosciences. Other reasons included the city’s environmental friendliness and the efforts it is undertaking in this respect. Silvia Decker, Head of Marketing & Communications at MCH Exhibitions & Events, explains: “We are also intensively addressing the topic of sustainability and are delighted that BIO Europe Spring has given us the opportunity to press ahead with the implementation of a number of our ideas.”
Together with the organizer, a package of measures was worked out with the aim of improving the ecological, social and economic impact of the event. These included a “bring your own bottle” initiative, the donation of leftover food to the “Basler Tafeln”, a communication campaign for low-emission travel to the venue and a digital event guide that considerably reduced the amount of printed material required.
Contact
MCH Swiss Exhibition (Basel) Ltd. / www.messe-basel.com / +41 58 206 20 20
More info on Switzerland as a convention destination: myriam.winnepenninckx@switzerland.com / www.MySwitzerland.com/meetings
It was not only environmental protection that featured in the foreground, however, but the physical and mental health of the visitors too. Attendees were able to take time out as required and make use of the relaxation options on offer. “The cooperation between the deliverers and the venue representatives was exemplary”, reports Manuela Hildebrand, Regional Delivery Director at EBD Group. “We are, of course, hoping that some of what we have achieved can be transferred to future events as well.”
To make a contribution from the social angle too, the organizers engaged in cooperation with the Basel Cancer League. “For all these reasons, we are expecting BIO Europe Spring to have a true signal effect”, says Jonas Scharf, Managing Director Venues. “This conference has given us the opportunity to try out our existing resource-saving endeavours at an industry event for the life sciences – which are such an important sector for Basel.”