BESTIVAL Berlin: Sustainability Management

BESTIVAL was organised in accordance with the criteria of ISO 20121.

This certification is a voluntary, internationally recognised standard for sustainable event management. The certification process for BESTIVAL required an in-depth examination of the event, including the measures outlined in the sections below. Planning was monitored by external audits and assessed by independent bodies. In a sense, we put ourselves to the test – with a clear commitment to act responsibly, reliably and with integrity.

From the outset, we actively communicated our sustainability strategies and their impact via our website, social media channels and media relations. In doing so, we set an example and provided inspiration for the sustainable planning and delivery of business events in one of the world’s most innovative, sustainable and reliable congress and event destinations.

Following the conclusion of BESTIVAL, we evaluated our sustainability report to draw insights for future in-house events.

The aim of BESTIVAL 2025’s sustainability efforts was to reduce CO₂ emissions per person by 10 per cent compared to BESTIVAL 2023. The choice of sustainable catering and transport providers, the sourcing of materials, participants’ arrival and departure, and on-site waste disposal all played a key role in achieving this goal.

All BESTIVAL partners committed to recognising the Code of Conduct and acting in line with the principles of sustainability. They were required to undergo the Supplier Check. This enabled us to ensure that BESTIVAL participants engaged exclusively with responsible partners.

BESTIVAL offered exclusively vegetarian catering, featuring regional, seasonal and Fair Trade-certified products. All catering and delivery companies were pre-assessed based on their environmental and social responsibility practices. A minimum requirement for working with these businesses was that only materials and products be sourced and used that could either be recycled or, ideally, returned to the circular economy. This approach ensured the most resource-efficient operations possible.

Sustainability requires a holistic approach that also encompasses social aspects. BESTIVAL actively promoted diversity and equality, including the goal of achieving at least 50 per cent gender balance. Diversity and inclusion were reflected throughout – in the panels, workshops, keynotes, live acts and, of course, among the participants.