Towards a more sustainable Bologna: 3 local suppliers for a green event

Sustainability has also become a key issue in the world of events, both leisure and business; as event professionals, having a dedicated focus on the topic becomes increasingly essential.

The city of Bologna is particularly attentive to the theme: commitments to sustainability issues start from the Municipality, which participates in the Cities Mission of smart and climate-neutral cities by 2030, moving through the University, which is the most sustainable in Italy and invests in projects and initiatives related to energy, environment and mobility, to the Bologna Business School, with its Centre for Sustainability and Climate Change. Not to mention public transportation, where Bologna excels among Italian cities, as well as the many car, bike, and scooter sharing proposals in the city and the G. Marconi Airport, with its BLQ Innovability project.

Hundreds of highly qualified MICE suppliers operate on this already fertile ground, including event venues, event planning agencies and companies that provide all the services surrounding an event, players that stand out for their strong focus on sustainability issues.

Of the many venues available, a leading example is DumBo, Bologna's Multifunctional Urban District, one of the largest temporary urban regeneration spaces in Europe. The huge event venue, measuring nearly 40,000 square meters, was obtained from the former Ravone railroad freight yard. It is an example of sustainable economic regeneration, allowing unused places in cities to be reorganized to meet new cultural and social needs.

Among the many projects organized at DumBo, some specifically address the issue: this is the case of DumBO Green District, activated in 2023, which explores the issue of environmental sustainability in organizing musical events. By actively involving its target community, DumBO is developing a real green strategy for using spaces and services during events, thus becoming a virtuous example for other large cultural hubs.

Standing out among the agencies involved in the events sector is Laboratorio delle Idee, a well-trained agency in sustainable issues, a communications and public relations agency dedicated to cultural content and sustainable projects.

For almost 30 years now, LabIdee accompanies corporations and associations in the implementation of sustainable actions and content, offering sustainability consulting and reporting services. In particular, for events, the agency is responsible for organizing events with low environmental impact and high social impact according to relevant standards.

Among providers of ancillary services, an example of best practices is offered by La Tavola della Signoria, which has 20 years' experience in organizing public and private events and offers banqueting and catering services, while making sustainable food the focus of its menus. In fact, the catering company manages an organic farm and a synergistic vegetable garden, from which raw materials are produced in an ethical, sustainable and environmentally friendly way: this makes its "zero-meter table" one of the strengths of the catering service proposed for events.

Are you planning an event in Bologna and would like to go green? Contact us to learn about all the possibilities the destination has to offer.