Sustainable development policy of Targi w Krakowie

Sustainable development policy of Targi w Krakowie

Introducing sustainable development policy solutions is already a standard among Polish companies. Actions for the benefit of nature, society, as well as employees have become commonplace thanks to consumers, who are more willing to choose products and services from ethical sources.

Companies that are only focused on maximising profit cease to be attractive to customers – the product ceases to be at the centre, becoming only an element of the service. What is ESG? What are the values that guide Targi w Krakowie on a daily basis? And above all – what are our real actions towards sustainable development?

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ESG and its role in running a business

ESG stands for Environmental, Social Responsibility and Corporate Governance. These are the key factors against which a company's sustainability policy is measured. ESG shows that businesses should not only focus on mercantile profit in their operations – as such actions can lead to environmental degradation, exploitation of workers or the destruction of smaller local businesses.

ESG is an expression of a company's responsibility for its own operation. As capitalism developed, successive UN conferences, added further elements to the idea of sustainability that would help build an ethical business. At first, the focus was on the problems of the largest and poorest groups of people harmed by the actions of large corporations, but over time just as much emphasis was placed on the consumption of natural resources, or the treatment of workers even in smaller, local companies. Speaking of local companies – what values has Targi w Krakowie built its sustainability policy on?

The 4 pillars of sustainability of Targi w Krakowie

In the document in which we summarised our sustainability activities, we highlighted the ESG pillars that are particularly important to us:

• environmental protection,
• social justice,
• protection of cultural heritage,
• sustainable economic development.

The EXPO Krakow building, which is the largest of its kind in southern Poland, consumes significant amounts of energy resources, water and produces a lot of waste – especially during trade fair events. However, the introduction of responsible energy, water and waste management means that we are able to steer consistently towards minimising our ecological footprint.

Economic sustainability is also extremely important to us. The very creation of EXPO Krakow was a major event on a Krakow scale – the building of the hall made a derelict neighbourhood, full of ruins and rubble, unrecognisable: many service establishments and restaurants were created, affecting the Krakow economy. As well as rescuing the city's degraded neighbourhood, we are also working on the long-term, building relationships with local service providers and supporting local initiatives.

People, and therefore social justice, are in some way the backbone of our business – after all, without visitors, employees or exhibitors, no event could take place. For this reason, we pay particular attention to ensuring that our visitors feel looked after in every respect when they cross the threshold of EXPO Krakow. We have adapted the trade fair space for people with disabilities, for families with children, as well as for visitors who want to take a break from the hustle and bustle of the event for a while.

We are, of course, headquartered in Krakow, and Krakow itself is even present in the name of the company – and you will also find it in our sustainability policy. Protecting and nurturing cultural heritage is not only about promoting Malopolska as a region and Krakow as a city worth visiting - it is also about getting involved in cultural events, cooperating with theatres, the opera and other cultural centres, cultivating the history of Galicia, or resuscitating old, forgotten customs. We nurture and spread awareness of our heritage – and we always encourage our exhibitors to come out to the Main Square.

But ESG is not just about round words and empty declarations – it is above all about real action. The Krakow Trade Fair has been working with sustainability in mind for many years, so if you would like to find out more about our actions aimed at the wellbeing of our employees, visitors, or making a positive impact on local business and the environment – please visit the ESG tab or read our blog post.

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