Koelnmesse in Germany has developed an app that enables trade fair visitors to calculate the individual climate footprint of their trip to the event. The software, called CHEQ, compares the emissions of a consolidated trade fair visit with those that would have been caused by several separate trips to business partners.
“With CHEQ, we are making the ecological impact of trade fair participation measurable and transparent,” said Christian Glasmacher (pictured), vice-president corporate development and sustainability at Koelnmesse.
“The tool provides reliable data that demonstrates the efficiency gains trade fairs yield for both businesses and the climate.”
According to a study by AUMA – the Association of the German Trade Fair Industry, attending a trade fair replaces an average of five business trips to customers, suppliers, and other partners. For international visitors, the average rises to eight trips. The reason: trade fairs allow meetings, discussions, and networking to be efficiently concentrated in one place. With CHEQ, Koelnmesse is now highlighting this substitution effect and making it individually transparent for each visitor by quantifying the specific carbon savings achieved.
“Travel is the largest climate factor for virtually all major public events,” said Christian Glasmacher. “However, B2B trade fairs are unique in also offering this crucial networking and substitution effect, because as a trade fair attendee, I can meet the key players of my industry all in one place. If we want to discuss the climate impact of trade fairs honestly and constructively, we need to consider this positive effect. CHEQ allows us to do just that!”
CHEQ is a web-based tool developed by Koelnmesse that invites trade fair visitors to record their journey to the fair by entering their starting point and chosen mode of transport. In a second step, they select from the exhibitor directory the companies they met at the fair – and which companies they would otherwise have visited individually. CHEQ then calculates the carbon footprint of their journey and place.
The result is a concrete and personalised balance sheet showing how many carbon emissions were saved through efficient networking at the trade fair. The use of the app is anonymous and free of charge – no personal data is collected.
After two successful pilot projects at spoga+gafa and Kind + Jugend 2025, CHEQ celebrated its premiere at Anuga 2025, 4-8 October 2025, the leading trade fair for the food and beverage industry. For the first time, the application was available to around 140,000 visitors, 80% of whom were international visitors.
By 2040, Koelnmesse intends to invest more than €1 billion in the development of the trade fair grounds. It also celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2024.
Learn more about CHEQ in Koelnmesse’s video on LinkedIn: CHEQ it out: How much CO₂ does your trade fair visit save? Try out the app at CHEQ
Learn more about the AUMA study on avoided travel by trade fair visitors here: One trade fair visit avoids five business trips | AUMA
Source: www.exhibitionworld.co.uk
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