My sustainable MICE event in Montpellier

Encourage train travel

Montpellier can be reached by train. We have two train stations (St Roch station in the centre of town, near Le Corum-Palais des Congrès, and TGV Sud de France station near Salle Arena Sud de France and Parc Expo). In 2024, the two train stations will be connected by tram (20- minute journey).

For those flying here

Promote the shuttle service from the airport to reach Montpellier and its tram network.

For those driving here

Provide details of at least one ride share service with online bookings (Caroster, Covievent, Mobicoop, etc.). These websites let you publish a post to find passengers or drivers amongst the other participants or to respond to an existing post.

Promote ride sharing and train travel by offering a discount when they show their booking receipt or transport ticket, providing a free drink to people who ride share, or even negotiating special rates with SNCF, TaM and other transport providers.

If your event only runs for one day, mention that there are P + TaM (park and ride the tram) car parks in our region. P + TaM tickets give the holder a free return trip for everyone in the vehicle. One more great reason to ride share!

Montpellier Métropole is a low-emissions zone (ZFE) and road access to the city centre is restricted to vehicles with the correct tax disc.

• Encourage walking, cycling and taking public transport to the event.
• Set everything up so that participants and employees do not need to use their vehicles at all during the event.
• Organise travel and transfers between different event sites on public transport and/or by ‘sustainable’ transport modes (bicycle, bike taxi, etc.)., For large events, please contact us to discuss support.
• If you need to transport groups, choose eco-certified transport providers that have a fleet of green-energy vehicles, take steps to reduce their CO2 emissions, and take steps to ensure greater inclusivity: Courriers du Midi/Keolis, Galéo/Fal’cars. Contact our partner transport providers.
• Mention that the EuroVélo EV8 Mediterranean cycle route connects to Montpellier Métropole by a walking/cycling path.
• Promote bicycle access to your event

• Commit to promoting inclusion and not tolerating any sexist or inappropriate behaviours at your event.
• Ensure the event is accessible to anyone with a disability: easily passable floors, access ramps, hearing loops, microphones, allowing service dogs for people with a disability and/or in vulnerable situations, etc.
• Also ensure that all sites where the event will be held are accessible (accommodation, meeting rooms, leisure activities, transport, etc.).
• Call on training and integration organisations to provider workers for your needs (reception, resale shops, eco-design, reuse, cooking, recycling ambassadors, etc.).

• Choose accommodation located near the event venue.
• Choose accommodation and venues that are easy to access using public and/or ‘sustainable’ transport.
• Choose accommodation, venues and sites that hold environmental certification. This guarantees: reduced energy consumption (eco-designed buildings, insulation, power-saving or LED lights, ventilation, compliance with heating and air conditioning temperature recommendations, motion sensors, etc.). reduced water consumption (flow restrictors, eco-friendly cleaning and hygiene products, etc.). reduced waste production (eco-friendly cleaning products, sufficient number of waste receptacles, recycling, waste reduction, elimination of plastic/disposable cups and single-use containers, etc.). plant management (decorative flowers and plants grown in France; rented locally; flowers selected according to their species, toxicity once cut or suitability for the event venue; etc.).
• If your event is being held outside or at night, take plenty of care with the immediate surroundings (respecting the neighbours, protecting fauna and flora, etc.).

Our 4 major venues with ISO 20121 certification :
Le Corum Palais des Congrès, La salle Arena Sud de France, Le Zénith Sud, Le Parc des expositions

Choose sustainable food

• Choose local producers and service providers (caterers, food trucks, etc.).
• Offer seasonal ingredients that are as local as possible, ideally from organic or integrated agriculture.
• Choose white meat over red meat and always offer a vegetarian option

Minimise waste

• Use reusable tableware and cutlery instead of biodegradable or disposable ones, and provide instructions for eco-cups.
• Avoid individually packaged foods and single-use packaging (e.g. offer tap water in a carafe rather than bottled water).

Combat food wastage

• When food is left over, plan to redistribute it to local associations (Pas Perdu…) or enable attendees to take the leftovers with them (doggy-bag…). Adjust and anticipate orders to avoid food waste.
• Provide a dedicated food waste bin (composting) in conjunction with the catering provider or a local organisation.

Energy conservation

• If you are managing your own electric and digital equipment, ensure you use category AA+ equipment.
• Before use, check that the refrigerated truck can connect to the mains power supply.
• Whenever possible, choose renewable energy sources (solar oven, thermal hot water and solar energy, etc.).

• Plan a staging set-up (kakemonos, various signs, etc.) created in part from reused or recycled materials, and choose local suppliers committed to sustainability in order to minimise the environmental impact.
• Create an undated staging set-up so you can reuse it for other events.
• Choose to hire or share equipment.
• If you make it yourself, ensure you use modular, reusable furniture for your events (Interlock…). Consider using recyclable and/or recycled materials (cardboard, pallets, wood, etc.) and choose companies that offer touch-up services.
• Stop using carpet.
• Collect badges and sleeves (mostly made of plastic) by providing a collection point at the end of the event, in order to reuse them

• Check that recycling will be effectively sorted on site and sent to specific channels (glass, oil/grease, wood, food scraps, recyclable waste, wastewater, etc.).
• Contact associations and resale shops (scop3, etc.) beforehand as they may be able to collect some materials and give them a second life.
• Make everyone involved (participants, exhibitors, public event visitors, etc.) aware of the need to respect the venues: recycling bins must be used properly, no littering, etc.
• If possible, assess the quantity of waste produced and compare it from year to year. Depending on the size of your event, consider using recycling ambassadors during it (Les alchimistes). They help to ensure that people recycle correctly and communicate a positive awareness message to your participants. My zero-waste event: Montpellier Zéro déchet, Zero Waste France.

It is often hard to prove their actual usefulness, and their origin, composition and quality leaves much to be desired. That is why it’s best to avoid them. However, a well-chosen souvenir will leave a lasting impression. Consider one that is local and sustainable!

• If you absolutely need to have them, offer ones that are useful and eco-friendly in terms of their composition, origin and manufacturing process: plastic-free, good quality, durable, wood from sustainably managed forests (FSC), items that are made from recycled materials, organic, fair trade, locally designed, or locally crafted, regional products, etc.

Visit our sustainable store to see our range of eco-friendly products and items.

• Essential point in your pre-event communications: Clearly inform people about all the best means of transport and mobility they can use to get to the event. Refer to commitments 1 and 2.
• Choose digital communications to advertise your event, ensuring you minimise the size of photos and imagess.
• Avoid attached documents and instead use links to your online hosted materials or collaborative platforms.
• Aim for zero printing and choose to use QR codes at strategic locations during your event.

If printing is absolutely required

• Minimise printing as much as possible, using ink- and paper-saving supplies designed by eco-certified printers (Imprim vert, NF Environnement, PEFC, etc.).
• Remember to add the words “Please dispose of thoughtfully” on your printed material.
• Choose local printers in order to minimise shipping.
• Position documentation at strategic locations in order to minimise its distribution.
• Install collection bins for maps, sleeves, leaflets and brochures that are no longer useful after exiting the event or are potentially reusable.
• Inform your participants and partners of the initiatives you’ve taken during the event to make them aware of sustainable development!

Read more

Send out an online survey to participants to gauge their satisfaction and evaluate the event (strengths, weaknesses and areas for improvement).