Help your event keep Amsterdam sustainable

Volunteer for a cleaner city

It’s sometimes easy to forget, but large events always bring with them a powerful, under-used resource: people power. So balance out the impact of your meeting by offering your delegates a way to make a real difference in the city – and its environment. Volunteering opportunities in Amsterdam are plentiful: whatever the activity, we can help match your delegates with the right initiative.

There are many environmental projects you can volunteer for: for example, go ‘plastic fishing’ or run a beach clean-up with Plastic Whale, or protect our bees and help restore biodiversity with The Pollinators. Or get involved with the countless social initiatives waiting for your helping hands: let organisations like Deedmob, NLvoorelkaar or VCA match your visitors to the perfect project.

Collaborate on local impact programmes

If you can’t find a volunteering opportunity to perfectly match your event, we can help you leave a unique stamp on the city. Together with event partners, we can help you arrange your own tailored impact initiative to lower the carbon footprint of your event.

For example, together we can arrange activities that tap into your event’s theme, like how we teamed up with local restaurants for Plant FWD Week. Or take advantage of your event’s expertise by sharing your knowledge: such impact programmes in the past have ranged from a public-facing event at iconic Amsterdam venue Paradiso to a full schedule of activities around one conference's topic.

Cut down travel emissions

Another way to minimise your delegates’ footprint is to offer low-carbon transportation options. Amsterdam is easily reachable internationally, but many meetings here choose to arrive by rail – thanks to our wealth of high-speed train connections with cities across Europe.

Sustainable transport does not end once your delegates arrive in Amsterdam. The city has an extensive public transportation system and a world-famous network of bicycle infrastructure. We can make this easier and encourage visitors to take advantage of this by arranging a bike rental scheme, such as we did for ESC Congress 2023. Let us connect you with local rental companies to make your delegates’ stay both comfortable and more sustainable.

Reduce your meeting’s footprint

Besides transportation, there are many other ways you can minimise the emissions produced by your meeting. Choose one of Amsterdam’s many sustainable venues, with all kinds of environmentally conscious policies and infrastructure – from energy neutrality to plant-based food options. Indeed, sustainable catering can also be easily arranged at any venue, including by many reliable vegan caterers.

Otherwise, there are many tips for you as an organiser to further reduce the carbon impact of your event: from smart planning to digital event materials and recyclables. Whatever your event and budget, there are countless ways to make a positive environmental impact in Amsterdam and beyond.

See how the Amsterdam Convention Bureau can help your next event, or get in touch with our team to see how we can help you keep our city sustainable.