Messe Frankfurt determines Corporate Carbon Footprint as a basis for decarbonisation


Messe Frankfurt is stepping up its efforts to reach its binding environmental target – to achieve greenhouse gas neutrality by 2040 at the latest. Together with its new partner, First Climate, Messe Frankfurt will report on its Corporate Carbon Footprint (CCF) in future.

As Wolfgang Marzin, President and Chief Executive Officer of Messe Frankfurt, explains: “We are taking the next step towards decarbonising our company and will be calculating the greenhouse gas emissions of our international business operations on a regular basis, beginning by reporting on our performance in the past year 2023. We are very lucky to have an experienced partner like First Climate to help us calculate our carbon footprint across the company. Having obtained our EMAS certification, determining our carbon footprint is another milestone for us on the way to a more sustainable future for events.”

The Corporate Carbon Footprint (CCF) is a key measurement value for ecological sustainability. By tracking emissions, the company is able to regulate its own greenhouse gas emissions. Based on the results, Messe Frankfurt’s team will further specify its climate targets and develop a detailed climate strategy. CCF is also a mandatory part of the future sustainability reporting in accordance with the EU’s Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) which, from 2026 onwards, will require Messe Frankfurt to report on the previous financial year.

Regional, individual and experienced

The decision to work with First Climate, which is based in nearby Bad Vilbel, was due in part to the impressive customised solution concepts presented by the sustainability experts. As well as this, First Climate has many years of experience in determining carbon footprints. As Sid Petersen, Managing Director of First Climate Consulting GmbH, explains: “Having a professionally calculated Corporate Carbon Footprint is an important part of a company’s climate strategy and providing these services has been part of our company’s core expertise for 25 years. We are delighted to work together with Messe Frankfurt and to use our experience to help it reach its decarbonisation goals.”

First Climate: an experienced partner from the Greater Frankfurt area

First Climate was founded in 1999, offering companies pioneering services relating to mandatory and voluntary climate protection. Today, First Climate – which is headquartered in Bad Vilbel and Zurich – helps a wide range of organisations to reach their sustainability and environmental protection targets and to be successful through responsible business practices. With a team of experts in a wide range of fields, First Climate has vast expertise at its disposal. The company helps its customers to manage their greenhouse gas emissions and to develop and implement programmes for protecting the climate and scarce resources.

Messe Frankfurt: Working towards a sustainable event business

As the world’s leading organiser of trade fairs, congresses and events with its own exhibition grounds, Messe Frankfurt is a driving force for climate protection and a sustainable event business. The Group has been EMAS-certified at its Frankfurt base since 2023. In recognition of its efforts to create a sustainable event business, Messe Frankfurt has received the AEO Excellence Award 2023 in the Best Sustainability Initiative category. In 2022, the company participated in an ESG rating (Environmental, Social and Governance) for the first time and was awarded a bronze medal. The Group underlines its sustainable business practices with a series of voluntary commitments, such as the United Nations Global Compact, the Charter of Diversity and the fairpflichtet sustainability code. As well as supporting the sustainability initiatives of sector associations AUMA and UFI, Messe Frankfurt has signed the Net Zero Carbon Events Pledge.


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