Life Sciences partnering events company EBD Group discusses the importance of communication, education, and the trials and tribulations of organizing an event with sustainability in mind.

This episode of our monthly podcast Voices of Biotech brings you a slightly different conversation in this series about sustainability with Claire Macht, portfolio director, Europe and Manuela Hildebrand, regional delivery director, both from the EBD Group.

Together, they discuss how sustainability measures are implemented from an operational standpoint at conferences such as reuseable booths, less food and beverage wastage, more plant-based/vegetarian options, and even the much-debated topic of carpet or no carpet in the exhibition hall.

Additionally, Macht and Hildebrand discuss how and why sustainability is also tackled from a wellbeing perspective at EBD events. For example, providing attendees with healthier food and drink options, a massage booth, lounges to relax, fun runs, and more.

While both acknowledged and spoke in-depth about the need to educate and communicate with attendees and staff members on why certain decisions have been made to create a “buy-in” mentality, Macht and Hildebrand did not shy away from some of the challenges the team faces when planning an event with sustainability and the FasterForward initiative at the forefront.

EBD’s next partnering-focused event is ChinaBIO, taking place in Shanghai, China September 10-11th, or virtually on September 16-17th. Two months later, BIO-Europe will take place in Stockholm, Sweden on November 4-6th.

The latest episode can be found here or through the BioProcess Insider Expression Platform at, Spotify, Apple iTunes, Google podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

MilliporeSigma discusses the importance of people, education, and the benefits of embracing discomfort to bolster sustainability efforts.

This episode of our regular podcast Voices of Biotech brings you an in-depth conversation with Jeffrey Whitford, vice president of sustainability and social business innovation at MilliporeSigma, the life sciences division of Merck KGaA.

Whitford speaks about the company’s interim and long-term sustainability initiatives and provides a detailed outline of how the firm intends to meet their goals. Additionally, the conversation develops to discuss how integral people are when it comes to sustainability.

He puts forward the idea that it is not about people meeting you where you are at in terms of sustainability, but more about ensuring that you meet people where they are at, to develop an understanding of why and how you are reaching this aim.

According to Whitford, education (both self and academia) is vital to creating an unbreakable chain for sustainability. He talks about the academic partnerships MilliporeSigma has and the goal of making this global. Furthermore, he closes the conversation by adding how we need to be prepared to sometimes live in a little bit of discomfort and embrace change to really help make a difference.

The latest episode can be found here or through the BioProcess Insider Expression Platform at, Spotify, Apple iTunes, Google podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.