Thank you for being a part of ESCRS Congress 2025!
We’re pleased to share the Sustainability Report for the 43rd ESCRS Congress, held in September 2025 at Bella Center Copenhagen, Denmark.
This report highlights the key impacts, progress, and learnings from this year’s Congress, continuing our Mission Zero journey. Together with our partners, suppliers, exhibitors, and attendees, we worked towards net zero carbon emissions, zero waste to landfill, and more inclusive and responsible practices across all aspects of the event.
Key highlights from the 2025 Congress include:
- Total carbon footprint: 18,112 tCO₂e — 100% of emissions offset, making the Congress carbon-neutral.
- 73% of food served was vegetarian or vegan, with 87% locally and regionally sourced (within 160 km).
- 26,799 bottles and cans recycled through Denmark’s national deposit return system.
- 100% of waste diverted from landfill, with 36% recycled or re-used.
- 57% of signage and branding produced using sustainable materials.
- 72% of assets hired or produced from reclaimed materials, strengthening circular practices.
- 33% female speakers, with all global regions represented in the programme.
- Free on-site childcare and wellbeing initiatives, including the ESCRS 5K Run / Walk.
- 87% of attendees rated ESCRS’s sustainability efforts as ‘Impressive’ or ‘Good’.
We thank everyone who contributed to delivering a more sustainable Congress in Copenhagen and invite you to explore the full report to see how Mission Zero continues to move from ambition to action.
ESCRS Sustainability Commitment & Vision
At ESCRS, sustainability is more than a priority – it is a guiding principle in how we shape the future of ophthalmology. Enhancing the sustainability of our annual Congress is not just about responsibility; it’s about leading by example and driving meaningful change across our field.
Following the momentum of recent years, we’re taking our commitment even further. This year, we’re expanding our focus to strengthen social impact, improve environmental performance, and ensure greater inclusivity in everything we do.
Working closely with partners such as Bella Center Copenhagen and a carefully selected group of suppliers, we’re moving towards ambitious goals: zero waste to landfill, net zero carbon emissions, and reaffirming our commitment to social responsibility. Beyond the Congress itself, we’re also supporting critical causes, restoring ecosystems, and nurturing sustainability leadership within the ophthalmic community and beyond.
We know that real progress depends on collaboration. That’s why we’re inviting ophthalmologists, institutions, industry leaders, and sustainability experts to join us in driving meaningful change together.
Filomena Ribeiro
President, ESCRS
Our Key Goals
Through collaboration with the GDS-Movement and the invaluable input of key stakeholders and partners, we have created a multi-year sustainability strategy to guide the ESCRS Congress 2025.
Our partnership with the GDS-Movement began in 2022, and since then, we have been working closely together to embed sustainability into the core of our planning and decision-making processes.
Our proactive Mission Zero initiative includes four sustainability objectives that lead our planning, implementation, and evaluation efforts:
- Inspire Action
- Towards Zero Waste
- Towards Zero Emissions
- Social Responsibility
Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
Our following KPIs help us stay on track and guide our sustainability efforts:
Inspire Action
- Strengthen the promotions of the eyesustain.org initiative through partnerships with ASCRS and APACRS
- Recruit at least 2 new organisations into the Sustainability Partnership Programme
- Provide inclusive training opportunities for all members at the Congress
- Ensuring balanced representation of different continents in the overall programme
- Increase awareness of health inequity among underserved communities through targeted educational campaigns
Towards Zero Waste
- Eliminate 90% of single use plastic, polystyrene and PVC
- Reduce waste sent to landfill to below 10% of total waste generated
- Achieve a recycling rate of +60% across all waste streams
- Ensure that a minimum of 80% of event signage and branding materials are produced using sustainable or recyclable materials
Towards Zero Emissions
- Achieve +15% of delegate arrivals via lower-emission transport options
- Ensure that +50% of all food served is vegetarian or vegan
- Source +70% of food locally, defined as within a 160 km radius
- Offset 100% of unavoidable carbon emissions associated with the Congress
Social Responsibility
- Increase balance of female speakers to 40%
- Integrate at least 1 community/charity partnerships
- Enhance delegate wellbeing by integrating accessible wellness opportunities into the Congress experience
Our Strategy
Our Principles of Action
To achieve our goals, we have defined the following principles for the sustainable organisation of the Congress: