Bella Center Copenhagen
Located in the vibrant Ørestad district, just minutes from both the airport and the city centre, Bella Center Copenhagen is one of Scandinavia’s largest exhibition and convention venues. As part of Bellagroup, one of Denmark’s leading hospitality organisations, Bella Center Copenhagen champions a vision of Responsible Hospitality, placing sustainability and social impact at the heart of its operations.
The venue holds ISO 14001 and ISO 20121 certifications (since 2024), has been Green Key certified since 2009, and aligns its work with the UN Sustainable Development Goals and the Net Zero Carbon Events Pledge.
Aspiring net-zero targets
The venue has set ambitious targets to halve its emissions by 2030 and reach net-zero operations by 2050. A rooftop solar park the size of two football fields generates 30% of its annual power needs, while its newest hall, Hall D, is DGNB Gold certified. Waste is meticulously sorted into 21 streams, resulting in less than 0.5% going to landfill in 2022, and food waste is transformed into biogas. Since 2019, Bella Center Copenhagen has reduced its waste production by 40% and works with partners to upcycle materials such as banners and carpets.
Further initiatives reflect Bella Center Copenhagen’s deep commitment to social responsibility. The venue actively partners with refugee organisations and job centres to offer training and employment, donates surplus food, and invests in the ongoing education of its chefs with a strong focus on sustainability. In 2025, it will open a local daycare facility in partnership with the Municipality of Copenhagen to further strengthen its community ties.
A buzzing biodiversity partnership
Urban bees near Bella Center Copenhagen and AC Hotel Bella Sky Copenhagen are part of a unique collaboration that we have with the social enterprise Bybi.
In 2023, these industrious city bees produced 152 kg of honey. Bybi’s mission goes beyond honey; they aim to restore connections between bees, flowers, and people while creating space for more species and more shared experiences. It’s a living example of how urban spaces can be reimagined to support nature, community, and climate resilience.
Catering with a conscience
As part of our Mission Zero initiative, we worked closely with Bella Center Copenhagen to deliver a responsible, climate-friendly food experience. Together, we’ve prioritised high-quality, nutritious meals that support local producers, reduce environmental impact, and eliminate unnecessary waste.
For ESCRS Congress 2025:
- 50% of all food served will be vegetarian
- 70% of ingredients will be sourced locally (within 160 km)
- 90% of single-use plastics will be eliminated from the catering services
Partnering to fight food waste and support communities
Through careful planning with Bella Centre Copenhagen, we significantly reduce excess food at the ESCRS Congress 2025. While some surplus is inevitable at large-scale events, we ensure nothing goes to waste by collaborating with two pioneering Danish organisations. These resources are instead shared with vulnerable communities in Copenhagen, further minimising waste and amplifying our social impact.
The two organisations are:
Stop Spild Lokalt, founded in 2016 by then 17-year-old Rasmus Erichsen, is a volunteer driven nonprofit that rescues surplus food such as items with damaged packaging or expired labels and redistributes it to vulnerable communities through a network of 250,000 members and local “food oases”. Their work addresses both food poverty and waste, and their model is now expanding nationwide.
Det Runde Bord, established in 2011 by chefs and social workers, is a volunteer association that delivers millions of high-quality surplus meals to homeless shelters, addiction recovery centres and mental health services. Known for their innovative event partnerships including Roskilde Festival, they transform food waste into social good.