We have already talked about the celebration, last April in Malaga (Spain), the tenth edition of the International IVIRMA Congress. An event held every two years, but marked on the calendar by reproductive medicine professionals. On this occasion, on the occasion of World Environment Day, we talked about how this event was organized based on our sustainability strategy. IVI’s commitment at a social and environmental level were the pillars on which this event was held, based on a strategic plan aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) proposed by the UN. In this way, we join the global efforts of other companies, the international community and civil society.
Reduction of IVI’s carbon footprint
At IVI we work constantly to reduce our carbon footprint. Within the framework of the 10th International IVIRMA Congress we have offset the 132 tons of CO emissions2 generated for this reason. For this, a project has been selected that has as its objective the conservation of the Amazon in Peru.
“Sustainability has guided IVIRMA Global’s way of thinking and doing since the company’s origins. Every day we work to make it more tangible and the IVIRMA Congress, our great biennial world event, is a clear example of it, as it has helped us create a scientific, social and environmental legacy in Malaga. Thus, our strategic priorities are focused on turning our organization into an agent of social change through an unwavering commitment to health and stakeholders”explains Vicky Vila, head of the Sustainability area at IVIRMA Global.
Actions to stop climate change
Within this strategic Sustainability plan we find another series of actions carried out during the congress. Among them, criteria for recovery, reuse and recycling of materials were incorporated, with the aim of reducing use in general. On the other hand, a series of measures were implemented to make responsible use of energy and water.
In addition, it is worth mentioning that the aforementioned sustainability plan is made up of four large areas. The first, mentioned above, aimed at curbing climate change. The rest are framed in three large areas: circular economy, people and natural resources.
Circular economy and 0 waste
In this area, a series of actions were designed with the aim of demonstrating that the 10th International IVIRMA Congress is a paperless congress:
- Mobile application for attendees, with the complete schedule on a daily basis without the need to print paper documents. In addition, the scientific posters, typical in this type of congress, were available for consultation on digital screens.
- Simplification of scenarios
- Commitment of the participating companies with stands, being an involved part of these actions of the sustainability plan through the optimization and reuse of materials. In addition, the stand that best applied the organization’s recommendations was awarded as the most sustainable stand.
- Waste management and recycling, through a waste separation and recycling system
- Reusable bags for attendees, by JUNO Genetics. These bags were made with spinnaker sails, recycled cotton, and PET yarn, making them 100% sustainable products. This initiative also contributed to the generation of sustainable employment for women with difficulties in accessing the labor market in Spain and Africa, thanks to the collaboration with the company “Extraordinary Projects”, responsible for the production of the bags
Equality and inclusion of people
In this part of the sustainability plan, various initiatives were developed for the inclusion of people at risk of exclusion, thanks to the collaboration with the ADECCO Foundation. In addition, work was done to eliminate all physical accessibility barriers in the spaces where the congress was held.
On the other hand, the social legacy was a fundamental component in this edition of the IVIRMA Congress. Through a call addressed to NGOs, support was provided to projects with a local impact in Malaga. Thus, those attending the congress had the opportunity to vote for the project to which the €3,000 allocated for this purpose would be used. The selected project was science therapy, an association dedicated to scientific dissemination for minors hospitalized in pediatric oncology units in Spain. On the other hand, one euro has been donated for each person who attended the congress to the Demeter Association, national in scope with headquarters in Malaga. Its mission is to provide Comprehensive Care and Intervention to boys and girls who have experienced situations of gender violence.
Natural resources
The last area that makes up the aforementioned IVIRMA Congress sustainability plan is made up of various measures related to responsible use of natural resources. For example, water fountains were installed and sustainable bottles were delivered, in order to make responsible use of water. Thus, in addition, the use of individual and disposable plastic containers for food and beverages was avoided, promoting their subsequent recovery as organic matter. On the other hand, we are committed to nearby local suppliers, reducing excessive use of resources and promoting the consumption of locally produced food or kilometer 0, with a more sustainable social and environmental impact.
“Betting on a sustainable event generates a positive impact on the environment and on the community where it takes place. For this reason, we have spent four editions designing the Congress with Sustainability criteria. As world leaders in Assisted Reproduction, we also seek innovation in the way of approaching sustainability”Vila concludes.
