The ECTS is aware of the environmental impact of holding a large conference, and is working closely with its suppliers and staff to ensure that environmentally friendly policies are in place. Some examples are given below:

Printing
Conference venues
Travel
Social responsibility

Click here to read more about the Green arrangements made for our next meeting to be held in Glasgow, Scotland in June 2010.

PRINTING

ECTS is committed to ensuring that printing is kept to a minimum and that promotional methods focus more on the web site to reduce the amount of waste paper.

Paper that can be re-cycled will be used for any necessary printing.

We are currently researching the possibility of setting up a ‘virtual’ abstract book where delegates can download their chosen sections from the web site to minimise paper waste during the conference.

CONFERENCE VENUES

ECTS will work closely with conference venues to ensure that facilities are available on-site for recycling products such as glass, paper and plastics.

The 2012 conference venue of Stockholm has been voted European Green Capital 2010

TRAVEL

Conference calls and video-conferencing will be used where possible to minimise travel. Committee meetings are organised during the annual ECTS and ASBMR meetings when Committee members are already in situ.

SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

ECTS and their Professional Congress Organiser (MCI) put an emphasis on committing to the following:

1. Legal and Ethical Requirements
ECTS encourages their partners and suppliers, as well as their sub-contractors, to comply with
national and other applicable law of the country of manufacture of products including those laws
relating to labor, worker health and safety, and the environment. Within its capabilities, ECTS always favors local suppliers and subcontractors.

75 % of the ECTS suppliers are local companies (companies employing local workforce in the country where the conference takes place).

2. Child Labor
ECTS is committed to the promotion of human rights and has a special focus on promoting the welfare of children. ECTS relies on suppliers and their sub-contractors to be able to show that they purchase no products, or support in any way, business that harms children or benefits from child labor. ECTS defines a child as any person less than 15 years of age.

None of the ECTS conference venues in Europe have a reputation for supporting child labor

3. Forced Labour
ECTS suppliers and their sub-contractors may not use forced, illegal, or prison labor, including indentured or bonded labor, or any form of compulsory labor to manufacture products or to provide services.

None of the ECTS conference venues in Europe have a reputation for forced labor

4. Disciplinary Practices
ECTS suppliers and their sub-contractors will treat workers with respect and dignity and ensure workers are not subjected to any form of physical, sexual, psychological, or verbal harassment or abuse.

5. Freedom of Association
ECTS suppliers and their sub-contractors will recognize and respect that workers have the right to form or join trade unions of their own choosing and to bargain collectively.

ECTS conferences take place in major European cities. Freedom of Association applies as per the rules and regulations of the country

6. Wages and Benefits
ECTS suppliers and their sub-contractors will recognize that wages are essential to meeting employees' basic needs and will make every effort to ensure that workers receive wages that meet basic needs by local standards.

ECTS needs highly qualified suppliers to support its conferences. High qualifications are linked to adequate wages and benefit

7. Discrimination
ECTS suppliers and their sub-contractors will consider employees for positions on the basis of their qualifications and abilities. ECTS will not work with suppliers who discriminate on the basis of race, gender, political or religious beliefs, social, ethnic or national origin, marital status, age, union affiliation, sexual orientation, or disability.

ECTS conference suppliers are in the business of international meetings and are confronted with different nationalities and cultures as well as religions. It is in their company politics to put aside discrimination.

8. Health and Safety
ECTS suppliers and their sub-contractors will:

• Provide their workers with safe and healthy work environments, which, as a minimum standard, is in compliance with country and local health and safety laws and regulations.
• Take adequate steps to prevent accidents or injuries to health arising out of, associated with, or occurring in the course of work.

ECTS conferences take place in major European cities. Health and Safety Regulations may vary between European Countries but are nevertheless very strict.

9. Environmental Commitment
ECTS is taking action and making investments as an effort to begin to take responsibility for environmental impacts in areas under its control. We expect a strong environmental commitment and aggressive efforts to protect and restore the natural environment. We will favor partners who:

• have a management system demonstrating environmental commitment; publicly disclose environmental impacts and activities through regular reporting;
• eliminate toxic and hazardous substances from products and operations;
• increase efficiency and thereby minimize pollution and waste;
• reduce use of natural resources including raw materials, energy and water;
• take responsibility for proper waste management and any environmental problems associated with disposal of wastes;
• promote the use of renewable energy through support of innovation and integration in operations.

ECTS seeks to work with business partners who have published commitments to environmental responsibility and encourages all suppliers to seek industry specific 3rd party environmental certification as a way to express their commitment.

10. Partnership
ECTS understands that sustainability requires collaboration and engagement with all its suppliers. ECTS invites suppliers who respect its CSR to join the effort to promote more responsible business practices and to actively do their utmost to achieve the standards outlined here.