Padova Congress reinforces its commitment to sustainability by joining the Food for Good project, a national initiative promoted by Federcongressi&eventi in collaboration with the non-profit organizations Banco Alimentare and Equoevento, aimed at recovering and redistributing food surpluses generated during conferences and events.
The project was trialed for the first time at the 55th SIN (Italian Society of Neurology) congress, held from October 24 to 28.
Thanks to this partnership, surplus food from catering services will be collected safely—and in compliance with current regulations—by volunteers from the Food Bank and then delivered to nearby soup kitchens, making a tangible contribution to the fight against food waste.
The initiative, which since 2015 has enabled the recovery of 230,000 ready meals and 12,500 tons of bread and fruit nationwide, is part of a broader social and environmental responsibility program undertaken by Padova Hall, the company that manages the Padua exhibition center and convention center. The initiative, which will be offered at all conferences hosted, is a continuation of the child care initiative, dedicated to promoting inclusion and work-life balance by encouraging conference participants with children to attend events.
“The conference sector is capable of generating not only economic value, but also social and environmental value. Based on this vision, shared with Federcongressi, we have decided to launch a project that combines solidarity, sustainability, and community,” explains Stefania De Toni, head of Padova Congress.
Padova Congress’ decision to join Food for Good is accompanied by the decision of the SIN congress organizing team to commit to reducing paper consumption – in line with one of the company’s Sustainable Development Goals – by favoring digital formats for sharing congress documentation.
“We are delighted that the Food for Good project is being trialed in Padua for the first time at the Italian Society of Neurology Congress, because this initiative ties in with the SIN’s ongoing commitment to reducing its environmental impact and promoting sustainability at its events. From a One Health perspective, we strongly believe that brain health and human well-being also depend on respect for the environment,” notes Professor Maurizio Corbetta, president of the Congress.
With Food for Good, Padova Congress confirms its commitment to promoting a sustainable event model that generates value for the community and the local area.
Special thanks go to Francesco Barnes, owner of the catering company Chalet Banqueting, whose generous donation made the project possible.
