The ACEM Spring Symposium 2022 is making every effort to reduce the carbon footprint and ensure sustainability practices are being followed where possible. The Te Pae Christchurch Convention Centre and our Professional Conference Organisers, Encanta, alongside ACEM, are working hard to ensure the below practices are being followed: 

The Symposium will not offer delegate satchels to reduce our waste to landfill. In return, ACEM will be making a donation to Christchurch Youth Hub. 

We encourage you to bring your own bag while you are at the Symposium. 

We are extremely thankful to our incredible speakers at the Symposium and, in lieu of speaker fees, a donation will be made to the Christchurch Youth Hub. 

The Youth Hub creates a safe haven for young people needing support between 10 and 25 years of age. It is a collaboration of co-located services that gives opportunity for young people to grow in an environment of encouragement and positive social engagement. The village of wellbeing-focused services are supported to ensure best evidence-based practice, sharing a core commitment to Mana Taiohi principles of youth development and honouring Te Tiriti o Waitangi. In partnership with the Youth Hub Trust, relationships are fostered by manaakitaka, open communication, honesty and ethically sharing information in the best interests of the young people.

Our Symposium handbook has been reduced in size to only include the essential information in a pocket programme format. We are proud that our Symposium app includes all programme information and allows delegates to participate in Q&As and connect with one another. 

We encourage all delegates to return their name badges at the conclusion of the Symposium so that they can be repurposed for other events. 

We monitor final delegate numbers for an accurate forecast of catering requirements to avoid waste. 

There are lots of options out there for delegates travelling interstate or internationally to attend our conferences who want to offset CO2. Most airline companies offer this as part of their booking process.

The Te Pae, social functions and hotels are within walking distance of each other further reducing our footprint.

All food waste generated at the Centre will be processed on-site through a GAIA dehydrator, which uses advanced technology to reduce the waste by 85 per cent and turns the remainder into a nutrient-rich organic fertiliser, which is scientifically proven to improve soil condition.

Food that can be reused from events will be donated to Foodbank Canterbury to distribute among community groups and social service agencies, who will then provide the items to those in need across the region.

To manage our water resources, Te Pae has installed a specific eWater system in their kitchens. The system uses a chemical reaction between water and salt to produce a product for cleaning and disinfecting that is more powerful than bleach at killing bacteria and microbial elements. This product is utilised in kitchens to wash and prepare fresh produce, as well as by Te Pae’s Venue Presentation team to clean throughout the Centre; drastically reducing chemical consumption.