(Posted 05th December 2025)
In the global rush toward more sustainable business practices,
the events industry is increasingly being challenged to look inward: are they still talking ‘goals and
aspirations’, or is the sector finally delivering meaningful action?
As climate pressures intensify and global audiences demand more responsible experiences, Africa’s
events industry is reshaping what sustainable events can – and should – look like, and for RX Africa,
the business behind events like WTM Africa, ILTM Africa, FAME Week Africa, Comic-Con and
Decorex, the future of event sustainability is proudly, unashamedly, and unapologetically African.
“As a continent, we have long embraced resourcefulness and resilience,” says Carol Weaving,
Managing Director of RX Africa. “But now, sustainability for us means so much more – it’s about
driving systemic change in the communities we reach. We need to enable regeneration, not just
mitigate harm.”
This is sustainability with African context and African purpose at its core – deeply practical, grounded
in lived realities, and shaped by long-standing community relationships. And while it aligns with the
direction of the global events industry, what is happening in Africa is driven by local voices,
creativity, and priorities.
Regenerative Events: More Than Just Green
While carbon-cutting or waste reduction remain core to sustainable event delivery, RX Africa is
helping shape a regenerative model – one that uplifts communities and builds lasting economic
opportunity.
A good example is WTM Africa’s Responsible Tourism Awards, where each handcrafted trophy tells a story of circularity. Made by children in partnership with Uthando SA and using recycled corksdonated by conservation-driven Painted Wolf Wines, the awards themselves acknowledge Africa’s
craft heritage, build local skills, and keep money circulating in community economies.
This community-first approach extends across RX Africa’s 15-year partnerships with local NPOs like
Oliver’s Village, which supports more than 600 people daily through education, healthcare, and food
access initiatives. Partner organisation 18twenty8 offers university scholarships and mentorship to
young women in tourism and PR – deliberately seeding leadership in historically underrepresented
spaces.
The Business Case for Local Innovation
The Crafters Nexus, hosted within WTM Africa, gives small-scale artisans a platform to connect with
the international travel trade. The results are remarkable: one local business signed a lucrative
international contract to design custom bag covers. Others made critical industry connections that
would otherwise be out of reach in global supply chains dominated by mass manufacturing.
FAME Week Africa – an annual showcase of Africa’s film, television, animation, music, fashion, and
entertainment technology industries – demonstrates similar impact. At the event’s African Fashion
Forum Theatre, ethical stylist Tracy-Lee Rosslind’s ‘;Overflow‘ installation spotlighted the 6,000 kilograms of textile waste discarded every 45 minutes in the Western Cape. Now, she’s taking her mission global, hosting the African Fashion and Arts Awards in Abuja and leading sustainability talks
with Nigeria’s next-gen designers.
The result is that African design thinking and creativity are being brought directly into business
conversations and trade agreements.
Designing Cleaner Footprints, One Show at a Time
RX Africa contributes to parent company RX Global’s wider commitment to reach net zero by 2040.
This work is supported by a unified global framework that provides clear guidance, practical tools,
and cross-regional collaboration.
“Our global commitment to net zero is only possible because of the collective action of our teams
around the world,” says Helen Sheppard, RX Group Sustainability Director. “We’re working closely
across regions to provide the training, tools, and support needed to turn our shared sustainability
goals into meaningful progress on the ground.”
The Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC) – one of the few venues in South Africa to
formally sign the Net Zero Carbon Events pledge – is also playing a leading role. As an NZCE
signatory, CTICC has committed to reducing event-related emissions in line with global best practice,
reinforcing RX Africa’s efforts to host cleaner, lower-impact shows. Their commitment also highlights
the importance of strong collaboration across the value chain – from venues and suppliers to
organisers and local communities – as stakeholders work together to accelerate sustainable event
delivery.
Beyond venue partnerships, event organisers are introducing low-waste initiatives too, including
digital-only catalogues, seed-paper badge holders, and recycled-plastic lanyards. At Decorex, there’s
growing momentum toward modular, re-usable area builds.
The aim? To cut down on construction waste and lengthen the life cycle of design infrastructure across multiple shows. Other simple but effective shifts – like reusing event lanyards, fabric-based signage for registration walls, and eliminating plastic bottles – are already in motion across multiple RX events.
Weaving explains that the new “Events Sustainability Scorecard”, launched in November across the
RX portfolio, strengthens this approach by helping teams track and report on the sustainability
actions expected for every show.
“More than a checklist, the scorecard serves as a practical decision-making tool, opening early
conversations with venues, suppliers, and partners across core focus areas: energy, production, food and beverage, logistics, and travel and accommodation,” says Weaving. “It ensures that
sustainability is not an afterthought, but a guided, intentional part of how events are planned and
delivered.”
Setting the Standard for 2026
For Weaving, real sustainability is broad and inclusive. ‘It is not just energy efficiency. It's education, representation, economic access. It is giving people the tools to build something that lasts long after the event ends,’ concludes Weaving.
Sustainability in Africa delivers a practical, contextual, and community-driven model that can't be
borrowed from the Global North. The work is far from over, but Africa's voice is leading the way.
