ESCRS Sustainability Commitment & Vision
At ESCRS, sustainability is more than a policy. It is a shared value that guides how we imagine the future of ophthalmology. Making the Winter Meeting more sustainable is not only something we should do; it is an opportunity to lead with purpose, integrity, and innovation.
Over the past years, we have made encouraging progress. This year, we are taking further steps to strengthen that commitment. We are refining our practices, improving our environmental performance, and ensuring that our congresses reflect the highest standards of inclusivity, accessibility, and efficiency.
None of this can happen alone. Together with our partners – Messukeskus Helsinki, and a carefully selected group of suppliers – we are working toward ambitious but important goals: eliminating waste to landfill, reducing carbon emissions on the path to net zero, and upholding strong principles of social responsibility. Beyond the events themselves, we are supporting long-term initiatives that restore ecosystems, strengthen local communities, and inspire sustainability leadership across our field.
Real progress happens when expertise, collaboration, and shared values come together. I warmly invite ophthalmologists, institutions, industry partners, and sustainability advocates to join us in driving meaningful, evidence-based change for our profession, for our planet, and for the patients who rely on us.
Burkhard Dick
ESCRS President
Our Sustainability Approach
At the ESCRS Winter Meeting, we apply a focused version of the ESCRS Sustainable Event Strategy, ensuring that our commitment to responsible event management remains active.
While the Winter Meeting is more compact in scale, the same strategic pillars guide our planning: Climate Action, Circular Economy, Sustainable Content, and Diversity, Equality & Inclusion. These principles shape decision-making across the event, from designing out waste and supporting more sustainable materials to championing inclusivity and enhancing the participant experience.
Building on this strategic foundation, we implement practical measures that reduce environmental impact and strengthen positive social outcomes. This includes adopting reduced-waste practices, prioritising reusable or recyclable materials, and encouraging responsible travel choices for attendees.
Our Sustainable Event Strategy
Our Principles
To achieve our goals, we have defined the following principles for the sustainable organisation of the Winter Meeting.
Carbon Offsetting Approach
We will continue our established approach to offsetting unavoidable emissions for the ESCRS Winter Meeting. This approach is grounded in a consistent methodology built on detailed carbon calculations from previous editions, using the Winter Meeting in Vilamoura as the baseline.
This model enables ESCRS to estimate emissions from attendee travel and core event operations with accuracy and transparency. In line with our ambition to offset 100% of unavoidable carbon emissions associated with the Winter Meeting, these emissions will be balanced through high-quality, Gold Standard-certified climate projects in partnership with South Pole, ensuring our climate action remains credible and aligned with global best practice.
Once the calculations are completed and the selected projects are purchased, we will share this information transparently here. In the meantime, you can check the projects we have supported in 2025 by clicking here.