The International Association of Professional Congress Organisers (IAPCO) and International Federation of Exhibition and Event Services (IFES) have renewed their partnership, shifting their focus toward sustainability, education, and talent development across the global events supply chain.
Building on their initial Memorandum of Understanding, the updated agreement aims to bridge the gap between event organisers and exhibition service providers by integrating insights across both sectors.
Under the renewed framework, IFES will contribute specialised expertise on sustainable exhibition production and initiatives like Better Stands, while IAPCO provides the organiser and client perspective to foster eco-friendly practices across the full event delivery chain.
The collaboration also prioritises professional development by creating direct exchanges between the associations’ emerging leader networks, sharing guest speakers, and identifying joint educational initiatives. Additionally, both organisations plan to pool market intelligence and research to better navigate shared industry challenges.
“Sustainability and talent development are challenges and opportunities that affect our entire industry,” said Gregor Bischkopf, executive director of IFES. “By sharing the experience, knowledge, and perspectives within our respective communities, we can avoid working in silos and create greater value for both our members and the wider events sector.”
Martin Boyle, CEO of IAPCO, emphasised: “By strengthening our exchange around education, sustainability, research, and future talent, we can bring together complementary knowledge and create useful opportunities for professionals across both associations to learn from each other.”
