Emota wins for sustainable event design

The award recognises an innovative approach to sustainable exhibition design that challenged traditional congress environments, demonstrating how environmental responsibility and creative ambition can work hand in hand.

A booth that practised what it preached

For ERS 2025 in Amsterdam, AstraZeneca wanted to do more than communicate its commitment to sustainable healthcare. It wanted its congress presence to demonstrate that commitment in practice.

Working closely with AstraZeneca, Emota created an exhibition experience where sustainability shaped both the design and the story being told.

Using Emota’s Enviroplan approach, circular design principles were embedded from the outset, with recyclable materials, reusable structures and lower-impact production methods helping to reduce the booth’s environmental footprint.

Sustainability also became part of the visitor experience. A dedicated area brought AstraZeneca’s commitments to life through interactive storytelling, including a striking ‘living lung’ installation made from locally sourced plants.

The approach delivered measurable results, including:

• 56% reduction in production and waste-related carbon emissions compared with a traditional build
• 82% less production waste compared with a traditional build
• 99% of materials reused, repurposed or recycled

Together, these results demonstrated that a large-scale congress presence could reduce its environmental impact without compromising creativity or audience engagement.

Recognising sustainable event innovation

The Campaign Ad Net Zero Award is recognition of the collaboration and commitment behind AstraZeneca’s ERS 2025 experience, and the potential for more sustainable approaches to exhibition design.

This win adds to Emota’s success at the Campaign Ad Net Zero Awards 2026, where the Global Exhibitions & Environments team was also recognised with the Outstanding Contribution to Sustainability award. Together, the two awards highlight the team’s wider commitment to sustainable exhibition design and the results being delivered for clients.

A huge thank you to AstraZeneca and all our partners for their collaboration, and congratulations to everyone across Emota who helped bring the experience to life.

Explore the full AstraZeneca at ERS 2025 case study to discover more about the sustainable design and delivery of the award-winning booth.