Sustainability

Eco-friendly materials and reduced waste

In-person meetings and events take a huge toll on the environment with travel, single use plastics, and food waste and so, with the support of Sustainability sponsors, we run increasingly sustainable meetings. Specific initiatives and programs include:

• Using cardboard for onsite badges and signs.
• Requiring venues to provide hydration stations.
• Requiring venues to avoid the use of single-use plastics for food service.
• Monitoring and adjusting food volumes to reduce waste and requiring venues to have a food waste management plan.

Equal onsite and remote participation

The environmental impact of travel is well understood and an increasing concern among IETF participants. We have gone to significant lengths to support those who participate remote and ensure that onsite and remote participants can participate equally. This has been achieved through both a major investment in our remote participation technologies and a major adjustment to our onsite processes. We are committed to improving the remote participation experience so participants who choose not to travel are able to contribute even more effectively to the work of the IETF.

Carbon offsetting

Even as we seek ways to make how we work more sustainable, it is not possible to eliminate entirely the impact a global community of thousands of individuals, like IETF participants. To understand and mitigate the remaining carbon footprint imposed by its work, we have embarked on a project to measure and offset carbon emissions. As part of our efforts to move towards a net zero IETF, we calculate annually the carbon footprint of our meetings and ongoing operations, and then seek to acquire carbon credits that meet well-established recommendations and standards.

Sustainability sponsors

These programs and initiatives are directly supported by our Sustainability sponsors, organizations involved in the IETF, who have specifically committed to making the IETF and how it works more sustainable. Sponsorship opportunities are available in Gold, Silver and Bronze - see Meeting Sponsorship for more details.

Bronze