You create sustainable impact by taking action

Stephanie Mathas and Hanna Rentmeester together form the sustainable conscience of RAI Amsterdam. They initiate and supervise the development of corporate social responsibility (CSR) at RAI in the broadest sense of the term. RAI Amsterdam is becoming more sustainable step by step, thereby increasing its impact as a socially engaged organisation. We asked these pioneers: what has already been achieved, what are the challenges and opportunities, and how do you involve event organisers?

Catalysts and Connectors

Stephanie Mathas has been CSR Manager at RAI Amsterdam since 2016. Over the years, the number of topics and projects she’s worked on has grown so significantly that Hanna Rentmeester joined as CSR Manager in 2024. Stephanie explains: “I see myself as someone who serves both society and RAI. As an organisation, we have a responsibility to minimise our negative impact and maximise our positive impact. And we have the means to do so. Hanna and I identify opportunities and take them forward with colleagues within RAI and partners outside the organisation. Together, we work on improvements that make a difference for those involved and for society as a whole.”

Hanna adds: “I believe everything is interconnected, which is why it’s important that we all do our part to avoid making a mess of the world. In recent years, partly due to legislation, there’s been a strong focus on figures and reporting. That helps provide insight, but it’s a means to an end—not the end itself. We prefer to spend our time on solutions.” Stephanie agrees: “We’ve standardised data collection wherever possible. What we really want is time and space to actually get things done.”

A Complex Puzzle

The reality of sustainable and social improvements can be a complex puzzle. Connecting the pieces is one of Hanna and Stephanie’s key roles. “There are often many different stakeholders involved,” says Stephanie, “each with their own perspective, interests, experience and expertise. It’s important to listen carefully and genuinely try to understand one another. That’s how you achieve practical improvements. Sometimes a piece is missing—and that’s where we get creative.”

Hanna agrees: “An organiser might be focused on reducing plastic, while it could be more impactful to look at the entire waste stream. A colleague at RAI might be focused on commercial interests, but sometimes those are best served by a stronger sustainable proposition. That’s why we like to be involved early in the process. And we always ask follow-up questions—both to organisers and colleagues: if you want something, what are you trying to achieve? That’s how you arrive at the best, most structural solutions.”

What We’re Working

At RAI Amsterdam’s website outline the key CSR topics the organisation is working on: in and around the building, in event organisation, and within the internal organisation. So what are the current developments keeping our CSR managers busy?

Hanna highlights Better Stands: “We’ve been offering modular, reusable stand construction for some time now, which can be customised with colours, graphics and furnishings. This results in fewer transport movements and less waste. To increase impact, we’ve joined the international Better Stands programme and are certifying our own stands. We’re also exploring how to apply this programme more broadly across stand construction at our own events. That’s when we’ll really start to understand what it means and what to watch out for. It allows RAI to refine the concept and advise organisers more effectively.”

Organisers Are Now Asking for It

Stephanie: “I see a lot of progress in our social programme. We’re now making an impact across a wide range of social initiatives in Amsterdam. One example is the Donation Room programme, which has grown significantly in recent years. After various events, we collect usable products and items and ensure they reach local social organisations that can put them to good use. This helps prevent waste and supports initiatives like The Salvation Army and the Food Bank. We started this about seven years ago. Back then, we had to really convince organisers to take part. These days, they ask for it themselves. The impact speaks for itself.”

Waste and Trains

“Another topic we continue to actively pursue,” Stephanie continues, “is preventing and reducing waste within RAI. It’s a broad theme with a wide range of challenges—from cutting down on disposables on the event floor to encouraging reuse or phasing out certain materials. We especially want to work with organisers to see how we can minimise waste at events.”

In 2025, Hanna is organising a train journey to bring METSTRADE visitors from London to Amsterdam in November. This serves multiple purposes, she explains: “Of course, we want to encourage people to take the train instead of flying, because that significantly reduces CO₂ emissions. But it’s also effective and great fun: people can start networking on the train, and it’s an experience that adds extra value for guests. With the experience we’re gaining now, we’ll be able to facilitate more of these train journeys in future.”

Always One Step Further

It’s tempting to think you’re ‘done’ once a topic is enthusiastically received. But nothing could be further from the truth, says Hanna: “Implementing a sustainable measure involves many aspects. Take the relatively simple idea of train travel. There are lots of elements that affect the entire RAI organisation—timing, promotion, sales, booking the train, collaborating with the organiser, invoicing afterwards, you name it. Everything has to align. Only when you actually start doing it do you discover what works and what needs adjusting. And when you scale up, new questions arise.” Stephanie adds: “Over time, the context changes too. Laws evolve, people move into different roles, and public discourse shifts. We’re constantly working on CSR development. It’s a form of entrepreneurship—not something you tick off and move on from. We’re always looking for new ways to make an impact.”

Business as Usual

The ultimate goal is for corporate social responsibility to become a natural part of business. Initiatives like a plant-based restaurant, total elimination of food waste, donation rooms, or using the RAI garage for the electric vehicles of social organisation Heen en Weer have become part of everyday operations.

Stephanie concludes: “RAI Amsterdam’s mission is to organise valuable events. Within that context, we can make a significant social and sustainable impact—and we see that as our responsibility. We don’t do it alone, but in collaboration with organisers, exhibitors, visitors and many passionate partners. Impact is something you create together. And really, it always comes down to one question: what can we do better today than we did yesterday?”