GH Display’s sustainability journey started back in 2013, explained Jenny.
“Our original proposition to customers was to design and build a durable product which could be reused. We wanted to move away from disposable stands and design a solution that could be used for a minimum of five years, maybe even ten. Our focus was on value for money and creating a model which was not so wasteful for clients,” she said.
Whilst customers bought into the concept of “buy it once” and use it many times, it was not until the pandemic when the idea really took off.
“The pandemic changed everything,” she said. “Sustainability was a much easier sell.
Jenny explained: A significant shift took place. Many businesses started to genuinely care about the origins and production methods of their exhibition stands. As GH Display’s business model was already aligned with this environmentally conscious approach, the business grew rapidly, demonstrating they were in it for the long term. This was evidenced by the company’s expansion to a two-acre site, largely due to growing demand for storage from customers as they bought into idea of reuse.
“And we started to show suppliers that there really was a demand for sustainable materials. We are leading the way, certainly in challenging suppliers for sustainable materials,” Jenny added.
In 2023, the company conducted a carbon emissions audit of their site and established baseline data from which they set a target to reach Net Zero by 2035.
As part of achieving the Event Supplier and Services Association’s (ESSA) Sustainability Accreditation Tier Five, a working group was formed. Several impactful ideas were suggested by staff including one which was to have far reaching implications for the company – the introduction of Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO), 100% renewable biofuel, which can reduce vehicle emissions by 90% in comparison to traditional diesel.
“The idea came from one of our stand builders who helped us get the project up and running. It is early days, but initial results are promising. Combined with the whole site running largely on energy from solar panels, this ensures we are on a good trajectory to meet our Net Zero target.” said Jenny.
The partnership with Green Circle Solutions was a natural next step on GH Display’s sustainability journey.
Jenny and team not only wanted to show the impact of designing and building reusable exhibition stand components, but also the longer-term emission reductions that were possible by introducing new, more sustainable materials and reusing the product throughout its lifecycle.
The custom build calculator was developed in-house by the team at Green Circle Solutions, combining technology expertise and sustainability knowledge. The bespoke calculator, which took just over a month to deliver, was launched to GH Display’s customers in January 2025. Every stand that GH Display designs, builds and installs now comes with a detailed emissions report.
“Client reaction has been positive,” Jenny explained. “The interface is user friendly and simple to use and the reporting is clear and easy to understand.” This also means that the team at GH Display will be able to gather data to benchmark progress in the future.
Jenny concluded:” Creating eco-friendly and sustainable exhibition stands doesn’t start and end with the production of the stand itself. It is a multi-faceted approach that starts from the day to day running of our manufacturing workshops and print studio to the power we use, to the decisions around materials, waste disposal, recycling and product design. In fact, everything we do at GH Display starts with the question, how do we deliver this one thing as well as we possibly can, whilst minimising our impact on the planet.”
