Better Stands is changing what has long been considered standard in trade show construction.
And that affects everyone who plans multiple trade shows each year.
Several appearances per year, a budget that has to be justified again every time, an ESG report demanding evidence—and in the middle of it all, the question of whether the booth that has worked so far will still work three years from now. This is exactly where Better Stands comes in.
What was a special request two years ago will be standard practice in three years—and the framework conditions are tightening faster than many planning processes can keep up.
Event organizers are incorporating sustainability criteria into their participation requirements. ESG reporting is becoming mandatory rather than optional for companies above a certain size. And across multiple trade shows, the cost calculation is increasingly working against the traditional single-use booth. The question is therefore rarely if a transition is coming, but when—and whether it will be strategically planned or rushed under pressure. Those who think about it early can shape the process. Those who postpone it will eventually have to make the change against the clock.
What Better Stands Actually Is
Better Stands is an international initiative that evaluates exhibition stands according to verifiable criteria—from material selection and reusability to end-of-life disposal. Stands are assessed in different levels, and the evaluation is conducted by independent third parties. The key point: it is not a self-awarded label, but data that can withstand reporting requirements.
From Single-Use Booths to a Circular System
For decades, “Build & Burn” was the standard: a booth was built for a single event and then discarded. Better Stands focuses instead on reuse—and this is a distinction that changes everything: Reuse is not recycling. Recycling dismantles a booth so that something new can be created from the remaining materials—a process that is resource-intensive and involves significant energy loss. Reuse means the same booth is used multiple times, refurbished, and adapted for new events. Environmentally and economically, it is the superior option.
The Assessment Levels
Stands are evaluated from entry level to the highest certification level, depending on how consistently they are designed around reuse, material selection, and lifecycle management. Each level represents verifiably fulfilled criteria—not merely a declaration of intent.
Better Stands Solves Not One Problem, but Three
For three different perspectives within a company:
- Marketing: The planning horizon shifts from a single event to the entire lifecycle of the booth.
- Procurement: The cost logic changes from lower upfront costs to lower total costs across multiple uses.
- Management: A marketing expense becomes a measurable and auditable contribution toward ESG goals.
The Real Leverage Is Not What Most People Expect
When sustainability is discussed, it is rarely the argument that ultimately drives the decision. Three other factors are often far more persuasive in internal discussions:
Cost Efficiency
A modular booth typically pays for itself after two to four uses. Companies attending multiple trade shows per year can compare it with a single-use booth—and the numbers are usually clear.
Compliance
An external certification provides verifiable reporting data—not claims, but documented proof.
Brand Risk
Strong brands are in the spotlight. Unsubstantiated sustainability claims attract attention and can damage reputation. An independent assessment helps protect against that.
The more honest story is therefore not “save the environment,” but rather: “Protect the budget, meet reporting requirements, and safeguard the brand.” The environmental benefits come on top of that—they are the outcome, not the primary sales argument.
The Business Case Depends on the Numbers. The economic argument stands or falls with the figures. That is exactly what the three-year cost analysis provides, including the break-even point at which a modular booth becomes more cost-effective.
Silver with OBO — Better Stands in Practice
Anyone can talk about sustainability.
Together with OBO, we implemented a trade show presence that was independently assessed according to Better Stands criteria—and achieved Silver certification.
The crucial point: this rating was only possible because the booth was designed for repeated use from the very beginning. Better Stands does not start in the workshop; it starts with the very first design decision. Its value—both economic and environmental—only unfolds over multiple uses.
For us, Silver is not the goal, but a milestone. The next projects are already in the pipeline.
Calculating Better Stands for Your Own Exhibition Presence
The three-year analysis demonstrates the principle using a typical exhibition stand. The real calculation, however, depends on the specific project—with its actual stand dimensions, real trade show schedule, and planned lifecycle. Anyone planning their next exhibition presence across multiple events should take an early look at the concept—ideally during the design phase, because that is where it is decided whether a stand is truly Better-Stands-ready.