As the global events industry grapples with its environmental responsibilities, Green Circle Solutions Africa recently launched, equipping clients with a suite of advanced carbon-calculation technologies and strategic sustainability consulting tailored specifically for the African market.
Powered by the robust software architecture developed by Green Circle Solutions in the United Kingdom, the African service provides the precise digital tools needed to enable the continent’s Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions (MICE) sector to measure, report, and take action to reduce its environmental impact.
“For decades, the physical execution of exhibitions has generated substantial, often unquantified, environmental waste and carbon emissions,” stated Gary van der Watt, Director of Green Circle Solutions Africa and a respected leader in the South African exhibition sector since 1987. “While significant strides have been made in physical sustainable design—such as the transition towards reusable engineered materials—the industry has critically lacked accessible, accurate data metrics. Green Circle Solutions Africa bridges this gap by providing event organisers with the exact software needed to quantify their Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions in strict alignment with global standards.”
The launch coincided strategically with Global Exhibitions Day (GED) on June 3, 2026. This year’s theme, “Exhibitions Drive Opportunities,” served as a stark reminder that future commercial opportunities in the MICE sector will be strictly contingent upon sustainable compliance. A recent study predicted the global events industry will reach $1,337.4 billion by 2028, but tapping into that growth requires organisers to meet the stringent Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) requirements of international corporate exhibitors.
The proprietary platform introduces several critical tools to the African market, including the GCS Event & Travel Calculator, which embeds directly into visitor registration portals to capture complex Scope 3 transport emissions seamlessly, and the GCS Project Build Calculator, allowing stand builders to input material and energy data directly from the exhibition floor using mobile devices.
Crucially, the software has been curated and localised to account for the unique variables of the South African energy landscape. With the national grid remaining heavily reliant on coal, accurate Scope 2 reporting requires precision beyond generic global averages. The GCS tools utilise up-to-date conversion factors, ensuring local organisers generate data that is robust, transparent and ready for external auditing. To this end, the company has also introduced its “Verified by GCS” service, an independent data-verification process grounded in ISO 14064-3 standards.
David Humphreys, Founder and Director of Green Circle Solutions UK, commented on the continental expansion: “Our mission has always been to empower organisations to embed sustainability at the heart of their operations. The African exhibition industry is vibrant and rapidly expanding, driven by dynamic associations such as AAXO and EXSA. Partnering with Gary van der Watt ensures that our technology is guided by unparalleled local expertise, delivering solutions that are both globally compliant and practically applicable on the African exhibition floor.”
Green Circle Solutions Africa stands ready to support event organisers, corporate exhibitors and supply chain partners in navigating the complexities of sustainability reporting. The launch marked a definitive step toward a circular, low-carbon future for African exhibitions, ensuring the industry remains a vital tool for sustainable economic growth.
For more information regarding the platform, please visit: https://www.greencirclesolutions.africa/
Visit: www.greencirclesolutions.africa
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