SECON 2027: Resilience in the context of events – theory and practice

How can the events sector position itself for the future amidst constantly changing conditions? The Sustainable Events Conference (SECON), taking place on 24 and 25 February 2027 at the EUREF Campus in Düsseldorf, will address this question under the overarching theme of ‘resilience’. The programme of the sustainability conference, organised by the GCB German Convention Bureau e.V., examines resilience from various perspectives – ranging from climate adaptation and the circular economy, through the role of diversity, to the resilience of individuals and teams. Excursions and the new SECON Ecosystem Safari will also provide direct links to real-world practice.

The conference programme, featuring a variety of formats and a large number of experts, demonstrates just how diverse the factors are that contribute to the resilience of events and those involved in them. The aim is not only to respond appropriately to change, but also to adapt to future developments at an early stage through innovation and to help shape them proactively.

One of the key focuses, for example, is on how the industry can address the consequences of climate change. Building on the ‘KlimaEvent’ research project, one of the SECON sessions examines how destinations and event organisers can respond to heat, extreme weather and other climate risks, and what approaches will be necessary in future to ensure reliable events.

The fishbowl session ‘The circular economy as a factor in resilience?’ is dedicated to sustainable resource management. Drawing on current studies and guidelines, it will address practical approaches as well as the opportunities and limitations for wider implementation within the events industry. The spectrum of human perspectives and experiences is also part of the SECON programme. The session ‘Shaping Diversity: From Potential to Practice’ examines how companies and events can become more innovative, attractive and resilient in this context, and what role diversity strategies and staff networks play in this.

The personal and organisational dimensions of resilience are the focus of the interactive workshop ‘Strong Under Pressure – Resilience for People and Teams at Events’. During the workshop, participants will develop concrete approaches to ensure that teams can remain healthy and capable of taking action despite high levels of dynamism, change and stress.You can find the full overview of the sessions, including all the experts, at www.secon-conference.de

Step out of the conference room: experience sustainability in practice

Even outside the sessions, SECON offers opportunities to gain first-hand experience of sustainable and resilient solutions. Various excursions provide insights into sustainable infrastructure, technologies and showrooms on the EUREF Campus, shed light on resource conservation and the prevention of food waste in event catering, and allow participants to experience barriers and opportunities for greater participation from a new perspective. This directly links the environmental, economic and social dimensions of resilience to event management practice.

Deutsche Bahn supports SECON as a main partner

Deutsche Bahn will once again be SECON’s main partner in 2027. Jan-Wolf Baake, Head of Business Customer Sales and Partners at DB: “Where, if not at events – as places for the exchange of knowledge, dialogue and personal encounters – can we strengthen our resilience in the face of current and future challenges? Against this backdrop, we are delighted to support SECON 2027.” As a long-standing partner, DB is involved, amongst other things, in shaping the content of a session on the focus topic of communication and reputational resilience. At the same time, it is supporting participants’ mobility through DB’s event services. “Mobility fosters encounters. And personal encounters, in turn, create the space for exchange, new perspectives and shared learning. For us, this is precisely where SECON’s particular strength lies,” Jan-Wolf Baake continued. The venue at the EUREF Campus in Düsseldorf is situated right next to Düsseldorf Airport railway station and is easily accessible by local, regional and long-distance services.

A first for the SECON Ecosystem Safari

For the first time, the SECON Ecosystem Safari will follow on directly from the conference on 25 and 26 February. During the two-day tour, event professionals from both the supplier and organiser sides will visit various locations in Düsseldorf that are already putting sustainable and innovative solutions into practice. The spectrum ranges from regional supply chains, energy efficiency and sustainable hospitality through to circular construction and sustainable event production. These on-site insights are complemented by professional exchanges and collaborative learning within the group. Düsseldorf is supporting this new format as a destination partner.

About SECON

The Sustainable Events Conference will take place on 24 and 25 February 2027 at the EUREF Campus in Düsseldorf and is aimed at organisers, agencies, destinations, venues, service providers, companies and associations from the business events ecosystem. The destination partner for SECON 2027 is Düsseldorf Convention, and the venue partner is EUREF-Event. Cooperation partners include the Association of the German Trade Fair Industry (AUMA), the fwd: Federal Association of the Events Industry e.V. and the Association of European Event Centres e.V. (EVVC). The main partner is Deutsche Bahn. The SECON Ecosystem Safari will take place on 25 and 26 February 2027 and follows on directly from the conference. Tickets for the conference, as well as combined tickets for SECON and the Ecosystem Safari, are availablevia the SECON 2027 registration portal. Further information and programme updates can be found on the SECON website at www.secon-conference.de

About the GCB German Convention Bureau e.V.

The mission of the GCB German Convention Bureau e.V. is to secure and further expand Germany’s position as a world-leading and sustainable destination for congresses and conferences. As a driving force behind innovation in the meetings and conferences sector, the GCB provides its members with high-quality market research data. By developing marketing activities tailored to specific target groups, the GCB maintains a presence in both international and domestic markets and supports its members and partners in marketing their offerings.

Its more than 160 members, representing nearly 400 venues, include leading hotels, conference centres, event venues, city marketing organisations, event agencies and digital service providers from the German meetings and conferences sector. Deutsche Lufthansa, Deutsche Bahn and the DZT German National Tourist Board support the GCB’s work as strategic partners. The IMEX Group is the strategic trade fair partner. H World International is the “Premium Partner 2026”. The darmstadtium, the Frankfurt Airport Marriott Hotel – Sheraton Frankfurt Airport Hotel & Conference Centre, the Schleswig-Holstein Tourism Agency and Thüringer Tourismus GmbH support the GCB as “Focus Partners 2026”.

Information on Germany as a conference destination is available at www.gcb.de