Sustainability communication for a trade fair service provider

The trade fair industry hasn’t exactly been known for its sustainability. Quite the opposite, in fact: for years, the motto was “build & burn.”

Melles & Stein Messe-Service GmbH, an agency for trade fair catering and booth staff, wanted to change that. After transforming their own operations to become more sustainable, they set out to win over their clients step by step.

Local and seasonal fruit and vegetables instead of strawberries in winter, less meat, no more disposable tableware, and a stronger focus on organic and Fairtrade products — for many in the trade fair world, this was a completely new (and even radical) approach.

Melles & Stein’s ambition? Nothing less than becoming a pioneer for a more sustainable trade fair industry.

To communicate this new direction inside and out, the agency Kontx was brought on board in November 2023 to support Melles & Stein in their internal and external sustainability communication.

The first step was to inform and involve employees, followed by addressing existing and potential clients and taking the company’s new positioning public.

Throughout the process, it was crucial that the communication style fit Melles & Stein: straightforward, honest, heartfelt, and with a touch of humor, inspiring, not preachy.

A new claim:

To capture Melles & Stein’s new sense of identity, a workshop was held in December 2023 under the direction of Kontx, bringing together the management team, employees, business partners, and clients.

The result: the new claim “Your fair choice.”

Both the claim and the company’s new direction were presented to employees in early 2024 during a full-day workshop. Today, the claim is firmly embedded in Melles & Stein’s brand presence.

Sustainability Website:

What does sustainability actually mean at Melles & Stein? What efforts is the company making internally, and what does its sustainable offering for clients look like?

As a first step, Kontx revised the existing website texts and integrated the topic of sustainability throughout.

In a second step, a dedicated sustainability page was created. Kontx developed the structure together with Melles & Stein’s web agency and then took on the copywriting.

Print Materials

A handy pocket flyer sums up, short and sweet, what Melles & Stein is doing in terms of sustainability, perfect for attracting new clients at trade fairs.

And to win over even the more skeptical customers, there’s another flyer that showcases what sustainable catering can look like: delicious, healthy, appealing and anything but boring.

Social Media:

Since early 2024, Kontx has been managing Melles & Stein’s LinkedIn and Facebook accounts.

Here, the company shares insights on sustainability topics, offers a behind-the-scenes look at the world of trade fair services, takes a stand on social issues, gives its team a voice, and celebrates shared milestones.

Melles & Stein also uses these channels to speak openly about the challenges along the path toward greater sustainability.