Pioneering sustainability with EnviroPlan at ASCO

The Challenge

When Inizio made its debut as an exhibitor at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting in 2024, the stakes were high. Among 400+ exhibitors, they needed to make a powerful impression, not just visually, but ethically. The stand had to reflect their leadership in oncology while walking the talk on sustainability. Objectives included:

• Stand out in a competitive exhibition space
• Create a booth that embodied innovation and sustainability
• Facilitate meaningful interactions and drive lead generation
• Deliver measurable reductions in environmental impact and cost

The Solution

Emota transformed exhibition norms with a booth made almost entirely from recyclable structural cardboard: lightweight, striking, and low-carbon. Guided by our EnviroPlan methodology, we reimagined everything: from the design and materials to transport, setup, and reuse.

The booth itself was a bold statement in sustainable design, crafted almost entirely from fully recyclable structural cardboard. Every curve and surface was intentionally shaped to mirror Inizio’s visual identity, while the choice to leave the cardboard’s raw edges exposed sparked curiosity and conversations. Nothing about it felt ordinary. Especially, in an exhibition hall packed with polished plastics and generic builds.

The cardboard construction material meant that the booth was naturally designed to flat-pack, making it easy to transport and efficient to store. This meant we could share truck space with other exhibitors, significantly cutting down on freight emissions and reducing transport costs. And thanks to the booth’s clever, tool-free assembly, setup took just two hours, compared to the typical two-day build of a traditional stand. That meant less time, less labour, and a whole lot less hassle.

On the booth, every detail stayed true to the sustainability brief. We used reused rubber tiles for flooring, water-based inks for branding, and energy-efficient LED lighting to elevate the content and create depth without overloading the power grid. Nothing was bought new unless absolutely necessary.

And when ASCO wrapped, we didn’t just pack it away, we planned ahead. Every element of the booth was either reused, donated, or stored for future events. Built for refresh rather than landfill, the stand is ready to evolve with the brand, without adding to its footprint.

This wasn’t just sustainable. It was smart, sleek, and designed to make people stop, look, and ask questions.

Value Created

The results were nothing short of standout.

The booth achieved 100% recyclability with all materials being reused, donated or repurposed; 70.7% of assets were made from recycled materials; the carbon footprint was 0.7 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent as opposed to 2.4 for a traditional build.

It wasn’t just a success environmentally either. Commercially, the overall booth costs were over 30% lower than a traditional equivalent – thanks to reductions in drayage, freight and labor.

And Inizio far exceeded its goals for attendee numbers, sales qualified leads and new business wins.

This booth didn’t just reduce impact, it reshaped the conversation around what a booth can be. The structure itself became a powerful symbol of innovation, inviting visitors to rethink sustainability not as a side note, but as the starting point.