The Basque Circular Summit 2025 is not only the largest event on the circular economy in southern Europe, but it is also a benchmark in the organisation of sustainable events. The Summit – organised by Ihobe, the Basque Government’s environmental management agency – holds Erronka Garbia certification, which endorses its commitment to reducing its environmental impact and fostering responsible practices in its planning and development.

Erronka Garbia is a environmental quality seal promoted by the Basque Government through Ihobe; its goal is none other than to ensure that events minimise their ecological footprint by incorporating sustainable measures in their organisation.

The  Erronka Garbia-Sustainable Event certificate seeks to raise awareness among the attendees at the event and the organisers about the need to mitigate the negative impacts associated to hosting multitudinous events.

The protocol for the Basque Circular Summit 2025 to obtain this certification was as follows:

• Sustainable mobility: the event fosters the use of public transport, vehicle sharing and active mobility (bikes, walking) to reduce the carbon footprint.
• Energy efficiency: the event prioritises the use of renewable energy and the optimising electricity consumption.
• Responsible water management: the event implements measures to minimise water consumption and to avoid waste.
• Sustainable purchasing: the event uses recycled or recyclable materials to produce the event, reducing the use of single-use plastics as far as possible.
• Responsible infrastructures: selecting spaces and settings to guarantee the lowest environmental impact possible.
• Waste reduction and management: the event fosters the reuse, recycling and correct separation of the waste generated during the event.

A sustainable event model

Erronka Garbia certification is not only a recognition, but also a declaration of principles. Ihobe, as the event organiser, considers it fundamental that the Basque Circular Summit 2025 not only promotes the circular economy from the business and theoretical perspective, but that it is also applies those principles in the organisation and running of the event.

Furthermore, this initiative seeks to make organisers and delegates alike aware of the importance of adopting sustainable habits, by showing that it is possible to reduce the environmental impact without compromising the quality and the experience of the event.

The Basque Circular Summit 2025 seeks to leave a positive footprint beyond holding the event itself. Thanks to its commitment to the Erronka Garbia standards, it will act as a benchmark for other events that are seeking a more envrionmentally friendly management model.

More information on Erronka Garbia