Pico is one of the world’s largest experiential marketing service providers and a major exhibition and trade show player, working as an event partner on the Shanghai World Expo 2010 and Youth Olympic Games in Singapore. CEI Asia talks to chairman Lawrence Chia about their sustainability initiatives:
What is the basis of Pico’s sustainability practices?
We focus on the 3Rs (reduce, reuse, recycle) and with everything that we design, we take these principles into consideration. We are currently developing an internal measurement to calculate how much of the content for each design contributes to these 3Rs.
There are many things the 3R principle can help a company achieve in terms of sustainability. For example, instead of a client using a photographic print at their booth, they can use an LED screen to display graphics. By reducing the amount of printed materials, you reduce the use of chemicals and paper and the resultant waste. A reusable replacement like an LED screen has many flow-on benefits.
Most importantly, internally the staff must have the will to want to do it. The company and management culture must encourage and enforce it.
What are some of Pico’s sustainability initiatives?
We have built exhibition booths from 100 per cent recycled materials, which stemmed from a client request even though the cost was higher.
We are now using bamboo instead of wood in some products. It is a grass, not a tree so it can grow back within one or two years. But bamboo-based materials and other sustainable products, like the newly developed seaweed carpet, cost more due to their limited supply. However, when you reuse things like carpet, the cost benefits can have a significant impact on the bottom line.
More and more customers are paying attention to these kinds of sustainable issues.
What are the major challenges you face?
There are many materials we can reuse in our business and there are increasingly more recycled materials available, but some clients hesitate to accept this. A lot of the time customers have misconceptions about reused and recycled goods as they fear they are not getting the best, which is in fact not the truth.
We design according to what the customer wants, so we must communicate our sustainable practices and educate clients as to the economic and social benefits.
Visit pico.com for more information