
Working together to #LeadTheChange
At Sibos we’re committed to protecting the environment, caring for the community and promoting diversity, equity and inclusion.
We recognise these issues are also fundamental to the business strategies of Sibos participants and exhibitors. Working closely and collaborating with the Sibos community, our long-term aim is to be one of the most sustainable global events, and lead much-needed change across the industry.
Swift adheres to the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi), taking the next ambitious step towards a low-carbon future. As part of this worldwide climate action initiative, we’ve set ambitious, science-based emissions reduction targets in line with a 1.5 ºC future.
The carbon footprint of Sibos 2023 Toronto was measured and will be used as our baseline target footprint for future North American Sibos events to ensure we’re always improving.
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The Sibos Sustainability Pledge
We invited Sibos 2023 participants to come together and drive positive change through the new Sibos Sustainability Pledge. To take part we asked exhibitors and participants to commit to at least five specific actions, ranging from choosing a meat-free lunch for at least one day of the event, supporting our charity partner or attending a conference session addressing diversity in the workplace. Nearly 1,000 participants and 43% of exhibitors took the Pledge and made a positive difference at Sibos 2023. Thank you to everyone who participated!

The Lead the change village
The Lead the change village was the hub for sustainability at Sibos 2023 Toronto. Participants could go to the village to visit our charity partner SickKids Foundation and make a donation, meet specialist associations for guidance on how they could progress their institution’s ESG journey, and take a break in the comfortable ‘Sit down, catch up’ seating area.
The area was designed using innovative sustainable materials such as salvaged wood, ocean plastics and agricultural waste, and was reused after Sibos. For example, the stool cushions were made from recycled sea-dredged plastic from Indonesia and latex collected from local trees.
Our first priority was to cut CO2 emissions generated from Sibos by working with all stakeholders to lessen the impact of travel and transportation, reduce waste and optimise the use of resources.
To help participants get around Toronto efficiently and sustainably we included free public transport access with all in-person Sibos passes, helping to reduce carbon emissions.
THE NATURE CONSERVATION PROJECT
Promoting biodiversity and climate resilience
For many years, Sibos has contributed to nature conservation projects as part of our sustainability efforts. For 2023, we supported WWF-Canada’s Seed Orchard Program, which seeks to increase the supply of native plants and trees to be used for restoration, all while ensuring genetic diversity and climate resilience.
By using seeds from healthy native plants and trees and propagating them in orchards, the scheme helps reverse biodiversity loss and restore damaged ecosystems across Canada. The organisation also works to educate and engage communities in habitat restoration, providing opportunities for volunteers to participate in seed collection and orchard maintenance.
REDUCE WASTE AND PROMOTE SUSTAINABLE SOURCING
Reduce, reuse, recycle
Sibos
Sustainability was at the heart of the design and production of all Sibos and Swift exhibition features. We limited the volume of materials used, sourced locally to prevent unnecessary transportation, and chose options that could be rented, reused or repurposed.
At least 60% of remaining waste from Sibos and Swift exhibition features was then either recycled or transformed into energy.
We donated the Cityscape Displays to Designwith who will repurpose our banners into bags and other usable goods. Designwith are a local organisation in Toronto that promotes the democratisation of design education, bringing together corporations, academia, and community members from diverse backgrounds to collectively share their knowledge and skills, using a practical approach to learning.
Exhibitors
We provided sustainability guidelines to all our exhibitors to help them create and manage sustainable stands, and asked them to think carefully about any giveaways they provide. We encouraged exhibitors to repurpose and recycle any unavoidable waste. In partnership with our venue, reusable items were distributed to local charities. These items included chairs, tables, sofas, lamps, cups, plants and many more that will find happy homes.
Participants
Our participants also had a vital role to play. We encouraged participants to bring a reusable water bottle and use the correct bins for their waste. To help reduce paper waste participants could visit our digital Newscorner for electronic copies of newspapers and magazines, and used the QR code on your participant badges to exchange contact details on site.
sustainable food choices
Buying local, catering for all tastes
Sibos offered a range of sustainable, locally-sourced, seasonal catering to participants. The Metro Toronto Convention Centre (MTCC) offered 80% local and seasonal food, including items from small or organic farms, and plant-based options. In addition, their rooftop culinary garden provided organic vegetables and herbs, and the venue also managed food waste carefully via food bank donations and composting.

Sibos is attended by thousands of participants from around the world and it’s important we create a positive impact in our host cities.
Giving something back
Our 2023 charity partner was SickKids Foundation, the fundraising arm for The Hospital for Sick Children, Canada’s largest centre dedicated to improving children’s health.
As Canada’s most research-intensive hospital, SickKids works hard to find new treatments and cures, and train the next generation of experts in child health.
Funds from Swift, exhibitor partners and Sibos participants will support the hospital’s Garry Hurvitz Centre for Brain & Mental Health. You can learn more about the Centre’s vital clinical care and research here.
The charity raised a total of over 16,000 CAD from onsite fundraising, so a huge thank you to everyone who donated. There’s still time to donate to SickKids Foundation if you haven’t yet by clicking here. Together we can help children live a long and happy life.

BOOSTING THE LOCAL ECONOMY
Sibos, Swift and their partners who helped to build the event hired 60% of staff locally.
STAR scholarship
Enabling talent to shine
The STAR scholarship fosters the development of women in finance, providing them with opportunities to expand their networks and expertise. Leading banks from around the world were invited to nominate a high potential, ambitious employee to participate. This year marked the largest scholarship to date with 33 women taking part from 13 countries.

Diversity on show
Showcasing the Sibos community
Sibos supports the Inclusive Panels Charter and our conference programme was carefully curated to ensure it featured speakers from a broad range of regions, cultures and backgrounds, reflecting the inclusivity and diversity of the Sibos community, and championing the importance of these issues in our sessions.
35 sessions at Sibos 2023 to covered diversity and inclusion or sustainability topics.
ACCESSIBILITY
An inclusive event
When we select our venues for Sibos we carefully assess their level of accessibility, for example step-free access to the venue, wheelchair accessible bathrooms and the ability to bring guide dogs into the venue. In addition, our digital pass means anyone could join conference sessions and access our networking tools from their home or office, anywhere in the world.

Metro Toronto Convention Centre
The Metro Toronto Convention Centre (MTCC), a certified Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold building, hosted our in-person event for Sibos 2023. The MTCC place sustainability and corporate responsibility at the heart of its operations strategy, developing an approach for events that minimises the impact on the environment and aligns with the long-term strategy of Sibos.
Some of its initiatives include:
- Diverting 90% of waste from landfill through recycling, repurposing, food bank donations and composting
- A seven-acre green roof with a public park, culinary garden, and six honey bee hives
- Clean, renewable power, LED lighting and energy conservation guidelines for all departments to follow
- Sustainable deep water cooling extracted from Lake Ontario for its South building
- Conserving water through low flow, high efficiency A/C units
Discover some of the other initiatives being driven by MTCC that made it the ideal environment for Sibos 2023 including food donation programmes and sustainable meeting solutions.