WENES Stand Certified EcoVadis Bronze: Our Concrete CSR Approach
Rédigé par Chloé
25/05/2026
In May 2026, WENES Stand obtained the EcoVadis Bronze Medal : 70/100, ranked among the top 35 globally in our sector. This certification is the result of a process initiated several years ago, formalized in 2025, and subjected to an independent external evaluation.
This is not a communication label. It is an objective measure of what we actually do, with its strengths and areas for improvement. In this article, we explain what this certification means, what it says about our practices, and what it concretely changes for your stand projects.
EcoVadis: Why This Assessment Carries Weight
EcoVadis is an international CSR assessment platform. It analyzes companies on Four pillars: environment, social and human rights, ethics, responsible purchasing. His method is based on documentary evidence, not on statements.
Approximately 100,000 companies worldwide are rated by EcoVadis. The scores are calibrated by industry and company size, making comparisons meaningful. A score of 70/100, ranked in the top 35 worldwide, in the manufacturing and temporary setup sector, positions WENES stand well above the median for our category..
Rather than self-proclaiming ourselves «committed,» we chose this path: to document, to prove, and to let an independent third party evaluate. The Bronze medal is a Starting point, not an end result.
Our score, pillar by pillar
Of the three pillars for which we were assigned a score, here's what the numbers say.
🌿 Environment — 72/100 · Top 13 % companies in the sector
🤝 Social & Human Rights — 72/100 · Top 11 % companies in the sector
Scales Ethics — 63/100 · Top 26 % companies in the sector
On the fourth pillar, Responsible Purchasing, WENES Stand was not evaluated by EcoVadis due to the structure of our business. This is not an absence of practices; it is a question of eligibility for the evaluation framework. We will go into more detail below.
Environment: acting where we have real leverage
The events sector generates temporary structures, significant material flows, and numerous displacements. Our role is to’act on the points where we have control.
On the design, we work exclusively with suppliers selected for their commitments : FSC- or PEFC-certified wood, signage partners certified by Imprim’Vert, petroleum-free acrylic paints, floors installed without neoprene adhesive, 100% LED lighting. For furniture, renting and reusing are prioritized over routine purchasing.
On the End of life of stands, each disassembly is subject to a site surveywood, cardboard, non-hazardous industrial waste, cables, paint, scrap metal. Wood is recovered through grinding. Reusable items are stored for subsequent fairs.
Our offices are renovated with attention to energy performance. Our administrative processes are fully dematerialized. A travel charter governs business trips.
Social: responsibility starts internally
WENES Stand, it's 84 women in a male-dominated sector, and an average age of 31. A young team, in a profession that isn't always. This is a reality we are proud of, and that we actively maintain.
The profession of exhibition stand builder doesn't have an academic pathway. You don't learn this trade in school. That's why We created the WENES Academy From the agency's inception: a structured internal training program in 4 modules, provided as ongoing training for each new hire. The agency welcomes 4 to 5 apprentices each year, contributing to the transfer of expertise.
Regarding working conditions: formalized remote work, flexible hours, structured annual reviews, active social and economic committee (CSE), sports coach present on-site weekly. Dialogue with management is direct and unfiltered.
Ethics: Clear rules, applied
Our Code of ethics formalizes the principles that guide our professional practices: integrity in business relations, zero tolerance for any form of corruption, refusal of deceptive practices and greenwashing. It applies to all our employees, managers, and service providers.
Visit Data privacy is framed by a GDPR charter and one IT charter communicated to all teams. The choice of EcoVadis follows the same logic: a process based on evidence, not on stated commitments.
Responsible purchasing: not evaluated, but not absent
EcoVadis did not assign us a score on the Responsible Procurement pillar: our business structure did not meet the eligibility criteria for this module during this initial assessment. This is not a deficiency in practice; it's a matter of assessment scope.
In reality, our responsible purchasing practices are one of the most solid pillars of our model. Our business is based on a network of stable local providers with whom we have been working for yearss: carpenters (5 to 10 years of collaboration), electrician (over 13 years), printers and sign installers (up to 16 years of partnership).
This model guarantees Quality, responsiveness, and traceability. We prioritize geographical proximity: our Paris, Lyon, and Nantes agencies rely on partners located as close as possible to the exhibition halls. Loyalty to our service providers is not a marketing argument. It's a business model.
What this changes for you as an exhibitor
A certified EcoVadis exhibitor is a supplier whose CSR practices have been verified by an independent third party. For you as an exhibiting company, this has several concrete implications.
If your company publishes a CSR report, tracks its scope 3 emissions, or selects its suppliers based on responsibility criteria, our certification becomes a component of your own value chain. Choosing WENES Stand also means choosing a provider whose practices align with your commitments.
Operationally, this translates into documented material choices, structured end-of-life management for the stand, and transparency regarding elements reused or recycled from one trade show to another.
What if you wish to go further in the eco-design of your stand, these criteria are part of our briefing process from the very first conversation. Our Guide to briefing your exhibitor builder sets the stage.
Modular Stands and CSR: The Equation of Reusability
The CSR dimension applies to all our offerings: custom-built stands as well as modular stands. Both approaches can incorporate certified materials, a reuse strategy, and responsible end-of-life management.
The modular stand, however, a structural advantage regarding the reusability criterionThe same structure can be reconfigured and redeployed across multiple trade shows, which mechanically reduces material consumption over time. This is one of the principles our dedicated brand is based on., THE MODULAR STAND, designed for exhibitors who participate in multiple events throughout the year.
For custom-made projects, the CSR response is rather based on the quality of materials, the modular design of certain elements, and the storage of reusable parts. Our article on The choice between custom, modular, or hybrid stands explore these trade-offs in detail.
A progressive approach: what comes next
The Bronze medal is a milestone, not a destination. Areas for improvement identified by EcoVadis during this first assessment already fuel our Action plan for the next cycle.
For the WENES group as a whole, WENES Stand, WENES Event, WENES Development and THE MODULAR STAND, this certification is a common foundation. Each entity relies on the same principles: local anchoring, long-term partners, certified materials, internal training. The group's CSR approach is not a layer applied on top of its businesses. It stems from them.
Our Comprehensive CSR policy and our Code of ethics are available for download. And our EcoVadis certification is verifiable online.
In summary
WENES Stand's EcoVadis Bronze certification is not a communication exercise. It is an objective measure of a long-term, structured approach: certified materials, end-of-life management for stands, internal training through WENES Academy, long-standing local partners, documented ethics.
We have chosen transparency regarding our scores, including areas where we can improve. It is this honesty that gives meaning to our approach.
Your next trade show can also be a responsible act.
Discover our Exhibitor approach committed, explore our achievements, or Tell us about your project.
FAQEcoVadis, CSR, and eco-responsible stands
What is EcoVadis certification?
EcoVadis is an international platform for assessing companies’ CSR performance. It evaluates four pillars: environment, social and human rights, ethics, and responsible procurement. The methodology is independent, tailored by sector, and recognized by many large companies as a supplier selection criterion. WENES Stand received the 2026 Bronze Medal: 70/100, ranking in the top 35 globally.
What is an eco-responsible booth?
An eco-responsible booth integrates concrete environmental choices at every stage of the project: certified materials (FSC/PEFC wood, paints without petroleum derivatives, LED lighting), structured end-of-life management (on-site sorting, wood recovery, reuse of elements), and reduction of unnecessary travel and purchases. It is not a label that is added on: it is a set of design decisions.
Why choose an EcoVadis certified exhibitor?
For companies that integrate CSR criteria into their supplier selection—especially those that track their scope 3 emissions or publish a sustainability report—working with an EcoVadis-certified exhibition stand builder allows them to align their trade show presence with a coherent value chain. The certification is verifiable and updated with each evaluation cycle.
How to integrate a CSR approach into my stand project?
It all starts at the briefing stage. The sooner CSR criteria are expressed — desired materials, willingness to reuse, budget constraints related to sustainability — the more they can be genuinely integrated into the design. These issues are part of our design process from the outset. To prepare a comprehensive brief incorporating your CSR criteria, you can use our Free exhibitor brief template. A responsible stand is not a standard stand with a green layer added: it's a project conceived differently from the very first sketch.
Is WENES Group the only EcoVadis certified exhibition builder?
The EcoVadis certification remains rare in the exhibition stand sector. Few stand agencies have chosen to submit their practices to an external, independent evaluation of this level. This positioning is recent for WENES—the Bronze Medal 2026 marks the first assessment—and it commits to continuous improvement.