Sustainable: How WISTA Conventions is reorganising how they work on events
“Sustainability” is somewhat of a catch-all term. For Josephine Balzer, it is remarkably concrete. It manifests in checklists, supply chains, heating controls—and countless spreadsheets. Balzer heads the WISTA Conventions conference service at Adlershof Technology Park. Over the past few months, she and her team have successfully attained sustainability certification. For her, the process behind it is more important than the certificate itself.
Anyone organising an event with WISTA Conventions today soon realises: This is about more than renting a space. This used to be different. “We started out as landlords,” Balzer recalls. Over the years, this has shifted, and the team now coordinates a vast array of service providers.
With every additional component, the level of responsibility grows—whether choosing suppliers or selecting materials. The push for certification came from within the organisation. Magdalena Mattheis, now WISTA’s sustainability officer, previously worked in the Conventions team and championed the topic with great personal conviction. For Balzer and her colleagues, this was an opportunity to thoroughly scrutinise their own processes. Doing so went far beyond climate protection. Sustainability also encompasses social aspects—such as working conditions at service providers—and business issues. This is particularly visible in catering. Regional and seasonal products now play a larger role, alongside vegetarian and vegan options. “We don’t force our choices on anyone,” says Balzer, “for food, or anything else. The final decision is with the client. If they want meat dishes, we compensate elsewhere, for example, with side dishes.”
The road to certification was labour-intensive. Aside from hosting numerous events, the team had to write concepts, analyse risks, and define measures. Many of the things necessary for the audit existed only on paper. They were yet to become part of daily operations. Now, the actual implementation begins. Recycling is being reorganised, heating and ventilation concepts are being reviewed, and procurement processes are being adjusted.
Simultaneously, the team is structuring its processes more clearly using checklists. These ensure that site visits and events are prepared to the same standards, regardless of the person in charge. “Clients that are taken on by me this year and by a colleague the next should have the same experience,” says Balzer. The practical application of this new approach is most clearly demonstrated by events that the team helps to conceive. One example is the Technology Park’s Diversity Conference. On 7 May 2026, the conference, which is centred on diversity and tolerance, will once again give space to shifting perspectives, engaging in exchange, and meeting new people. The day-long programme combines keynotes, workshops, and interactive formats.
Activist Beccs Riley will discuss how inclusion can strengthen teams, while filmmaker Mo Asumang will show how dialogue and changes in perspective can help overcome fear and racism. In masterclasses, participants can train in body language for conflict situations, reflect on potential biases in artificial intelligence, or practice inclusive communication. Aside all this, there is plenty of time for mingling. At the Diversity Lounge, visitors can have a chat, reflect on their priviledges, or discuss so-called “future skills”. Other events range from open discussion formats to musical team-building.
Around 6,000 people attend events at WISTA Conventions each year—ranging from scientific conferences to large networking formats.
The biggest challenge is not organising the events. It’s the building itself. The house is a listed heritage site, meaning structural changes are limited. At the same time, the demand for larger event spaces is growing.
For Balzer, the sustainability certification is not a finishing line, but a beginning. “A certificate is not a seal that we receive once and then everything is done,” she says. The key is to permanently translate the new standards into daily life—one event at a time.
Rico Bigelmann for Adlershof Journal