Sustainability initiatives
At Aarhus University, we are working to make our conferences more sustainable by making greener choices. We are committed to minimising the environmental impact of our conferences and reducing the carbon footprint associated with bringing people together for international events — and when we do bring people together, we are dedicated to making the in-person conference experience as meaningful, engaging and fruitful as possible.
Here are some of the sustainability initiatives you will encounter at MatchPoints 2026.
Reusable AU bottles
Conference participants drink an average of two bottles of water a day. That would add up to almost 2,100 disposable bottles over the MatchPoints conference and outreach events. To avoid generating so much plastic waste, we provide conference participants with reusable water bottles.
Danish tap water is pure, clean and delicious, so there is no reason to drink bottled water in Aarhus. The reusable bottles also eliminate the use of plastic cups and the water and energy that would go into washing up glasses. Please take your bottle home with you after the conference and keep refilling it.
Conference supplies
To reduce waste, we no longer hand out tote bags full of conference supplies to all participants — instead, we make conference supplies (such as pens, paper and printed programmes) available on the day for those who need them. Our name tags are printed on FSC-certified paper, and our complimentary MatchPoints key lanyards are made of recycled plastic bottles. We keep our printed materials to a minimum and we only use FSE-certified paper.
Meat-free catering
On 7 May, lunch will be provided by Compass Group, a catering service dedicated to sustainability and to reducing the carbon footprint and CO2 emissions from food. Compass Group has replaced all single-use packaging with biodegradable packing and is now focused on reducing food waste and converting unavoidable waste into sustainable energy. It is also working to offer more plant-based options in all its cafeterias. Utilizing 100% of the potential of raw materials reduces food waste and contributes to lowering the environmental burden, including CO2 emissions.
At MatchPoints 2026, participants will be served a meat-free lunch.
Walking to the venue
The Scandic Aarhus City hotel is within walking distance of the conference venue. If you enjoy a morning walk, we invite you to take a stroll through the city to the venue using these routes:
Walk from Scandic Aarhus City in the city centre (approx. 25-30 min.)
You can also take public transport or carpool. See parking options at the venue.