Sustainability at FRPT
Embracing Sustainability
FRPT is committed to integrate sustainable conference practices and initiatives that go beyond slogans and result in useful achievements.
We firmly believe that we all have a part to play in preserving our future for generations to come, both locally and across the globe.
Therefore, we are organizing our conference with sustainability in mind – for our planet and environment, as well as for everyone involved with the conference: from the organizing team and committees, through our partner chain, all the way to the delegates we welcome.
FRPT and the Sustainable Development Goals
The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs, also known as the Global Goals) are 17 goals with 169 targets that all UN Member States have agreed to work towards achieving by the year 2030. They set out a vision for a world free from poverty, hunger and disease.
We at FRPT want to do our part to promote the achievement of these goals in our own value chain. The SDGs that we support and work towards are:
How You Can Contribute as an FRPT Participant:
As individuals, as well as a community, each of us can and should contribute towards maintaining the natural ecological balance in the environment and preserve the planet and its natural systems and resources. Here is what we invite you to do as part of the FRPT Conference:
- Offset your CO2 emissions and support a project with social value (learn more)
- Use the mobile app and the virtual platform (instead of printing) to inquire about the programme details
- Join the FRPT Dance Class in Rome
- Use more sustainable ways of traveling to and around Toronto
- Reduce the waste you generate and separate disposal
- Opt for reusable mugs and bottles
Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages.
We are introducing several dedicated FRPT initiatives, aiming to promote healthy lifestyle, while enjoying being together with the community.
What we are doing in 2024:
- The FRPT FLASH Dance Class – An organised group activity, where delegates are invited to start the day in an active way and enjoy an early morning yoga.
- Messaging and Tools Promoting Wellbeing – Online attendees are regularly reminded and encouraged to take a break from the screen, go outside, or do some sports in-between sessions. Additionally, we will provide instructional wellness videos, encouraging online participants to stay active while attending the conference at home.
- Healthy food – we aim to provide attendees with healthy and nutritious food options, which include fresh and locally sourced fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and more. The hotel as part of global Marriott hotels chain has a goal of responsible 95% sourcing by 2025.
- Step Counter – Engage with participants in person during the event to promote and encourage to take more steps. The FRPT App will show the participants who walked the most steps during FRPT 2024! We Incorporate technology in the events app and include a steps counter, personalised health, wellness, and diet tips.
Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all
Supporting accessible high quality education for our community is our top priority. Throughout the organisation of FRPT, we strive to constantly improve the scientific programme, introduce more accessible conference alternatives and support onsite attendance, eliminate gender disparities in education, and ensure long-term education for our attendees.
What we are doing in 2024:
- High-Quality Scientific Programme – Carefully crafted by a multidisciplinary team of experts in Flash and Particle Therapy. We make sure to constantly improve the session formats, introduce new relevant topics and invite the best international experts. The teaching lectures at FRPT are designed to support education and lay a solid foundation for any future discussions and activities in the respective field.
- Sessions On Demand – The recorded FRPT sessions are available to all participants for 3 months after the conference dates, allowing attendees to catch up on any learnings they missed during the Conference, or re-watch important presentations and discussions.
- Webinars Throughout The Year – Following the success of the second FRPT Conference in 2022, we want to keep the scientific momentum going, and provide additional educational opportunities in the field of Flash RT and PT. In the months before FRPT 2023, we will offer a series of LIVE FRPT Webinars – FREE of charge and open to all who are interested.
- Free FRPT Webcasts – Select presentations from the Conference are made publicly available to all, for an unlimited period of time. Anyone interested can watch these sessions for free, expand their knowledge, and stay on top of the Flash and PT field.
- Awards Supporting Participation – We provide opportunities for waived Conference registration and additional financial support towards attendance (learn more).
- Virtual Conference Alternative – Although we are preparing a true celebration of the community, with lots of learning and networking opportunities for everyone joining us in Toronto, we are aware that not everyone can afford to travel and take full advantage of FRTP. Therefore, we introduced the more accessible virtual alternative, where everyone can be part of the conference – at lower rates, from wherever they are in the world (learn more).
- Promoting Sustainable Development – While organizing our events, we enquire and opt for more sustainable options from our vendors, openly communicate our efforts to do better, and encourage our partners and participants to reduce their footprint too. We invite you to offset your CO2 emissions and support a project with social value (learn more).
- Interactive Meet-the-Expert Sessions – with audience participation (voting, etc.) and relevant presentations.
- Travel Grants – to delegates with lower income or students – aiming to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all.
Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls
What we are doing in 2024:
- FRTP is an inclusive space for people of all ages, genders, and abilities. We aim for and monitor gender equality and nondiscrimination among our delegates, presenters, and committee members.
- We do the utmost to make the meeting a welcoming, inclusive space for people of all ages, genders, and abilities. Choose a diverse speaker lineup representing a variety of genders, ethnicities, and backgrounds.
- Promote more women in committee positions related to the event.
- Promote the event in a gender-inclusive way using a language that is welcoming to all.
- Create a programme that features diverse topics and speakers from various backgrounds and experiences.
- Make sure the event and exhibition are accessible for attendees with disabilities.
Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns
We realize the impact large-scale events like FRPT could have on the environment, therefore sustainable production and consumption is one of our main priorities in the organisation of the FRPT 2023 Conference.
What we are doing in 2024:
- Reducing Printing
- Instead of a printed Programme Book, we will have even better content on the Congress Mobile App and Platform.
- E-Posters instead of printed Poster Boards – easy to navigate and available both in the venue, and on your own device.
- Limiting printed promotional materials for FRPT at other events and those of other events at FRPT. We encourage digital alternatives instead.
- We encourage all our exhibitors to join us in this initiative and reduce single-use giveaways at their stands.
- More Sustainable Catering
- The conference hotel focuses on waste prevention, regional sourcing for catering, and eco-friendly practices.
- Organise the meeting according to the 4 principles: Rethink, Reduce, Reuse, Recycle what you’re providing, and what you will do with items after the event is over.
- Work with the local catering partner to ensure the use of local and seasonal products from the local and sustainable producers, to reduce the transportation footprint of the congress.
Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development
FRPT is proud to join the IAPCO Plastics Pledge to rid the meetings industry of single-use plastic. We are conscious of the potential of single-use plastics being used at events and then discarded to enter into the oceans and onto beaches, and the negative impact this would have on our environment.
What we are doing in 2024:
- Use reusable dishware, compostable materials, and avoid single-use plastics.
- End the use of single-use plastic water bottles by offering water coolers.
- The conference hotel focuses on waste prevention, regional sourcing for catering, and eco-friendly practices.