AWWA’s ACE25 Earns Platinum Certification for Sustainable Events

DENVER — The American Water Works Association (AWWA) announced today that its 2025 Annual Conference and Exposition (ACE25) earned the Platinum Level Certification by the Events Industry Council (EIC), following a rigorous, third-party audit. This prestigious recognition places ACE among an elite tier of events worldwide that have met EIC’s highest standards for sustainability.

“This milestone reflects AWWA’s commitment to environmental stewardship, economic resilience and social equity — all core pillars of our Water 2050 vision,” said David LaFrance, CEO of AWWA. “It’s also a testament to our event staff and exhibitors, who set high standards for themselves and seek to be an example for the sector.”

The EIC Sustainable Event Standards were created through a global collaborative process with participation from subject matter experts in all sectors. They provide a framework for collaboration and a strong focus on guidance and metrics so that event professionals at all stages of their sustainability journey have the support needed to implement and measure sustainable practices.

The standards specify performance criteria in the areas of organizational management; marketing; communications and engagement; climate action; water management; materials and circularity; supply chain management; diversity, equity and inclusion; accessibility; and social impact. To date, more than 300 professionals have participated in the review of the standards. The event organizer standard is one of several comprehensive standards for environmentally sustainable events.

“AWWA’s certification demonstrates how organizations can champion sustainability in ways that are both strategic and impactful,” said Amy Calvert, CEO of EIC. “By achieving this recognition, AWWA is not only advancing its own sustainability goals but also setting an inspiring example for the meetings and business events industry.”

AWWA launched its sustainability initiative in 2023 in a commitment to accountability, transparency and continuous improvement. “ACE brings together water professionals from across the world, so it is imperative that we take responsibility to minimize environmental and social impacts,” LaFrance said. “This recognition illustrates that we lead first by doing.”

At ACE25, which attracted over 11,000 water professionals from around the world, AWWA committed to several goals and achieved the following:

• Increase waste diversion from landfill to 43% (up from 21% in 2024).
• Establish a new sustainable procurement policy for all ACE materials.
• Raise awareness of the ACE Carbon Offset Dashboard, which allows individuals to understand the carbon footprint of their travel to and from ACE.
• Strengthen the Exhibitor Sustainability Pledge, which encourages at least one action from each exhibitor relating to energy use, waste diversion, and reduced food and beverage packaging.

ACE25 also earned an exemplary point in its audit for efforts to offset all event water use (420,000 gallons) by purchasing Water Restoration Certificates® through the Bonneville Environmental Foundation, supporting seven projects across the American West to improve irrigation efficiency and restore aquatic habitats.

Alliance for Audited Media (AAM) conducted the third-party audit, and AWWA collaborated with Honeycomb Strategies (HCS), event industry sustainability consultants, on the planning and certification process.

ACE26 will take place June 21-24 in Washington, D.C.

Established in 1881, the American Water Works Association is the largest nonprofit, scientific and educational association dedicated to managing and treating water, the world’s most vital resource. With approximately 50,000 members, AWWA provides solutions to improve public health, protect the environment, strengthen the economy and enhance our quality of life.