Lyreco Unboxed: Sustainability Conference as a Dialogue Platform

Lyreco, a supplier of workplace products, set itself the aim of positioning its sustainability activities more clearly and of fostering dialogue within the industry. Existing programmes and measures were to be supplemented by a participatory platform that enabled credible solutions to ecological and social challenges to be put forward. The agency standing ovation developed the Lyreco Unboxed format for this purpose – a platform that brings customers, producers and experts together to develop joint solutions in the interests of a more sustainable future.

The focal point of the format was a B2B conference with over 850 participants, as well as a curated exhibition that revealed supply chain processes. A total of over 30 experts from the fields of economics, science and politics had their say, illuminating a variety of controversial perspectives and enabling discussion about specific problems. One of the central features of the format was the radical openness of the debates: producers and customers met on equal terms, traditional sales formats were consciously avoided. Instead, the focus was on transparent insights into production conditions, challenges and potential solutions.

The exhibition made use of modular elements made of reusable Lyreco boxes, along with rented furniture and a vegetarian catering concept. The event process was assessed by Swiss Climate CO 2 in order to identify and reduce emissions and – wherever these were unavoidable – to compensate for them. A circular economy was therefore not only a topic but was also put into practice in the design.

An accompanying communication strategy widened the reach of the event, comprising a microsite, targeted LinkedIn campaigns and contributions from participating partners.