Sustainability Initiatives

Embracing Sustainability

SIOP 2024 is committed to integrating sustainable congress 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 SIOP 2024 Congress with sustainability in mind – for our planet and environment, as well as for everyone involved with the meeting: from the organising team and committees, through our partner chain, all the way to the delegates we welcome.

Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages

At SIOP 2024 we aim to provide an intellectually stimulating exchange of science and ideas while taking care of our delegates mental and physical well-being. Here are some of the initiatives we have planned:

• We are working with local suppliers and catering, and will be serving you locally sourced, seasonal, and sustainably grown food.
• Use reusable dishware, compostable materials, and avoid single-use plastics.
• The SIOP 2024 Fun(d) Run – enjoy an early morning run or walk in the beautiful setting of Honolulu. Enjoy the views and move your body for a positive and motivational start of your day. All runners can add a donation to the Hawaii Children’s Cancer Foundation (HCCF) when registering for the congress and Fun(d) Run ranging from 10 to 100 USD) . But you can join us without of course as well.

Ensure inclusive & equitable quality education, and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all

Supporting accessible high-quality education for our global community is a top priority. Throughout the organisation of SIOP 2024, we strive to constantly improve the programme, introduce more accessible congress alternatives, eliminate gender disparities in education, and ensure long-term education for our attendees.

• High-Quality Program – Carefully crafted by the SIOP 2024 Scientific Committee team. We make sure to constantly innovate, educate and deliver new knowledge, introduce new relevant topics and invite the best international & local speakers.
• Young Investigator Awards giving young researchers the opportunity to present their work at the Congress, providing them with a free registration, free 2-year SIOP membership and financial support towards their travel and accommodation.
• Sessions On Demand – availability of the recorded sessions post-conference dates.
• Awards Supporting Participation – multiple award opportunities for waived Conference registration and additional financial support towards attendance.
• Interactive Meet-the-Expert Sessions with audience participation and relevant presentations.
• Networking opportunities and knowledge exchange through social media platforms, online communities, or post-event resource sharing.
• Special keynote presentations delivered by many internationally renowned experts.
• Global Health Scholarships – for each annual meeting, SIOP provides scholarships to people who have insufficient resources to participate and to travel to the meeting.

Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns

In an effort to reduce paper waste and our environmental footprint, we have implemented several eco-friendly practices.

• Minimise the use of printed materials – Instead of producing a regular-sized programme book, SIOP 2024 will have a mini programme book instead. The mini version still contains essential information about the congress, including schedules, session details, and speaker profiles, but is one attendees can easily carry in their pockets or bags, ensuring convenience while minimising paper consumption;
• Healthy, locally-sourced meals during the Congress – By sourcing ingredients locally, SIOP supports local farmers and reduces the carbon footprint associated with long-distance food transportation. These locally-sourced meals not only contribute to the overall sustainability of the congress but also promote a healthier and more nutritious dining experience for participants;
• Promoting Sustainable Development – While organising our event, 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 do so too.

Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts!

We are introducing several dedicated SIOP 2024 initiatives, aiming to promote a healthy lifestyle, while enjoying being together with the community. SDG 13 actually impacts all the 17 Sustainability development Goals, our main goal is to improve education, awareness and human and institutional capacities relating to climate change, mitigation and early warning:

• Minimizing use of paper: we have created a mini version of the programme for you. The Congress app will feature all details around the Congress and we encourage you to use it as the main source of information. Our aim is to limit printed promotional materials in favor of digital alternatives
• No single plastic use at the event.
• We encourage you to actively participate in the Carbon Offsetting Programme.
• We are working with the local suppliers and catering, serving locally sourced, seasonal, and sustainably grown food.
• The SIOP 2024 Fun(d) Run – an opportunity to get active for a morning run, or a morning walk to raise funds for the Hawaii Children’s Cancer Foundation (HCCF).