Real change starts with collaboration. Because together we can work even better on the energy transition, circular events or accelerating the necessary transitions by stimulating sustainable careers. At Jaarbeurs, we therefore like to cooperate on initiatives that help the world a step further. One example is Sustainable Switch: a career fair for people who want to make society a bit more sustainable.
Jaarbeurs looks with us and makes it easy to make sustainable choices. Even small things, like no paper business cards but an app that lets you connect with each other, together make a big difference.Laura Wolf, event coordinator at Sustainable Motion
"Sustainability is a spearhead in everything we do at Jaarbeurs," says account manager Corry Neggers. "We don't just want to say we think it's important, we also want to make it concrete. This is reflected, for example, in our buildings, how we deal with catering and waste and, of course, the events we facilitate. We want to be drivers of sustainable initiatives that we ourselves believe in one hundred per cent."
A step towards a more sustainable future
One such initiative is Sustainable Switch; an event where sustainable ambitions, inspiration and concrete career opportunities come together. Sustainable Switch is an initiative of SustainableMotion, a project agency for sustainable careers. For fifteen years now, they have been organising projects and events for students, new graduates and professionals who want to make a sustainable impact. Jaarbeurs supports Sustainable Switch by providing the venue and financial backing. Corry: “We want to be a driving force behind sustainable initiatives; this is one we truly believe in.”
Third edition, a sustainable match
Sustainable Switch is now being organised at Jaarbeurs for the third time. The partnership began a few years ago when SustainableMotion was looking for a central, easily accessible venue that truly aligned with their sustainable mission. Laura Wolf, event coordinator at SustainableMotion: “We want to encourage visitors to travel by public transport, and this venue is perfect for that. What’s more, right from our first discussions with Jaarbeurs , we realised they shared our vision. They’re actively involved in thinking through the practical arrangements and how, together, we can maximise our positive impact and minimise our impact on the environment.”
Organising sustainably together
According to Corry, this ‘thinking along with the client’ is a standard way of working. “We always advise on how an event can be made more sustainable. At Sustainable Switch, you can see that reflected in every detail. From the standard vegetarian catering to the use of porcelain instead of disposable tableware, and minimising waste by using digital flyers and QR codes. We also encourage exhibitors to make conscious choices: don’t bring unnecessary merchandise , use reusable banners and think carefully about transport.” Laura agrees with Corry and adds: “That helps enormously. Jaarbeurs works with us and makes it easy to make sustainable choices. Even small things, such as not using paper business cards but an app that lets you connect with each other, all add up to make a big difference.”
More than just a venue
The collaboration between Jaarbeurs and Sustainable Motion is more than just an ‘ordinary’ partnership. It is a way to accelerate impact. “We believe that, as a conference and events venue, we have a role to play in strengthening initiatives that contribute to a sustainable future,” says Corry. “That’s why we’re joining forces. We want to make this movement bigger.” And that movement is growing. During the previous edition, Laura and Corry saw visitors leave full of inspiration and new contacts. Many organisations returned with success stories: employees they’d met the previous year are now on board. “That’s exactly what we want,” says Laura. “New connections that lead to real change: helping people find a job where they truly feel at home, and can turn their ambitions into action.”
Inspiring programme
At Sustainable Switch, professionals will find plenty of inspiration on how to shape their careers around making a positive, sustainable impact. The day begins with an interactive session in which participants reflect on their own journey: where are you now, and what impact exactly do you want to make? Afterwards, experts will share how they themselves made the transition. At the employers’ fair, visitors will meet over thirty organisations, each working in their own way towards a more sustainable future. Here you’ll find many organisations with sustainable job vacancies, as well as training providers offering information on retraining, further training and work-based learning programmes. In the afternoon, there will be workshops based on real-life cases, in which participants, together with other professionals, will explore how companies tackle sustainability issues and gain an in-depth insight into a particular organisation.
The idea of Sustainable Switch is to connect the right parties. "Our overarching goal is to empower sustainability transitions by connecting people with intrinsic motivation and experience to the organisations looking for those people," says Laura. "Personal contact is key to this. At Sustainable Switch, you can talk to each other right away. That's why this event is so valuable."
The cooperation between Jaarbeurs and Sustainable Motion, by the way, does not only focus on professionals who already have a few years of work experience. Young talents have also been considered, namely with the Sustainability Career Event. This is the national sustainable career fair for students and starters. This event also takes place at Jaarbeurs. The next edition will be on 6 February 2026.
