SWITCH
10 February 2026 | Center Rog, Ljubljana
Stop talking about sustainability. Start delivering it.
SWITCH is the first event in the region and one of the very few in Europe that doesn’t discuss sustainable events, but demonstrates them in real-time. Every decision, every process, and every outcome is measured, visible, and actionable.
Designed as a living event laboratory, SWITCH brings together event clients, organisers, destinations, suppliers, innovators, and young talent who share one clear goal: to redesign events to be regenerative, circular, measurable, and commercially smarter.
This is where sustainable event organisation becomes tangible, profitable, and repeatable.
Ready to SWITCH? Join Us.
Why SWITCH is relevant
The events industry is under pressure:
- Costs are rising, while budgets remain tight
- ESG requirements are increasing, but practical guidance is scarce
- Audiences, especially Gen Y and Z, expect transparency, ethics, and proof
- Sustainability has become a buzzword, often without data, results, or credibility
SWITCH exists to cut through the noise.
You will see, test, and measure what works and leave with clear answers to one crucial question:
How do I organise better events with less waste, lower emissions, and smarter use of resources?
Roger Lehner
Senior Operations & Sustainability Executive at IMEX
Roger Lehner is the Senior Operations & Sustainability Executive at IMEX Group. He is active in industry groups including the EIC Sustainability & Social Impact Committee, the AEO Sustainability Working Group, and the Better Stands organizers’ group. He also leads IMEX’s Green Squad, driving internal sustainability initiatives and supporting both IMEX shows.
His sustainability focus is shaped by previous roles at WWF and Alternative Bank Switzerland.
Tomas Svoboda
CEO & Co-Founder Sustainova
Tomas Svoboda is a serial entrepreneur, investor, triathlete and sustainability advocate, known for building successful businesses from the ground up and pushing boundaries in both business and personal challenges. With experience ranging from managing large teams internationally to creating proven sustainability models presented at the United Nations, he is now building SUSTAINOVA, a global platform for business sustainability & compliance, helping companies turn sustainable practices into profitable, measurable impact.
Dr. Norhan Magdy Bayomi
Co-Founder and Co-Director of MIT Climate Machine
Norhan is AI innovator, Scientist, and Entrepreneur. She is also the co-founder and CPO at Lamarr.AI. Norhan received her PhD from Building Technology from MIT in 2022 and masters from the same program in 2017. Norhan is also a Research Scientist at MIT and co-founder of MIT Climate Machine Group. Norhan’s research fuses artificial intelligence, building performance, design, and technology to tackle problems in the built environment. Named after Hollywood icon and inventor, Hedy Lamarr, Lamarr provides a rapid solution for building envelope inspection and related energy efficiency assessment via drones, and artificial intelligence as fast as having an MRI scan for your building.
Prof. John E. Fernández
Co-Founder and Co-Director of MIT Climate Machine
John E. Fernández (MIT Class of 1985) is a Professor of Architecture at MIT and Director of the Building Technology Program and the Urban Metabolism Group. His research focuses on urban resource intensity and sustainable pathways for future cities, with global impact on policy and practice. He is also co-Director of the International Design Center at MIT and an internationally published scholar and practicing architect.
Dr. Lučka Kajfež Bogataj
Professor Emeritus and former full professor of agrometeorology at the Biotechnical Faculty of the University of Ljubljana
Dr. Lučka Kajfež Bogataj is a Slovenian climatologist and a pioneer of climate change research in Slovenia. She is a full professor at the Biotechnical Faculty of the University of Ljubljana, where she has led the Centre for Biometeorology since 1996. She is a long-standing member of the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and a co-recipient of the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize. Her work focuses on climate change and its impacts on agriculture and human health, alongside active engagement in public education and outreach.
Katre Kahre
Sustainability Lead and a Partner at Jolos
Katre Kahre is the Sustainability Lead and a Partner at Jolos, a leading live communication and event management agency in Estonia. With over a decade of experience organizing large-scale corporate events attended by thousands, Katre has spent the past four years spearheading sustainability initiatives in Estonia’s event sector. She has extensive experience in developing sustainable event management systems, measuring event carbon footprints, and providing actionable, data-driven recommendations. Katre is also a recognized public speaker on these topics. In 2025, Katre was named one of the Top 50 Most Influential People in the Events Industry in Europe by Eventex and a Top Sustainability Influencer by Kongres Magazine.
Petrisa Čanji Vouri
President of the Green Student Network in Slovenia
Petrisa Čanji Vouri is a researcher at the University of Ljubljana focused on corporate sustainability transitions and climate resilience within the LIFE4ADAPT project. She founded and leads the Green Student Network, which runs youth sustainability programs, a podcast, and partnerships reaching hundreds of young people annually. Her research covers coal-region transitions, EU energy policy, and fsQCA analysis, and she actively contributes to events and educational initiatives promoting data-driven, inclusive sustainability solutions.
Francisca Flajs
Green pilot at Planet Positive Event
Aleksandra Petrovska
Project manager at Planet Positive Event
Simona Roškar
Sustainability consultant at ESGenius
Gašper Pavli
Creative director at Sport Media Focus
Gorazd Čad
Founder at Planet Positive Event
Meta Pavlin
Strategic director at prvi.prvi.
SWITCH ON
08:30 – 09:00 – SWITCH Welcome
Registration, Carbon Check-In, labelled drink emissions and the first presentation of real-time environmental data.
Micro-activation: Your First Switch — participants choose a small personal switch for the day
09:00 – 09:15 – SWITCH Opening
What Planet Positive Really Means – LJUBLJANA MANIFESTO:
A powerful opening address followed by a short performative visual presentation, “What Planet Positive Means.”
Theme: The moment we collectively switch from “less bad” to “positive impact”.
09:15 – 09:30 – YOUTH & FUTURE VOICES:
Petrisa ČANJI
Roger LEHNER, Senior Operations & Sustainability Executive IMEX
SUSTAINABLE CRAWL 2025
Speakers: Francisca FLAJS and Aleksandra PETROVSKA
Speaker: Simona ROŠKAR
10:36 – 10:54 – Session 3: Impact Management
Speaker: Gašper PAVLI
10:54 – 11:12 – Session 4: Carbon Offset Management
Speaker: Gorazd ČAD
Speaker: Meta PAVLIN
11:30 – 11:45 – Sustainable Crawl
Practical tasks and interactive engagement between stations.
12:15 – 13:15 – Planet Positive Lunch
A deliberately designed low-impact lunch with a transparent explanation of choices.
CASE STUDY SHOWCASE
13:15 – 13:45 Three rapid, high-value examples:
Case study 1: Cycling conference, Ministry of the Environment, Climate and Energy
Case study 2: Annual meeting of Ljubljana Tourism partners 2024, Ljubljana Tourism
Case study 3: Film under the stars, Ljubljana Castle
13:45 – 14:15 – THE SWITCH MOMENT 3: Transforming sustainability into a strategic business advantage
Tomas SVOBODA, Co-Founder Sustainova
14:15 – 14:45 – THE SWITCH MOMENT 4: Measuring Event Carbon Footprint: from supplier data to real decisions
Katre KAHRE, Jolos
A practical real-life case study of how we’ve measured the carbon footprint of corporate events: what data we collected from vendors, how we made sense of complex CO₂ numbers, and how we translated the results into clear conclusions and better decisions for future events.
14:45 – 15:15 – THE SWITCH MOMENT 5: The Climate Wake-Up Call
Dr. Lučka Kajfež BOGATAJ, University of Ljubljana
SWITCH LAB
In parallel with the main programme, the SWITCH Lab will be open throughout the day:
09:00 – 15:00
A guided tour of the SWITCH Lab, showcasing measurement tools, data workflows, and innovation processes behind Planet Positive event design.
SWITCH sustainability guide
SWITCH is rigorously following the Planet Positive Event methodology, meaning that every segment of the event is organised with sustainability at its core.
ACCESSIBILITY & TRAVEL – SWITCH to Planet Positive Event
Venue: Center Rog, Trubarjeva 72, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
GETTING THERE
- Public transport: Ljubljana is well served by city buses; stops close to the venue include Zmajski most, Poljanska, and Ambrožev trg.
- Train/bus station: Ljubljana’s main rail and bus terminal is roughly a 15-minute walk or a short bus/ride share trip.
- Airport: Ljubljana Jože Pučnik Airport (Brnik) is ~25 km from the city centre, with shuttle and transfer services available. Ljubljana’s city centre is compact and walkable.
- Car: Rog Center provides an underground parking garage available with an hourly rate. Parking for electric cars is also available, as well as for motorcycles.
ACCESSIBILITY AT THE VENUE
- Center Rog is accessible for people with reduced mobility: wheelchair lifts are installed at entrances, all three floors are reachable by elevator, and ramps provide access to the terrace. Adapted restrooms are available on each floor. Visitors can communicate special needs in advance to the SWITCH staff to ensure assistance.
NEAREST ACCOMMODATION (walking distance)
For SWITCH, pick hotels close to the congress area so you can walk, bike, or use public transport easily, these hotels are less than 2km from Rog Center:
- Grand Hotel Union / Union Eurostars (4★) – city centre, short walk to the venue.
- uHotel Eurostars (4★) – next to Grand Hotel Union, ideal for sustainable mobility.
- City Hotel Ljubljana (4★) – ~3 min walk to central area.
- Exe Hotel Lev (4★) – ~8 min walk.
- Grand Plaza Hotel (5★) – ~8 min walk.
- B&B Hotel Ljubljana Park (3★) – ~10 min walk.
PRACTICAL POINTERS FOR PARTICIPANTS
SWITCH is designed as a living lab where the sustainability of choices – from food to mobility to data – is transparent and measurable in real time. Plan your travel and stay to minimize carbon impact and ease of movement: choose walking, cycling, or buses over taxis when possible.
CONTACTS FOR HELP
For special arrangements, contact the SWITCH staff at: support@planet-positive-event.eu
Partner of the event:
