tim (Tradeshow Impact Manager) by PIE Factory, the first corporate-facing platform to measure, report and improve the environmental, social and governance (ESG) impact of exhibitions, has added Pernod Ricard, Knight Frank, Dolby and ecommpay, alongside founding partner CBRE to its roster of clients.

Developed by independent creative agency PIE Factory, founded by sustainability pioneer Nick Marks and overseen by sustainable event veteran Simon Evans, tim makes the hidden footprint of trade shows visible and actionable.

Trade shows remain one of marketing’s most powerful (and expensive) channels. Globally, the exhibition industry is worth more than $45bn, and companies invest an average of $1.4m annually in trade shows. The returns are strong: on average, exhibitions deliver a 4:1 ROI*, with some Fortune 500 brands reporting 5:1* or higher.

But trade shows are also one of the least sustainable marketing channels. From carbon-heavy logistics to single-use booth builds, they are increasingly under scrutiny. Too often, sustainability has been framed as an additional cost, a premium brands must pay to meet ESG target

But there is another way – Nick Marks, founder and director of PIE Factory, said: “Thanks to our forward-thinking clients, tim data is already showing that when companies take a structured approach, sustainability can drive cost savings. tim makes the invisible visible, not to name and shame, but to equip companies with data they can act on.”

He added: “And crucially, it proves that more sustainable decisions don’t have to cost more. In fact, they can save money while protecting brand reputation. In an industry worth billions, the gains from addressing this blind spot could be transformative.”

tim has entered the market at a moment when corporates are under mounting pressure from regulators, investors and customers to demonstrate credible ESG action.

By joining tim’s beta programme, participating businesses gain complimentary access to the tool in return for allowing their involvement to be publicly referenced.

This collaborative model creates a robust dataset and a growing body of case studies that demonstrate impact without requiring sensitive commercial disclosure.

The platform draws on over a decade of exhibition data held by PIE Factory, allowing new clients to benchmark against historic and sector-wide performance. Early findings have already revealed sharp differences between industries: with finance, telecoms and commercial property sectors proving more prepared for ESG scrutiny than luxury consumer brands.

In the coming months, tim will publish aggregated insights from across its user base, culminating in a white paper on “Trade Shows 2.0”.

This will set a new benchmark for corporate accountability in a sector that has, until now, evaded serious scrutiny.