With a huge majority of 76.4% of yes votes, the population of Zürich said yes to sustainable development and to the 2000-watt society in 2008. Specifically, this means that Zürich aims to reduce its energy consumption to 2000 watts per person and its CO2 emissions to one tonne per person and year by 2050. Since 2008, the targets of the 2000-watt society and nuclear phase-out have been anchored in municipal regulations. The city of Zürich is committed to reaching these ambitious targets in various ways. It promotes efficient energy use and the use of renewables, such as environmental heat, solar power, solar collectors or district heat with financial incentives and consultation. In terms of mobility, it has an attractive range of environmentally friendly means of public transport, and it acts as an example when it comes to its own properties. The city of Zürich has been honoured with the European Energy Award®GOLD for its energy performance and in the use of renewables. It also comes top in the ranking of the Arcadis Sustainable Cities Index.

In addition to security, Zürich Airport is a further, major benefit for Zürich as a congress location. It is a key international hub for arrivals and departures in the immediate vicinity. The city of Zürich is easy and straightforward to reach by public transport. All congress venues and the great majority of hotels are close to one another. 98 per cent of the hotels are less than half an hour away from a congress location. 58 per cent of hotel rooms in Zürich hold a sustainability certificate from a recognised label. For people attending fairs and congresses, there are numerous options to experience the sustainable commitment of destination Zürich or to explore them in a resource-saving manner thanks to the programme of activities offered by Zürich Tourism. Numerous city bikes, e-bikes and kids bikes are available free of charge in the city of Zürich. This allows the city to be explored in an environmentally sustainable way during a meeting break.

The city of Zürich has seen lively construction development over the past decade. On 22 January 2014, the threshold of 400,000 inhabitants was passed. Since 2005, the population has grown by more than 35,000, and nearly 60,000 new jobs have been created. The city is clearly an attractive place to live and work. According to forecasts, this growth will continue in the coming years. Zürich offers a high quality of life, the population is satisfied and its social cohesion is strong. The city of Zürich has defined 21 indicators in the areas of business, environment and society, which it considers to be important with regard to a comprehensive view of the city's development. The social indicators include the following: quality of life, social security, security, equal opportunities for men and women, people with disabilities, work-life balance, integration of the foreign population and cross-regional solidarity. The city of Zürich comes second in the Mercer Ranking of 2019, which rates the quality of life of cities.