What is ISO 20121?
ISO 20121 (full name: ISO 20121:2012, Event Sustainability Management Systems – Requirements with guidance for use) is a voluntary international standard for sustainable event management, created by the International Organization for Standardization. The standard aims to help organizations improve sustainability throughout the entire event management cycle.
ISO 20121 has been developed for the events industry to help you put sustainability first when managing and delivering your event. It’s for event companies or for businesses that put on events. The standard takes into account the geography, culture and social demographic of your event. ISO 20121 lets you take a long-term view and identify all potential impacts early on – helping you to reduce or prevent any that could be negative.
Key Aspects of ISO 20121
- Sustainability Management: The standard guides organizations in integrating sustainability principles into their event management processes, ensuring that events are planned and executed with consideration for their environmental and social impacts.
- Stakeholder Engagement: ISO 20121 emphasizes the importance of engaging stakeholders, including suppliers, attendees, and local communities, to address their concerns and expectations regarding sustainability.
- Resource Efficiency: It encourages efficient use of resources, including energy, water, and materials, to minimize waste and reduce the environmental footprint of events.
- Continuous Improvement: The standard promotes continuous improvement by requiring organizations to set sustainability objectives, monitor performance, and make necessary adjustments to enhance the sustainability of their events.
- Risk Management: It provides guidelines for identifying and managing potential risks related to sustainability, helping organizations mitigate negative impacts and enhance overall event performance.
What are the benefits of ISO 20121 Sustainable Event Management?
- Identify ways to improve event planning and delivery.
- Achieve best practice levels of efficiency and performance.
- Define roles and responsibilities for staff, contractors and suppliers.
- Cut costs through better energy and waste management.
- Integrate with ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 for even better results.
By adopting ISO 20121, organizations can demonstrate their commitment to sustainability, improve their reputation, and contribute to the broader goal of environmental and social responsibility in event management.